Now that CBS has committed to producing a Supergirl television show, their top priority is making the right casting choice for character of Kara Zor-El AKA Supergirl.
According to a story from The Hollywood Reporter last month, Australian actress Claire Holt (Vampire Diaries, The Originals) has been testing for the title role in Supergirl. Now it appears another actress has made the short list for consideration.
British actress Gemma Atkinson is rumored, in an article from The Sun, to have already auditioned for the lead role in CBS’s Supergirl series. Atkinson is also being sought for a role on the long running British series Emmerdale, but would likely not take that role if given the opportunity to portray Supergirl.
SpoilerTV reports that a source close to Atkinson said, “Gemma is a huge fan of comic books so this is something she’d jump at. It will make her huge Stateside.”
Atkinson, who is best known for her role as Lisa Hunter in the British soap opera Hollyoaks, is not as well-known in here in The States. This may actually be seen as a plus where the producers of the series are concerned, when considering who to cast as their series lead.
Having a fresh and lesser known face in the starring role could prevent audiences from developing preconceived notions about the worth or ability of said actress based on previous work.
One thing that could definitely give Atkinson an advantage for this role, which is certain to be very physically demanding and action intensive, is her Muay Thai training.
Having previous knowledge of this fighting style may make fight choreography go smoother, and may require little to no time for fight training before the cameras roll.
There certainly have to be other actresses that are or were being considered for this role. However, the fact that only two names have really been made public in connection with the role may not bode well for other contenders.