Supergirl: Laura Vandervoort Cast As Indigo
By Steve Lam
CBS’s Supergirl continues to grow their roster of past Super-family actors who played key roles on television and film. The latest one to join the action/adventure series is none other than Smallville‘s Supergirl — Laura Vandervoort. For Supergirl, Vandervoort will be in familiar territory — that is, she’ll once again be playing a being with extraordinary abilities when she becomes the character of Indigo, who, in the comics, turned out to be the villainous Brainiac 8.
Vandervoort played Kara Zor-El / Supergirl in The CW’s Smallville from 2007 to 2011. This incarnation of the character was the closest to the comics — that of being Kal-El’s / Superman’s cousin who was supposed to have been his guardian, but a mishap left her in stasis for many years. Finally awaking, she discovers that her once infant cousin has become a powerful hero, and she must now find a new purpose.
The news of Vandervoort’s casting comes six months after an initial hint by the actress herself. Back in July 2015, while Vandervoort was promoting SyFy’s Bitten, she told Entertainment Weekly that she hoped to “get to be a part of it as some point. Which is looking good … Maybe.” I guess positive thinking really pays off since her wish to be part of the latest incarnation of Supergirl has actually come true.
Created by Judd Winick and Alé Garza, Indigo made her first appearance in Titans / Young Justice: Graduation Day #1 (July 2003). Indigo was originally from a distant future and time traveled to the 21st century looking for anyone that could help repair her. Her first enemy encounter was with the combined forces of Young Justice and the Titans. Unable to battle the two superhero teams, she activates a Superman robot to protect her while she shut down for repairs. However, Arsenal activates Indigo and uses her to stop the Superman robot. When the Outsiders are reborn, Arsenal makes Indigo part of the team. In Teen Titans #24 (July 2005), Indigo reveals herself to be Brainiac 8 and turns against her superhero peers.
Indigo will debut in the as yet to be titled Episode 15 of Supergirl. This will be the first live-incarnation of the character.
CBS’s Supergirl airs on Mondays at 8:00PM EST.