As Supergirl flops out of the gate at the box office, Variety has made an interesting editorial decision—bringing one of the press tour’s most controversial interviews back into the spotlight.
On June 26, the same day Supergirl arrived in theaters, the entertainment trade published a feature headlined, “It’s Hard to Be Universally Beloved: Milly Alcock Goes Deep on Her Supergirl Journey, From Auditioning to Tuning Out Toxic Fans.” While the article carries a fresh publication date, Variety makes clear within the story that the interview itself was conducted in mid-April for the magazine’s May 20 cover story.
The interview was disastrous for Supergirl. In it, Alcock claims that it’s alright to piss off “the right kind of people” and mocked Christian dads and super hero fans. It was a massive blow to the actress’s reputation.
So, rather than focusing on opening weekend reactions, audience reception, or the film’s box office performance, Variety chose to once again spotlight these controversial comments from Alcock that generated significant backlash when they were originally published earlier this year.
Variety Brings a Divisive Interview Back Into the Spotlight
The bulk of the feature covers Alcock’s rise from Australian television to House of the Dragon before eventually landing the role of Kara Zor-El in James Gunn’s DC Universe.
However, the interview concludes by revisiting the discussion that made headlines months ago: Alcock’s thoughts on online criticism and superhero fandom.
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When asked about toxic fan reactions, Alcock argued that much of the criticism comes from anonymous online accounts before joking: “It’s a lot of people whose profiles have no photo, who are burner accounts. Or someone’s name and then, ‘Dad of four, Christian,’ which is hilarious to me.”
She then added: “Whose opinion do you really care about? If you’re pissing the right kind of people off? You’re doing OK.”
Milly Alcock as Supergirl alongside the Rotten Tomatoes review score for the film – WB; Rotten Tomatoes
Those comments quickly spread across social media after the original interview was released, with many viewers arguing Alcock was unnecessarily mocking a segment of the audience she hoped would buy tickets to Supergirl.
Regardless of where audiences landed on the debate, the comments became one of the most talked-about moments of the film’s promotional campaign.
Curious Timing Amid Box Office Troubles
Normally, opening weekend publicity from a major Hollywood trade focuses on building excitement around a film.
Studios and entertainment outlets often highlight positive reviews, behind-the-scenes stories, interviews about the filmmaking process, or audience reactions designed to encourage undecided moviegoers to head to theaters.
Instead, Variety’s decision effectively reintroduced one of the movie’s most polarizing promotional moments just as Supergirl entered the most important weekend of its theatrical run.
A screen capture from the Supergirl trailer – YouTube @dcofficial
The timing is especially noteworthy given that Supergirl has opened below many industry expectations. Early estimates have placed the film at a $40 million or less opening weekend, well behind where Warner Bros. likely hoped it would debut. This continues a difficult stretch for DC following James Gunn’s Superman.
Whether the republished interview was simply routine promotional content or an intentional editorial choice to capitalize on renewed interest surrounding the film, it inevitably places Alcock’s comments back into the public conversation.
A Different Conversation Than Warner Bros. Probably Wanted
The interview itself contains plenty of material celebrating Alcock’s performance, discussing her preparation for the role, and reflecting on her career.
Yet it is difficult to ignore that many readers will once again leave the article remembering the same comments that sparked controversy months ago.
For Warner Bros., the challenge is straightforward.
Supergirl using Heat Vision in the Supergirl trailer – YouTube, DC
A film that is already fighting disappointing box office headlines benefits most from positive word of mouth and audience enthusiasm. Instead, one of Hollywood’s largest entertainment trades has chosen opening weekend to revisit a controversy that had largely faded from the news cycle.
Whether that ultimately affects ticket sales is impossible to measure. But at the very moment Warner Bros. needs the conversation centered on Supergirl itself, one of the industry’s biggest publications has once again made Milly Alcock’s remarks about “Dad of four, Christian” profiles part of the discussion.
How do you feel about Variety re-running this Milly Alcock Supergirl interview? Sound off and let us know!
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