Supergirl experienced a surprising casting change over the summer, and it sounds like it’s added a new layer to one onscreen and offscreen dynamic.
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In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, series star Melissa Benoist spoke about the arrival of Smallville‘s Erica Durance, who will be taking over the role of Alura from Laura Benanti. As she revealed, the recasting has created a different rapport between Alura and her daughter, Kara.
“It is different.” Benoist explained. “I loved Laura Benanti, but Erica brings something really fun to it.”
Judging by what we know about season three, Alura will be much more of a presence in Supergirl‘s third season, both through her hologram messages to Kara, and through a dream sequence in the series premiere.
“I’ve only had a few things with her so far in hologram, and we’ll see her more often.” Benoist revealed. “That’s always a really touching experience for Kara, to be able to talk to her in any shape or form, so we’ll definitely see more of that.”
With Kara wrestling with her humanity in the season’s early episodes, it sounds like interactions with her Kryptonian mother will be even more important. Word of Alura’s increased role in the show did initially raise some eyebrows, however, with some wondering if she might actually still be alive.
“We wanted to keep Alura’s presence on the show,” Showrunner Robert Rovner explained, when asked that question earlier this summer. “because it really connects Kara to Krypton and her roots and what it meant to see her family and her planet destroyed. It’s an emotional grounding that’s always important.”
Supergirl season three premieres Monday, October 9th, at 8/7c, on The CW.
