Milly Alcock on the Challenges of Playing Supergirl and the Superhero Genre
Milly Alcock has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry, particularly for her role as young Rhaenyra Targaryen in the hit series House of the Dragon. Her performance earned her widespread recognition and placed her in the spotlight of a massive franchise. Now, she’s stepping into a new world as Supergirl in the DC Universe.
Given the immense popularity of the Game of Thrones franchise, Milly is no stranger to the intensity of fandom. When she joined the DC Universe, the 25-year-old was fully aware that taking on the role of Supergirl would come with its own set of challenges. The superhero genre is known for its passionate fanbase, and Milly was prepared for the scrutiny that comes with such a high-profile role.
In a March 31 interview with Vanity Fair, Milly discussed what it took to prepare for the role of Supergirl and the unique dynamics of the superhero fanbase. She shared how being a woman in that space often leads to comments and criticisms. “It definitely made me aware that simply existing as a woman in that space is something that people comment on,” she said. “We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women’s bodies. I can’t really stop them. I can only be myself.”
Milly first appeared as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl in 2025’s Superman. Talking to Vanity Fair, she explained that she had initially sworn off working on another big franchise after House of the Dragon. However, she eventually gave in to the opportunity after not working for a year beyond Netflix’s 2025 limited series Sirens.
“I was so ****-scared that my life was over at 22,” she said. “And, of course, it wasn’t.”
When asked about the discourse around the superhero genre, especially from filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Ridley Scott, Milly offered a thoughtful perspective that sparked further discussion online.
Ridley Scott, in a 2021 interview with Deadline, expressed his frustration with superhero movies, stating that “their scripts are not any * good.” He went on to say that he believes there are only three great scripted superhero movies: Alien with Sigourney Weaver, Gladiator, and Indiana Jones. He also mentioned that films like Blade Runner and Alien could technically be considered superhero movies.
Martin Scorsese voiced his concerns about superhero movies in a 2019 New York Times interview. He clarified that he wasn’t trying to insult Marvel but rather explain that cinema should focus on “revelation – aesthetic, emotional and spiritual revelation.” He felt that big franchise films were dominating the box office, leaving little room for more artistic films. “The situation, sadly, is that we now have two separate fields: there’s worldwide audiovisual entertainment, and there’s cinema. They still overlap from time to time, but that’s becoming increasingly rare … the financial dominance of one is being used to marginalise and even belittle the existence of the other.”
In response to these comments, Milly shared her take. “I get it. They’ve been around for * ever making phenomenal films,” she said. “Not every film is for everyone. The beauty of art is that you can be selective.”
As Milly’s quotes circulated online, others shared their opinions on how superhero films are criticized compared to other projects. On a Reddit thread, users responded to the star of Supergirl’s comments.
“She is right. Superheroes are just not for everyone!” one person wrote. Another agreed, “She’s absolutely right. I have friends who don’t even watch horror movies or superhero movies. Then I have others who are the opposite, lol.”
“There is a difference when the movie is just ‘product with superhero’ as opposed to ‘film about superhero,’ one redditor wrote. “For instance, the classic Sam Raimi Spider-Man compared to any of the Marvel ones. Or the original X-Men movie compared to the recent ones. There’s a massive difference. I think what they are critical of is the meaningless slop product movie. This goes beyond the superhero genre of movies, but this genre happened to be the big deal when this pattern started taking place.”
“Who cares?” another redditor wrote. “A couple filmmakers and actors not liking superheroes obviously isn’t something that would hurt the genre. What hurts the genre most is probably over-saturation and lack in quality. All the good superhero movies usually perform well, and Scorcese or Alcock saying what they said isn’t going to hurt anything. Everyone has their own tastes and folks can’t seem to get over that. I’m a superhero movie guy in a normie way, but I’m not mad at others for not liking them.”
“I don’t understand why people get upset at someone not liking superhero films. I’m a comic reader my whole life. I’m also an avid film aficionado. I completely understand not liking most superhero films. Not all of them are top shelf like TDK trilogy, Joker 1, The Batman, Logan, or even magical moments in time like Superman 78,” another redditor wrote. “Separate, Scorsese, Coppola, Scott, etc., these are old guys. That’s like trying to convince your grandfather to watch superhero movies. They’re going to think it’s absurd, not to mention they’re true cinematic auteurs. It’s not a stretch at all to imagine they won’t go for this sort of thing. It’s literally okay to not like everything. No offense needed.”
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u/MatchesMalone1994
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Note: The entries have been edited for length/clarity.
