A first look at Smallville’s new Supergirl
She can fly! She can fly! And is she fly! As the first publicity photo of Laura Vandervoort as Kara Zor-El hits the 'Net, we take a closer look at "Smallville's" Girl of Steel.
After seeing hundreds of actresses for the role, Al Gough had a simple explanation for why he and co-creator Miles Millar cast Laura Vandervoort as Kara Zor-El, the 19-year-old cousin of Tom Welling's Clark Kent, on "Smallville."
"She is the embodiment of Supergirl — she has warmth, beauty and she can kick some serious @$$."
Toronto-born Vandervoort ('VanderV' to her friends) even has the black belt in Karate to prove it. But her credentials aren't limited to the physical. Indeed, for a 22-year-old, Laura has a long list of acting credits, covering the spectrum of feature films, theatre and television (including 'Goosebumps','Mutant X' and 'The Dresden Files'). In 2001, she was nominated for the Young Artist Award for her role as Chelsea in the TV movie 'Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire.'
So acting is something she takes seriously. "Hollywood is something imagined. Acting is something crafted."
Her professionalism was put to the test right away. Laura got the call on a Wednesday that she had been cast for "Smallville," and she started shooting the next week in Vancouver.
"Vandervoort soars into Smallville," reads the CW press release, "catching the eye of both young photographer Jimmy Olsen [Aaron Ashmore] and budding-villain Lex Luthor [Michael Rosenbaum]. Kara possesses all of Clark's powers and one he doesn't yet have--she can fly!"
"One of the joys of creating Smallville has been our ability to reinvent and reinterpret classic DC Comics characters," said Gough. "Miles and I believe that Supergirl will give our series the mythic jolt that it needs."
But despite her extensive experience and newfound fame, Vandervoort (who is of Dutch descent) maintains as normal a life as possible. She's a fan of 'The Office,' Collective Soul and The Goo Goo Dolls. She loves to rollerblade. She studied English and Psychology at York University in Toronto. And she has a passion for writing.
"I've always been interested in writing," she says. "[It] is something I find very therapeutic."
The writing likely helps her keep a level head about her elevated eye-candy status. Laura (who is dating fellow Canadian Corey Sevier of the series 'Black Sash'), waves off the idea that she is a bombshell.
"I am such a Tomboy and I don't really think of myself like that."
Millions of "Smallville" fans will decide for themselves on Thursday, September 27.