Before she embarked on her journey as the Woman of Tomorrow, Milly Alcock proudly declared her humble beginnings as a dishwasher. The star of the upcoming DC Universe film Supergirl, set to hit theaters on June 26th, shares in a new Variety cover story that her life was far from glamorous even after landing her first major role.
"I sound like a Roald Dahl character," 26-year-old Alcock quips, recalling her time starring in the hit Australian TV series Upright at age 18. "I was living in the attic of my family home because we didn't have enough rooms—it was so hot in there." The then-rising star also worked at a popular Sydney restaurant, she says. "I was a stick of a thing. I was washing these dishes so proudly and so terribly, and it was an open kitchen so everyone could see me."
After starring in two seasons of the comedy Upright, which aired in 2019 and 2022, Alcock secured her breakout role as young Rhaenyra Targaryen in HBO's Game of Thrones prequel drama House of the Dragon, appearing in seasons one and two. The rest, including landing the role of the Man of Steel's cousin in writer-director James Gunn's follow-up to 2025's Superman, is history. After leading Supergirl, Alcock will reprise the role of Kara Zor-El in Gunn's Man of Tomorrow, planned for a July 9, 2027 release.
"I am so excited for all the young women who are going to see this," she told Variety of Supergirl. As for the reality of online trolls making sexist comments against a female superhero, Alcock adds that she’s "actively trying not to engage," although as a member of Gen Z, she "grew up online."
Supergirl, which also stars Eve Ridley, Matthias Schoenaerts, Jason Momoa, and David Corenswet, is set to premiere in theaters on June 26th. Among Alcock’s other upcoming projects are a Takashi Miike-directed film and Thumb from director Daina Oniunas-Pusic.
