At just 18 years old, Helen Slater landed the role of a lifetime in the 1984 film “Supergirl,” portraying the film’s lead, Linda Lee, Supergirl. It marked not only her feature film debut but also her first leading role, giving her the chance to share the screen with Hollywood legends Faye Dunaway, who played Selena, and Peter O’Toole as Zaltar.
As the latest DC Universe, “Supergirl” film, starring Milly Alcock, arrives in theatres, Slater is reflecting on her own time wearing the red cape.
Helen Slater Looks Back on Her ‘Supergirl’ Role
GettyIn a new interview with People, Helen Slater, who portrayed the original “Supergirl” in the 1984 film, reflected on her experience making the movie and revealed how working alongside Faye Dunaway and Peter O’Toole helped the young actress feel at ease, despite Slater admitting working alongside the legends was “intimidating” at first.
When it came to working with Dunaway, who starred as Selena, the evil witch, Slater told the outlet that she helped her with the technical side of acting. That included camera awareness, like being “mindful of where the camera is and how you’re being shot, as well as “making sure that you’re being photographed in a way” that makes you look good on camera.
GettySlater also credited O’Toole, who played Supergirl’s mentor Zaltar, with helping her grow as an actress. After learning she had portrayed Juliet in a high school production of “Romeo and Juliet,” the Oscar-nominated actor asked Slater to perform a scene from the Shakespeare classic. He then offered constructive feedback and advice on how to deepen her performance.
Getty“It was such a transmission masterclass of Shakespeare,” she told People. “I felt the poetry in a way I hadn’t felt before. So, that’s a very long-lasting memory. Happy, happy memory,” she added.
Slater also shared that while it was “intimidating” to be among two brilliant actors, as a young and upcoming actress, she wasn’t fully aware of their star power, making filming alongside them less nerve-wracking.
“When you’re young and innocent, literally don’t know what that… You should be terrified every second you’re in Faye Dunaway or Peter O’Toole’s presence. I didn’t have enough years to know to be super scared,” she said.
Slater’s Career After ‘Supergirl’ & Working as a Mythologist
GettyAfter starring as Supergirl, Slater continued to find success in both movies and films. Some of her most well-known works include “The Legend of Billie Jean” (1985), “Ruthless People” (1986), “City Slickers” (1991), portraying Lara-El in “Smallville,” and playing Eliza Danvers in the 2015 “Supergirl” TV series.
Slater’s most recent role was starring in one episode of the hit television series “The Rookie.” The actress portrayed Dr. Francine Barrett.
While her IMDb states she will be working on a project titled “The Hard Way” as a character named Robin, she has fully immersed herself in her work as a mythologist. According to her website, Slater earned her PhD in Mythological Studies with an emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute in California.
Speaking to People about her career outside of acting, Slater said, “Nothing is ever really brand new. There’s usually going to be a resource for that. And it’s my joy to do that kind of research and put it together, doing it in person or on Zoom, that kind of lane. So I love that very, very much.”
According to her Instagram, Slater also appears to teach mythology lessons, with followers able to take a class.
