The competition to play CBS's Supergirl was fierce.
"Glee" star Melissa Benoist beat out many actresses, both unknown and known, to play the coveted role of Superman's cousin, including reported actresses "Vampire Diaries" star Claire Holt and "Hollyoaks" star Gemma Atkinson.
While the studios felt like they found their girl, Showrunner Andrew Kreisberg said on a press call last week that there was a moment when it became crystal clear that Benoist was the right choice.
"We knew that she was our Supergirl and our Kara from the very start, I don’t think any of us ever questioned that," Kreisberg clarified.
He later added, "For all the good intentions and all the good planning and all the talented people in the world, you could sometimes misfire on these things, especially when it’s based on a comic book — but when Melissa stepped out wearing that outfit, it was like, 'Oh, this is going to work.' None of us had any doubts from that point forward."
And for Benoist, who this time last year was preparing for the "Supergirl" audition and didn't even dress up for Halloween, there was never any doubt that this was the role of a lifetime.
"I think the reason I was so drawn to it from the beginning was because I knew it was a once in a lifetime opportunity," Benoist said. "And I just think it’s a beautiful story to tell in a really sometimes scary world and that it would be something I would be really proud to be a part of."
"Supergirl" premieres Monday, October 26 at 8:30 p.m. on CBS.
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