'Great Comic Timing': Original 'Supergirl' Star Helen Slater Supports Milly Alcock Amid Box Office Struggles

James Gunn's Supergirl fell short of box office expectations during its opening weekend, earning $68 million (£51 million) worldwide, including $38 million (£28 million) domestically, against a reported production budget of around $170 million (£128 million). The film has also received mixed reviews, with criticism focused mainly on its script and action sequences.

DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran acknowledged that the film failed to meet the studio's box office expectations but remained positive, saying it was 'just one component of a broader, long-term strategy at DC Studios that we remain confident in'.

Despite its commercial and critical reception, original Supergirl star Helen Slater has nothing but praise for Milly Alcock's portrayal of the DC heroine. Slater was the first actress to play Supergirl on screen, starring in the 1984 film Supergirl. The character did not receive another solo film until 2026's Supergirl.

Helen Slater Praises Milly Alock's Performance

'I loved the new Supergirl film. I thought Milly Alcock was astonishing — fierce, strong and great comic timing!' Slater told The Hollywood Reporter.

She also had no reservations about the character being reimagined for the new film.

'My understanding is that these myths should be changing. We want reinterpretations. That keeps it alive and keeps it going. It echoes what's happening in the culture right now. It's fun that it evolves and keeps developing,' the actress said.

In an interview with PEOPLE, Slater also revealed that she was impressed with Alcock's portrayal from the moment the actress appeared at the end of 2025's Superman.

'It was just so fun. It was refreshing. I just was fully on board,' she told PEOPLE.

During Supergirl's world premiere, Gunn said Alcock's version of the character differs from previous incarnations.

'I've liked a lot of the iterations of Supergirl. I think Helen Slater was great. All of them, really, have been great versions, but I do think that this Supergirl is apart because she's not so much like Superman,' Gunn told ExtraTV.

'It's a Supergirl who's a hero like we've always known her, but she's haunted. She's had a very, very, very difficult life growing up on a chunk of rock outside of Krypton and she's damaged because of it and she's not really ready to accept the suit in a way that Superman was,' Gunn added.

About 'Supergirl'

Supergirl is the second film in the DC Universe (DCU), following 2025's Superman. In the film, Kara Zor-El/Supergirl 'reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice'.

The story follows Kara as she attempts to save her dog, Krypto, after he is poisoned, alongside Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley), a young girl seeking revenge against Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts).

The film is directed by Craig Gillespie and produced by Peter Safran and James Gunn. Alongside Alcock, Supergirl stars Jason Momoa, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, and Emily Beecham. David Corenswet also reprises his role as Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman in the film.

Although the film has received mixed reviews, Alcock's performance has emerged as one of its most widely praised aspects, with Slater among those applauding her portrayal of the iconic DC heroine.