Stargirl has quickly established itself as one of the big standouts of The CW's crop of DC shows. Along with Superman & Lois, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and the unfortunately short-lived Black Lightning, it exhibits a level of quality that many will argue sets it apart from the network's other offerings (though Batwoman is also really good right now if anybody cares). Of course, that's all just subjective, but there's no denying that the stars themselves have been giving it their all, and luckily the show itself seems to be giving back.
Brec Bassinger, who plays Stargirl's central hero Courtney Whitmore, recently discussed the show's upcoming 2nd season, which is set to feature plenty of new heroes and villains. Among the surprises in store for the highly anticipated new batch of episodes, one that audiences might not expect, is a bit of a shift in the various superhero outfits worn by the members of the fledgling Justice Society of America. But while new costumes aren't exactly unheard of when it comes to superhero series (just ask Supergirl about her more practical pants-laden suit), the reason behind the change is a bit unique to these current times of strife and blech.
When Bassinger spoke with TVLine, she was surprisingly (and perhaps refreshingly) blunt about a certain issue that had arisen thanks to the various quarantines happening over the past year and a half (and counting), and it ended up having a rather unanticipated effect when shooting for season 2 was set to begin. "I'm going to be straight honest — it didn’t fit," Bassinger said, referring to her iconic Stargirl super suit. "It wasn't zipping up. I had that 'quarantine 15' and was like, 'We're going to have to work something out.' So L.J. [Shannon], the costume designer, and our amazing wardrobe team did some lovely fixes…. They were able to let some fabric out here and there."
It turns out Bassinger wasn't the only one who asked for some help from the costume department. Co-star Anjelika Washington (Courtney's friend Beth Chapel, a.k.a. Dr. Mid-Nite) also faced a similar predicament. But luckily, everyone was just as supportive in her situation. "I'm on the same page as Brec — they let out a few inches for me," she explained to TVLine. "But it is what it is, and what was such a blessing is no one pressured us into anything, no one cared. They were so supportive, like, 'You look great!'" It almost seems as though Jim Gaffigan's new CGI character may be the only one who wouldn't need any adjustments.
Meanwhile, Cameron Gellman, who plays Rick Tyler/Hourman, echoed the sentiment, mentioning how he used his outfit as a sort of measurement method. "When I came back, it was the same situation, and that [belt] will pop off," he said, "You've got to earn that staying on your body, so that was my gauge for how I was doing, fitness-wise, in the second season." Frankly, it's rather heartwarming to not only see how confident and self-assured the stars seem to be, but also how body-positive the costume designers are. Good to know since there will be 2 new villains joining Stargirl who will also need some snazzy outfits. With many productions, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for the showrunners to demand that the actors adhere to a certain fitness level rather than make new costumes. But for Stargirl, new outfits were immediately put on the agenda when inquired, no questions asked. That's the kind of support that's always wonderful to see.
With all the other surprises in store for Stargirl season 2, such as a possible fight with Green Lantern's daughter (well, guess it's not a surprise anymore), new costumes probably aren't among the most anticipated. But it's not like they'll be entirely new designs. It's just a little letting out of the materials, keeping the same basic designs while making the actors more comfortable. In the end, isn't that what's most important?
Stargirl returns for season 2 on August 11th on The CW.
Source: TVLine