While covering The CW’s Upfront 2022 Red Carpet, I had the chance to chat with Brec Bassinger, who portrays Courtney Whitmore / Stargirl on DC’s Stargirl. The series will return for its third season on Wednesdays as part of The CW’s 2022-2023 schedule.
I asked the actress about playing a superhero, her first fan convention, what the role means to her, and more. Keep reading to find out what she shared!
What has this journey been like for you? Do you have a favorite part so far?
Brec Bassinger: I mean, this answer is gonna sound cliché, but it’s the truth, the people I work with have truly been the best part. Starting from our showrunner and creator of Stargirl, Geoff Johns, he has been the greatest leader and the most inspiring human being to be around, from the girl who plays my best friend on the show is now my best friend in real life. We have so much fun on set, so just getting to wake up and go to a job where I don’t feel like I’m working because I’m hanging out with my best friends, it’s the truth. I love it. I’m so grateful.
What does Stargirl mean to you? I imagine the character is very special.
It is. Geoff created this character, Stargirl, to honor his late sister, Courtney Johns. So being chosen to honor her legacy and play this role is the greatest honor. Then also getting to play a superhero, I’m a big dreamer, I shoot for the stars, no pun intended, but I don’t think I ever in my craziest, wildest dreams pictured I’d get to be a superhero in a super-suit with like a cosmic staff. So it’s exceeded any expectation I could have ever had.
What is it like to put the suit on? I think that would be my favorite part, every day.
So I’m gonna be honest, pros and cons, is it cool when I put it on? Yes, I feel powerful. I feel more like a superhero, I get into character. But that thing is so uncomfortable, it’s so tight. So I think to get it made, it had about 20 fittings and literally the last fitting, our costume designer LJ, she’s so talented, but she was like, “There’s one little crease there, can you make it tighter?” And I was like, “Absolutely not!” So I say that whenever I put it on, I kind of feel like a sausage in a sausage casing, but who doesn’t love sausage?
What has been your favorite aspect of playing a superhero? You are really stepping into a superhero role in many ways because there are fans who are deeply affected by your character and performance.
I know, I get emotional because this just recently happened, I got to go to my very first convention last weekend and it was my first time getting to meet a wide range of people who actually watch the show. There were so many people there who had different hard circumstances coming up, but they have found a community through the DC universe and through this Arrowverse. So getting to be there and them just welcoming me with open arms because I play Stargirl, first of all, it was such an honor, but I texted — I talk about Geoff a lot, but we’re besties — I texted Geoff and I’m like, “I don’t know if you realize, your comics have brought so many people together and have this community. You should be so proud of yourself.” So getting to be a part of that is an honor and it was literally my first time getting to really experience the effect it does have on people and bringing people together.
