Here's Where You Know The Cast Of Stargirl From
"Stargirl" is one of the latest DC-TV Universe superhero shows to grace the small screen. The series follows teen Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger) who, with the help of her stepdad Pat Dugan (Luke Wilson), uncovers her superhero destiny as Stargirl.
The show was created by Geoff Johns and it initially premiered during a cameo in the Arrowverse "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover. "Stargirl" is incredibly special to Johns, who explained to Stargirl.tv that the show's lead is a tribute to his late sister. "It is her spirit and optimistic energy that I wanted to put back in the world with Stargirl," he said. Johns originally created the character for DC Comics, so transporting the character to the small screen is a special project for the showrunner. "I've written a lot of superhero stories in my career, but this is by far the most personal on every level."
Johns' passion for "Stargirl" clearly transpired to the screen and the first season left viewers wanting more. In August 2021, the second season kicked off, airing weekly on The CW (and Amazon Prime for viewers outside the US). Season 2 of "Stargirl" welcomes back original cast members like Luke Wilson, Brec Bassinger, and Anjelika Washington, as well as welcoming new cast members like Jonathan Cake and Alkoya Brunson. Let's take a look at the full "Stargirl" roster and see where exactly you might know them from.
Brec Bassinger was a regular on Nickelodeon
If you watched Nickelodeon in the 2010s, you'll probably recognize Brec Bassinger. She was a regular on the tween-friendly network from 2013 to 2018, with a recurring role on the sitcom "The Haunted Hathaways," and then lead parts in "Liar, Liar, Vampire" and "Bella and the Bulldogs." She also landed a guest spot in the Nickelodeon series "School of Rock."
Following her departure from Nickelodeon, Bassinger scored main roles in the television series "All Night" and the feature film "47 Meters Down: Uncaged" before she signed on to play the title character in "Stargirl." However, Bassinger almost missed out on playing Courtney Whitmore because she had a vacation booked to the Bahamas. "I was supposed to leave on Thursday, and the screen test was on Friday," she revealed to Collider. Long story short, she rescheduled her trip. "That vacation was like the best vacation, ever," she said. "I was going around like, 'I'm gonna be a superhero!'"
The Texas native's acting career began when she was just a toddler in a pageant and, as she recalled in Healthline, "one of the judges who was a film director saw me and asked me to be in one of his short films." Even at such an early age, things clicked for Bassinger, and it was off to the Tinseltown races. "I instantly knew that being an actress is something I wanted to do for the rest of my life," she said.
Luke Wilson won over hearts in two iconic Reese Witherspoon films
In "Stargirl," Luke Wilson plays Courtney's stepdad, Pat Dugan, as well as her superhero sidekick S.T.R.I.P.E. However, the Texas-born actor is best known for his roles in several of Wes Anderson's flicks as well as Elle Woods' (Reese Witherspoon) love interest Emmett Richmond in "Legally Blonde" and its sequel, "Red, White & Blonde." "I'll never forget making that movie," Wilson told Collider almost 20 years later. Details of the third "Legally Blonde" film have been kept under wraps so far, but it would certainly make sense to see Elle's husband make an appearance, and Wilson definitely agrees. "I'd definitely be up for working on it but we'll have to wait and see," he teased on Good Morning America in 2020.
Aside from his roles in "Legally Blonde" and "Stargirl," Wilson has had a tonne of other film and TV roles in his career, including the docudrama "Emergency Call," which stemmed from his childhood interest in 911 calls. "As an actor I've gotten to be around a lot of police officers and do some ride-a-longs, and gotten to meet firemen and EMTs but I've never had the chance to speak to any call takers or go to any call centers," he shared on Good Morning America, calling it "the most interesting research" he's taken on as an actor.
Yvette Monreal has always wanted to play a superhero
Yvette Monreal plays Courtney's best friend Yolanda Montez and the JSA superhero Wildcat. In a chat with 1883 Magazine, Monreal called being on "Stargirl" "the best job in the world" — and not just because it happens to be a steady gig on a scripted series. "I've always wanted to be a superhero," she continued. "So, doing this has checked off a lot of boxes for me."
"Stargirl" isn't Monreal's first television job though; you might recognize the actor from appearances in shows such as "Faking It," "Matador," "The Fosters," and "NCIS." Before taking on a starring role in the DC superhero series, Monreal bagged a pretty big film credit too: "Rambo: Last Blood" alongside Sylvester Stallone. "I learned so much from him," she said in 1883. "It was very inspiring to work with someone who still has so much passion for what he does."
Above all, Monreal, who is of Chilean and Mexican descent, loves representing a group that's been underrepresented on the small screen. "The best thing about this job is that I get to inspire the younger generation and people who look like me," she shared with 1883. Speaking with Remezcla in 2021, she noted that while "Hollywood is taking a step in the right direction," there's still work to be done. "I know there's only a few of us out there," she said.
Amy Smart had plenty of screen time before Stargirl
Model-turned-actor Amy Smart, who plays Courtney's mother Barbara Whitmore in "Stargirl," is excited to be a part of the DC universe. "I haven't done any kind of superhero show ever before so it's been a fun first experience for me," the Los Angeles native revealed in a chat with The Arkansas CW.
While Smart is new to the superhero world, she's certainly not new to acting. You might recognize her from one of her many film and television credits, including "Just Friends," "Crank," and "Shameless." The actor says all of her roles, big or small, have impacted on her on a personal level. As she shared with Female, "I grow a lot from my characters, and there are a lot of lessons that I've learned through the different characters I've played."
Off-screen, Smart is all about taking care of the planet. If you're one of her Instagram followers, you'll know that she is all about keeping it eco-friendly and dedicates a lot of time to environmental causes. What's more, in 2018, she became the spokesperson for USA Pears. "Knowing where my food comes from is one of my highest priorities, and when I visited the Pacific Northwest to see the harvest for myself I was incredibly inspired by the pride and dedication of the pear growers," Smart said in a statement for USA Pears.
Anjelika Washington found her place in Netflix original movies
California-born actor Anjelika Washington has been making her mark on the small screen. She appeared in episodes of "Young Sheldon" and "We're Not Friends" in 2018 before making her way to Netflix. Washington has starred in a handful of Netflix original films such as Amy Poehler's "Moxie" and "Tall Girl," and she will reprise her role as Fareeda in the upcoming sequel "Tall Girl 2." "Fareeda and I are very, very similar actually," the actor explained on AfterBuzz TV, but their differences make it a "super fun" gig. "I got to do a lot about myself but then also things that I probably wouldn't do or say because she's just way more bold than I am," Washington said.
In "Stargirl," Washington plays Beth Chapel, a less outgoing character than Fareeda. However, Beth eventually blossoms when she joins the JSA as "Dr. Mid-Nite." Being part of "Stargirl" and the DC-TV Universe is a "blessing," Washington told Collider. "I don't take any of it for granted, and I wear it with pride, honestly."
As Washington shared with Essence, she got into acting at an early age and she "just became obsessed with it." And that obsession has yet to fade. "I loved that my voice was never silenced," she said. "My voice was being embraced, valued and celebrated."
Cameron Gellman has 'so many creative itches'
Cameron Gellman is relatively new to the entertainment industry. The St. Louis native began his acting career in 2016 with minor appearances in "Days of Our Lives" and "20th Century Women." It wasn't long before Gellman bagged a few more guest roles, landing spots on television series like "The Good Doctor," "Relationship Status," and "Heathers."
However, Gellman's biggest role to date is in "Stargirl." He plays Rick Tyler, the son of former JSA superhero Hourman, and as Gellman said in Collider, the gig has been "a childhood dream come true." It's one thing to be a main cast member on a TV series, but when that TV series happens to be based on a DC character? That's on another level for someone who "was such a superhero nerd as a kid," as he told the outlet. The actor continued, "Every aspect of it has been surreal and just the biggest honor."
As for what's next for Gellman? "I have so many creative itches right now and I want to explore every single one of them," he told Square Mile. Gotta make every hour (man) count.
Meg DeLacy has been acting and singing for years
Meg DeLacy plays villain Cindy Burman, aka Shiv, in "Stargirl." Cindy's character arc involves her taking over as the leader of the Injustice Society of America (ISA) and becoming the main nemesis of Stargirl and the Justice Society of America (JSA). DeLacy enjoys the challenge of playing such a complex character. "Finding myself in Cindy and creating a human factor to her was kind of fun to do," she said to Stargirl.tv. "Yes, she's a villain and yes, she's evil ... but finding the human qualities that I have, the insecurities, the reasons I maybe make mistakes in my life, using that to kind of bring humility to Cindy was kind of fun."
DeLacy had quite a few acting credits to her name before joining "Stargirl." She previously appeared in "Chicago P.D." and "The Santa Clarita Diet," however she is best known for her role as Grace Mullen in "The Fosters." "Being on [The Fosters] was such a blessing," DeLacy recalled. "[The cast] couldn't have been more welcoming. I am so very grateful to all of them." You might have also seen the "Stargirl" actor with her co-star David Lambert off-screen. DeLacy dated Lambert — who played her on-screen love interest Brandon Foster — until 2019. The couple regularly shared snaps of themselves together while they were dating.
What's more, DeLacy has also launched a professional music career, releasing eight original singles to date. Regarding making music, she said in Glitter, "It allows me to be myself while giving no apologies."
Hunter Sansone's Stargirl character has created some confusion behind the scenes
Fresh-faced actor Hunter Sansone plays Cameron Mahkent in "Stargirl," and his character has definitely made a splash.
"Stargirl" is Sansone's biggest recurring television role to date — and he couldn't be more excited to be a part of the series. As he said in Pop-Culturalist, he was, of course, stoked to work with Geoff Johns and Greg Berlanti, but he was also thrilled to be a part of this particular show. "I knew it was going to be great and something special for the world," he said. "At the heart of the story is this girl who follows her dreams."
Sansone has also shared that he and co-star Cameron Gellman often get mixed up because the former is called Cameron on-screen and the latter is actually named Cameron. "I believe I've shown up to fittings that were supposed to be for him," Sansone told Decider. "He has shown up to camera tests that were supposed to be for me. Wardrobe, make-up, the whole thing." After two seasons, they're getting better at avoiding confusion but still "get a good laugh out of it."
Before joining the superhero series, Sansone appeared in a handful of short films like "Hit and Run" and "Eye on the Ball." He also had a main role in the Disney+ feature film "Safety," which was released in 2020, shortly before premiere of "Stargirl."
Trae Romano discovered his passion for acting at a really young age
Trae Romano may be the youngest "Stargirl" cast member, but he already has a couple of credits to his name, such as "Robbie" and "555." As Romano shared with Pop-Culturalist, he discovered his passion for acting when he was "five or six" while visiting a family friend on the set of the Farrelly brothers remake of "The Three Stooges" movie in his hometown, Atlanta. "Seeing all the actors coexist, work, and do their thing" was one of the things that really drew him in, the actor explained. "It was cool for me to see that overall creativeness."
"Stargirl" is a career-defining role for Romano who plays Mike Dugan, Pat's son and Courtney's step-brother who is desperate to become a member of the JSA. The writing was the thing that drew him toward the show initially. "When I originally read the script, it looked like a comedy, but the second scene I had for the audition was really dramatic," he recalled to Pop-Culturalist. "I love dramedies. Dramedy is great. I love the crossing between the two genres. If you do it well, it's going to be so good. So I was excited about that."
Working so closely with on co-star in paricular has been a great opportunity for the young actor as well. "Luke Wilson has had a huge influence on my acting career," Romano shared. "I've picked up a lot from watching him work. He's given me a lot of great tips."
Jonathan Cake will look very familiar to Desperate Housewives fans
"Desperate Housewives" fans will definitely recognize British actor Jonathan Cake. Prior to joining the second season of "Stargirl" as duplicitous villain The Shade, Cake played Bree Van de Kamp's love interest Chuck Vance in the seventh and eighth seasons of the ABC series. Speaking with TV Guide, Cake said Marcia Cross (Bree) "was wielding an enormous gun" when they first met, adding, "Which I thought was a great way to meet the person you were going to have this exciting story arc with." After shooting that initial scene together, the British star said he felt very comfortable with his new cast mate.
Cake, who lives in the US with his wife, "Mare of Easttown" actor Julianne Nicholson, and their two children, continued bagging roles when his time on "Desperate Housewives" came to an end. He went on to guest star in episodes of "Death in Paradise," "Law and Order Special Victims Unit," "Criminal Minds," and "Grey's Anatomy." Cake has also appeared in the DC-TV Universe before, playing Edward "Blackbeard" Teach for a couple of episodes of the third season of "Legends of Tomorrow."
Alongside his work in television, Cake has an extensive background in film and theater. Per his LA Theatre Works bio, his list of stage credits includes "Coriolanus," "Medea," and "Antony and Cleopatra."
Nick E. Tarabay is a sci-fi guy through and through
Nick E. Tarabay is another newcomer for the second season of "Stargirl." He plays Eclipso, one of the show's big villains alongside Shiv (Meg DeLacy) and The Shade (Jonathan Cake). Initially, Tarabay only voices the character of Eclipso because he's trapped in the black diamond, but as his powers advance his full form will manifest on-screen.
The Lebanese-American actor is best known for his role in "The Expanse." Tarabay played Cotyar Ghazi in the second and third seasons of the science fiction series. "I am very grateful to be a part of such an amazing show," he said in Meaww while filming Season 3. Though Tarabay has done some other genres (most notably crime, appearing in "Major Crimes" and "Castle"), he keeps coming back to sci-fi. His recent roles include the supernatural program "Motherland: Fort Salem" and the science fiction film "Pacific Rim: Uprising."
Like fellow "Stargirl" cast member Jonathan Cake, Tarabay has also previously guest starred in the DC-TV Universe. The "Person of Interest" actor played Digger Harkness/Captain Boomerang in a two episode arc of "Arrow." He made a dramatic return to the series for the fifth season finale. Tarabay was a huge fan of the show and had auditioned multiple times before he was cast to play the villain, he explained to CBR. "I love Arrow's style and the action, so I'm glad it worked out."
Alkoya Brunson is a young actor you've probably seen before
Alkoya Brunson is yet another newcomer for Season 2. He plays Mike's best friend Jakeem Thunder, a JSA member in "Stargirl." While the character had been mentioned before he made his series debut, the show finally brought the thunder. "The scriptwriting was what drew me to this character," Brunson explained in a chat with Starry Constellation Magazine.
Brunson may be new to "Stargirl," but he certainly isn't new to acting. You may recognize him from the 2016 historical drama "Hidden Figures", which he appeared in alongside Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monáe, and Kirsten Dunst.
The young actor then nabbed roles in "The Originals," "Atlanta," "NCIS: New Orleans," and "Tijuana Jackson: Purpose Over Prison." Brunson said the collaborative experience of the "Tijuana Jackson" set was like no other. "I had never filmed like that before and I always wanted to," he shared in an interview with Alamo Drafthouse. "It's just incredible to experience that kind of direction and environment."
Max Frantz made his acting debut in Stargirl
As Courtney Whitmore recruits for her side, Cindy Burman is busy recruiting young villains for the ISA. Issac Bowin (an ISA legacy), played by Indian-American actor Max Frantz, is the latest addition to Cindy's team. Issac became a series regular in the second season of "Stargirl" and stepped into a bigger role as The Fiddler — a mantle he's took on from his mother who was defeated by the JSA in Season 1.
It's an exciting role for Frantz, an actor whose career is just getting warmed up. In fact, "Stargirl" is his first acting credit. A gig on a DC project is not a bad way to kick off an acting career, eh?
Frantz revealed in a chat with LoneSpeedster Media that the auditioning process for "Stargirl" was pretty tough, as everything was kept under wraps, with most actors being given false names for their characters. Frantz admitted that he "didn't even know if it was superhero-related at all" when he tried out for the show, and unsurprisingly, he was very "nervous" when he found out it was for DC because he didn't want to let fans down. Thankfully, his DC-loving uncle "had [his] back" throughout the entire process and brought him up to speed on the character. Talk about a super resource.
Joel McHale is forever a funnyman
Actor, comedian, and television host Joel McHale is switching comedy for science fiction. He plays Sylvester Pemberton/Starman, an important character in "Stargirl." So far, Starman's appearances have taken place away from the main cast, but viewers can expect a dramatic reunion between him and Pat at some point.
This role is unlike anything McHale has done before, but as he told Bleeding Cool, he "jumped at the opportunity" to be part of "Stargirl" and work with "genius" Geoff Johns. What's more, he got to act opposite Luke Wilson, who he called "one of my comedy heroes."
McHale's career has always been rooted in comedy and he's happy that he can bring some of that to "Stargirl," too. "There's a lot of humor in that show. Geoff Johns was really funny. So I was like, yeah, I'll take advantage of that." Before joining the cast of "Stargirl" McHale acted in comedies like "Community" and "Ted," and hosted the biting commentary series "The Soup" from 2004 to 2015. Suffice to say, he's been delivering the laughs for a long time, and he wouldn't have it any other way. As he joked in Under the Radar, "I enjoy it and I will do it until somebody makes me get a real job." That's a soup-er plan.