Similar to Grant Gustin, who first appeared on Arrow season 2 before getting his own spin-off show following the overwhelmingly positive reception, Melissa Benoist too originally auditioned for Arrow. However, the role she auditioned for was a far cry from the whimsy optimistic Supergirl she’d go on to play in the following years, as it was much darker in tone.
Although she managed to leave a lasting impact on the casting director, which later came in handy during her selection for Girl of Steel, she lost out on playing Oliver’s sister to Willa Holland.
Melissa Benoist Initially Auditioned to Play Thea Queen in Arrow
Years before getting her own CW show, Melissa Benoist auditioned for the role of Thea Queen, Oliver Queen’s sister. But following Willa Holland’s greater sense of duality as an actor, she was chosen over the Glee star for the role. In hindsight, it’s safe to say it was the perfect decision, as not only did she excel as Supergirl in the following years, but Benoist’s jubilating personality would not have sat well with the dark nature of Thea.
It’s also important to note that the initial reception to Thea Queen wasn’t exactly stellar, as she started out as a spoiled rich girl, who opted to do drugs and alcohol to cope with her sorrows. But we need to keep in mind that when the show started out, she was only 19 and was dealing with some pretty traumatic matters.
From losing her brother for five years to finding out her deceased father wasn’t her real dad to losing her love interest, it’s not hard to see why she kept falling deeper into the hole in the initial seasons. Fortunately, she eventually outgrows from her self-destructive phase and even accompanies her brother in crimefighting by taking the mantle of Speedy later on in the show.
Melissa Benoist’s Arrow Audition Helped Her Secure Supergirl
Despite failing to earn the gig in Arrow, casting director David Rapaport would later reach out to Melissa Benoist for CW’s Supergirl following her impactful screen test. But getting her the part wasn’t easy, as the producers weren’t initially convinced about the Whiplash star due to her lack of experience. But after a rigorous audition process, which spanned over three months and involved multiple screen tests, Benoist finally landed the part.
Speaking of the actress, Rapaport later stated (via EW):
I got to know Melissa, and she seemed to encapsulate all these qualities they were looking for.
While the show as a whole had its fair share of ups and downs, we can all agree on the fact that Benoist was perfect as Supergirl. And with Milly Alcock set to play the character in James Gunn’s DCU, things are looking great for fans of Supergirl.
Supergirl is available to stream on Netflix.
