KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — It’s one thing to suit up as a DC Comics superhero but something else entirely to pull off convincing scenes that require interaction with an inanimate object.
In the case of Warner TV’s latest series Stargirl, the object in question is none other than the comic’s Cosmic Staff that grants its user with rapid flight, blasts of energy and the ability to levitate objects.
Brec Bassinger who plays Stargirl in the new series told press members in Asia that it was difficult nailing scenes with the magic staff at first.
She constantly had to be reminded to react to it and move it up and down instead of having it lay there during the scenes but the 21-year-old eventually figured out a way to deliver a believable performance.
“I would highlight my lines and then I would highlight everytime the Cosmic Staff was mentioned as if it was another character,” she said, when asked if she gave the staff imaginary lines.
“And then I would highlight everywhere I think the cosmic staff would have a reaction to as if it was a line so I did kind of do that, it’s funny that you said that because I did, in my head, give it lines and a personality.”
The Texas native, a former Nickelodeon teen star, beat hundreds of actresses for the part of Courtney Whitmore, a high school student who leads a double life as the titular superhero.
The series which premiered in Malaysia recently, promises fun family viewing thanks to its nod to 80s films and is chock full of Easter eggs for DC superfans.
For Bassinger, stepping into the shoes of a character that was introduced 21 years ago in the DC Universe was a huge career milestone.
“I feel like when you play a superhero you get to put your name on this forever-list that never goes away — if you Google who’s played Batman, there’s a list of specific people and that will never be taken away from them.
“Just the fact that I’ll forever have this part of history of being Stargirl of the DC Comics world, it’s such an honour,” she said.
The 13-episode series follows high school sophomore Courtney Whitmore as she inspires an unlikely group of young heroes to take up the legacy of a long-lost superhero team — The Justice Society of America — and stop the villains of the past.
The show, created by the comic’s original writer Geoff Johns, also stars Luke Wilson and Amy Smart as Courtney’s stepfather and mother.
To transform into Stargirl, Bassinger felt like she needed to be more toned and muscular so on top of training camp, she amped up her workout to get fitter and stronger.
The animated actress candidly revealed her ultra-tight costume had once ripped when she bent down.
On the outfit’s comfort level, Bassinger said she would take the top off and see the star marks left on her arm.
“I want to say [it wasn’t comfortable] but also I feel like I shouldn’t be allowed to complain because in episode five when you finally meet Dr Midnight and the new Hourman, their costumes have so many layers.
“I think Dr Midnight has five layers and we were filming in Atlanta heat which is really hot so I feel like I don’t have any right to say mine was uncomfortable,” added Bassinger.
Having grown up loving the comedy Legally Blonde which Wilson starred alongside Reese Witherspoon, Bassinger googled the actor and found out he too was from Texas.
“I’m like ‘Okay I got this, I’m gonna bring up Texas, we’re going to be best friends’.
“It completely fell flat and the conversation went nowhere but that’s fine because throughout the season we became such good friends.
“He has this self-deprecating sense of humour where he doesn’t take himself seriously – it’s so refreshing, he is hilarious,” she said of her co-star.
Catch DC’s Stargirl on Warner TV (Astro Ch 712 HD / UnifiTV Ch 451) every Wednesday at 9.50pm.
