Summary
Supermanis one of the most anticipated movies this year. One of the film’s stars shared more details about their character, including the story behind their “grumpy demeanor.”
Supermanis the first film of the revamped DC Universe (DCU) afterJames Gunnand Peter Safran took over the DC Studios as co-chairmen and co-CEOs. Gunn also serves as the writer and director of the movie. It stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane,Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho and Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, just to name a few. One of them just spoke about the project and explained their take on their character.
Merced shared more details about Kendra in the upcomingSupermanmovie. She recently appeared on the DC Studios Showcase Official Podcast. During the chat, she was asked whether her version of the Hawkgirl is an alien or a reincarnation because the character is known to have several versions. TheMadame Webstar shared a surprising detail about her character. Merced explained that her Kendra is “reincarnated from an alien” and has “all those memories,” making her a complex, short-tempered character. She explained:
The story is actually really dark, it’s so f***ed up that I wonder how they’re going to handle that when it comes to addressing that. I think she carries all of the memories, and the traumas, and the mistakes of her past lives in her body, wherever she goes, so she has a little bit of a grumpy demeanor.
Kendra’s story may be grim, but Merced said that she had enough backstory to help her portray the character. She also credited Gunn for bringing a “twist,” “self-awareness,” and “comedy” into her character. “It gives me the opportunity to sort of make light of my trauma and that’s what I do all the time,“she added.Hawkgirlis a multi-layered character with ties to mythology and cosmic science fiction. She is fierce and independent with a warrior spirit.In the comics, Hawkgirl has no recollection of her past lives, but Merced’s version is very different. Her awareness will surely play a significant part in her story.
Getting A Young Actor Of Isabela Merced’s Caliber For Hawkgirl Is A Coup For DC
Per Merced, her Hawkgirl remembers her past lives, so she has baggage, making her character even more complex. InGunn’sSupermanmovie, she’s definitely more than just a winged warrior. She is also a tragic, battle-hardened soul who has lived countless lifetimes. It’s exciting to see how Merced will portray Kendra’s emotional depth, considering she has several lifetimes of pain, regrets, losses, and trauma. Her inner conflict only makes her more human and relatable. Also, audiences are drawn to characters with inner struggles because it humanizes them.
Marvel Studios used the same approach by humanizing the leads inThunderbolts*. They brought together a group of misfits with personal struggles likeFlorence Pugh’s Yelena Belovastruggling from depression and Lewis Pullman’s Bob/The Sentry having to deal with multiple mental health issues, including bipolar disorder, PTSD, and dissociative identity disorder. While most superheroes deal with a single trauma, Hawkgirl has to deal with a thousand years of pain, making her stand out from the rest. However, she also mentioned how Gunn seasoned her character with humor, so she might use it to cope, making her character real and grounded, not just 100% brooding and grim. Even if Hawkgirl is just a side character, she’s definitely one of the most compelling and layered heroes in the new DC Universe, and fans will likely not have a hard time keeping their eyes on her.
