Original Supergirl actor Helen Slater has thrown her support behind Milly Alcock's DCU debut. Helen Slater knows better than most what it means to wear the cape. Decades after becoming the first actor to headline a Supergirl movie, she has watched the character evolve across television and film, with each new version bringing a different perspective to Kara Zor-El.

As DC enters a new era with Milly Alcock's portrayal of the iconic heroine, the conversation around legacy, reinvention, and fan expectations has only grown louder. That makes Slater's perspective especially meaningful, as someone who has experienced both the excitement and the scrutiny that come with playing Superman's cousin.

Rather than viewing the new interpretation as a replacement for the past, Helen Slater sees it as part of the character's ongoing evolution. Speaking about Milly Alcock's performance, she expressed admiration for the energy and personality brought to the role.

“I loved the new Supergirl film! I thought Milly Alcock was astonishing — fierce, strong and great comic timing… We want reinterpretations. That keeps it alive and keeps it going,” said Helen Slater to The Hollywood Reporter.

Her comments to The Hollywood Reporter reflect a broader belief that iconic heroes remain relevant when each generation is allowed to reinterpret them through a contemporary lens. For Slater, the character's longevity is tied to that willingness to evolve. Rather than comparing performances across eras, she sees every new portrayal as another chapter in Supergirl's enduring legacy.

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That idea of reinterpretation becomes even more interesting when looking back at the film that introduced Slater's version of Kara Zor-El.

Released in 1984 and directed by Jeannot Szwarc, Supergirl follows Kara Zor-El's mission to recover the Omegahedron, the power source that sustains Argo City. After the artifact falls into the hands of the ambitious witch Selena, played by Faye Dunaway, the story builds toward a magical final confrontation as Kara escapes the Phantom Zone and returns to stop her.

Yet the ending has puzzled fans for decades. After defeating Selena's Shadow Demon, Supergirl creates a whirlwind that traps Selena, Bianca, and the demon before pulling them into a shattered mirror. Many viewers assume the mirror leads back to the Phantom Zone because Kara earlier escaped that prison dimension through what appears to be the same portal. The film, however, never clearly confirms that connection.

That ambiguity has turned the finale into one of the movie's most discussed plot holes. Unlike modern superhero films that carefully explain the rules of mystical objects and alternate dimensions, Supergirl simply moves on once the villains disappear, leaving audiences to decide for themselves where they were sent.

More than 40 years after her debut as Kara Zor-El, Helen Slater appears comfortable with the idea that Supergirl will continue changing with the times. Whether fans prefer the 1984 classic or the latest DCU interpretation, her comments suggest that the character's enduring appeal lies in the freedom to keep reimagining her.

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What do you think of Milly Alcock's take on Supergirl and where does Helen Slater's version rank among your favorite portrayals of Kara Zor-El? Let us know in the comments!