Supergirl’s casting directors have struck again with pitch-perfect “young version” casting by finding Eliza Helm as “CJ” Grant, younger version of Cat Grant, for the current “Prom Night/Prom Again” 2-parter, the second episode of which airs tonight (May 4) at 9PM ET/PT on The CW. She joins the also-perfectly cast Izabela Vidovic and Olivia Nikkanen as young Kara and Alex in this 2-parter, with tonight’s installment directed by Chyler Leigh.
To promote tonight’s new episode, KryptonSite’s Craig Byrne spoke with Eliza Helm about what it’s like to play such an icon. She also talks about how “Prom Again!” sets up the Cat we know and love.
KRYPTONSITE’s CRAIG BYRNE: How intimidating was it to take on a role that was played so powerfully and popularly by another actress?
ELIZA HELM: So intimidating. The character that Calista [Flockhart] created in Cat is so full and so specific; it’s a really high bar to reach for. But it was also really helpful, I think, because there was so much detailed work that was already there in the mannerisms and the inflections that it really became my job to excavate what Calista had done before me, and then to bring that into a different context with a younger, less worldly Cat.
What mannerisms of hers were most important for you to get across?
I think the bag was a place that I really started with. The way that she holds her bag, with her wrist out and it’s in the crook of her arm. I think that is such a powerful and feminine position, and it was a great place for me to start.
Can you tease anything about Tuesday night’s episode being a bit of a Cat Grant origin story?
I think the writers really did a good job of showing how CatCo comes to be and how the idea emerges in her mind from things that we see throughout the episode. And at the end, you really see her go off with this idea of creating CatCo. It’s just so fun, I think, for for me, but especially for fans to see the origin story of this thing they’ve come to know and love.
Are you allowed to tease any of the trouble that CJ gets herself into in “Prom Again?”
There are spaceships, and in looking for the story and hunting down the truth, she definitely gets herself in some hot water, but there’s nothing that CJ Grant can handle.
What was it like to work with Chyler Leigh as director?
Chyler is so wonderful. She is such a calm, collected presence on set, and she had such a clear vision for what she wanted that every time. Every time she had a note or she came out to talk, it was clarifying and helpful. As a director, she’s such a natural, and that was really wonderful to watch. Also, it’s so cool to be directed by someone who knows this world so intimately, and knows and has acted with all of these characters before, because she has a different level of understanding.
Can you talk about the cast members you got to work with in this two-parter?
All of the young cast was was so wonderful. We got really close. We were all staying at the same hotel, and it was Christmas, so we would have Christmas nights and sing carols and go to dinner and all that, and that was wonderful. And then Nicole [Maines] and Jesse [Rath] were so great. Nicole is so funny, and to have a leader of the cast be so funny and light is really helpful, and then Jesse is a consummate professional who knows everything there is to know about the comic books, so you always have your reference point. If you have any questions about the characters, go to Jesse. They were great.
Would you like to come back to Supergirl before the series is done?
I hope to be able to come back. It’s been so wonderful seeing the fans’ reactions to CJ. I think there’s really a deep love of this character. There have been whispers of them wanting a spin off of either Midvale or CJ and I am so open to that.
There’s a lot to be said for having characters like Cat Grant. She’s a really powerful woman who is always speaking truth to power. There should definitely be space for that, and I would definitely be open to participating in it.
What other projects do you have coming up?
Mostly pitches. I am also a writer, so I have a couple pitches in the coming weeks. I’m trying to get get a new show made, so we’ll see how that goes.
Why do you think people will enjoy watching “Prom Again!” on Tuesday night?
I think it’s such a reward for the fans to see. It’s so juicy. Also, just to see where their favorite characters came from and a whole different side of them, I think, is so rewarding for people who have been watching this world for six years.
“Prom Again!” airs Tuesday night, May 4 on The CW. Our thanks to Eliza Helm for doing this interview – you can find a gallery of photos from this episode here.