(Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)
Supergirl actress Milly Alcock says she is “honored” that fans view the Girl of Steel as a queer icon. Alcock reprises her role as Kara Zor-El from last year’s Superman.

Milly Alcock says Supergirl doesn’t fit traditional gender expectations

Speaking at a Brazilian press event (via Cosmic Book News), Alcock talked about how fans and she herself have embraced Kara Zor-El as a queer icon, adding that it makes Kara “special”.

“I’ve played a few characters that might have a potential queer through line,” she said. “I have many queer friends. So honestly, I’m kind of honored. I’m honored that that’s happening, but I think because she doesn’t live inside the binary of what we think a woman should be, that is what makes it so special and so exciting and so new.”

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While Supergirl has not typically been portrayed as a queer character in mainstream DC Comics continuity, some alternate-universe stories have depicted her differently. In 2021’s Dark Knights of Steel, set in an alternate reality, Supergirl’s multiversal counterpart is shown to be in a relationship with Wonder Woman. Technically, no Supergirl story has overtly shown Kara to be queer, but fans and critics have analyzed her relationships through a queer lens. The same is true for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Tom King’s graphic novel that the Supergirl film is based on.

Ahead of its release, the film has drawn mostly positive first impressions. Fans who are new to the character can check out some quintessential comics to get a read on the Girl of Steel. While the character was introduced in James Gunn’s Superman, the director has expressed his wishes to ensure that Supergirl is distinct from her cousin. Supergirl will next appear in Man of Tomorrow, with Milly Alcock reprising the role.

Supergirl releases in theaters on June 26, 2026.