Over the last seven years we've been given quite a few special opportunities. Interviews with the cast and showrunners at Comic Con. Red Carpet interviews at Paleyfest, the list goes on. When the pandemic hit and Comic Con was cancelled, interviews and press relations all had to change. But with that change new opportunities have arisen and we are so excited to share with you our conversation with Roswell star and newly Earth-bound Kryptonian Jason Behr, who plays Zor-El on Supergirl returning next week August 24th at 9:00pm! Our very heartfelt thanks to Jason who was so kind to answer our questions about working in a pandemic, filming with a seasoned cast and which powers are his favorite!
Supergirl.tv: The pandemic remains, even now, at the forefront of our minds. You filmed during the pandemic with a co-star who just had a baby, what was the filming process like working with Melissa during a pandemic?
So, I love Vancouver, and I love everything that it has to offer, but going into quarantine for two and a half weeks, not being able to leave the hotel room, definitely puts you in the mind space for the Phantom Zone. When I was able to actually go outside and feel the sunlight on my face again, I had such apprehension because I didn't want to be that guy who came into a series after six years and being in this worldwide pandemic, to be the one who somehow brought COVID inside that world. So I was extraordinarily cautious. I went to work. I sat in my trailer, put my mask on, went to set. They had these really amazing protocols where the green light goes up and it's just actors on the set and everyone steps aside. It was interesting because you're doing a scene with Melissa, and I'm kind of shouting extra loud to make sure she understands what I'm saying [through the mask]. The scene’s not really going to play that way, and I know that in about five minutes when they say last looks, we're going to shoot the scene and take off our masks and it's going to be completely different. So there was a lot of sort of adjusting on the fly once the masks came off and you actually did the scene. But I wanted to be very, very safe. I didn't go to any restaurants, I didn't go really anywhere. Went from my hotel room, to my trailer, to a set and back.
Photo Credit Jason Behr Instagram
Supergirl.tv: Zor-El is a character Supergirl fans have seen before, as an actor, is there anything different you must do to prepare for a role that was played by another actor already?
I don't think so. I think when there are beloved characters in this extraordinary world of Superman and Jor-El and Zor-El, I think that there are going to be actors before me who play this, or who play these roles, and they're going to be actors after us who play these roles, and it's just up to us to individualize and personalize the experiences and really make it our own. I didn't feel like I had anything that I had to do to replicate anybody else's work and I just really wanted to bring my own self to it.
Supergirl.tv: Zor-El and Kara were saved from the Phantom Zone when we last saw them and now Zor-El finds himself on a planet where he has powers that are God-like. What can you tease about Zor-El’s time on Earth?
Well, I think at first Zor-El just wanted to experience the life that Kara had created for herself, along with some other new Kryptonian perks. Imagine if you were waking up tomorrow and having all these abilities. How you would deal with that? Some of them are fun. Like flying is definitely a plus. But you have other sorts of adjustments to make, like, super hearing, hearing everything all at once at a really high volume can be pretty intense. So, that wall of sound coming into your head, I mean I think there's a calibration that has to be made, and some room for adjustment.
Supergirl.tv: You’ve had a very full career, especially as Max Evans on Roswell, joining Supergirl in their sixth season, is it difficult joining a cast that’s been established for more than a half decade?
I was in a very special circumstance where after Melissa had her baby, I was the first actor that she was working with, and it continued to be just me for seven episodes. I mean there's a couple other actors and Peta who was in there for a bit as well. But it was just me and her. So not only did I get a chance to really get to know her in the environment of Supergirl, but she hadn't worked with anybody else. So I was able to develop a bond with her. Then when we got to Episode 608, when she sees some of her castmates for the first time, it's the first time on screen, it’s the first time she'd seen them in months. It was a real special situation so I felt wonderful to be around that group, it's an extraordinary group of human beings and wonderful actors. I just felt very honored to be a part of it.
Supergirl.tv: We’ve seen from the previews of the coming episode, Zor-El gets his own kind of super suit, what’s it like wearing that on camera and seeing yourself in it for the first time?
I've actually worn a super suit before. This was a little bit different, but it's a lot more restricting than one might think. And you need a lot of help to get in and out of it. But once you have that on and you see that image in the mirror, it's like you're an eight-year-old kid again. It just feels amazing.
Supergirl.tv: I bet, especially with that “s” on your chest.
Without a doubt, it's not a homemade “s“, it's not a store bought “s” it's the superhero suit made for your character. I was grinning ear to ear, like some silly eight-year-old, just living the dream.
Supergirl.tv: On social media, the behind the scenes shots from this crew show a very fun set, do you have a favorite memory of filming Supergirl?
I would say it was the first time we all got together, and it was every cast member, there were a couple of exceptions. It was most of the cast. And it was a pretty intense scene that just had to keep moving and moving and moving and everyone had dialogue peppered throughout the scene. And when one person gets a little case of the giggles, it infects the entire room. Just having that belly laugh with a group of really wonderful actors is an extraordinary feeling. Especially after being in such solitude and depression and darkness with the Phantom Zone to just be on set with a bunch of other actors and just laughing so hard that you're, you know to tears and bellyache is a wonderful feeling.
Supergirl.tv: Welsh Dragon on Twitter asks, “would you rather have - Zor El's Kryptonian powers from #Supergirl or Max Evans' alien powers from #Roswell & why?”
That's a great question. The ability to heal someone, to manipulate molecular structure is an extraordinary ability. But the idea of flying and all these, what Zor-El has, to fly, to have heat vision, you know ice breath, superspeed, and I think I'm going to lean more towards that. I think there's a little more fun to that. Also both of them have the question of these godlike powers and who you choose to save and who do you not. You know, there's a lot of responsibility that comes with that but I think Zor-El’s powers are just a little more fun.
Once again our biggest thanks to Jason Behr for taking some time to speak with us about his time as Zor-El! Supergirl returns for the final season August 24th at 9:00pm. Let us know what you think in the comments below and in our forum! Keep us advertisement free and visit the support page!
Comments
she truly disappeared
I am very disappointed over Alura's absence so far this season. It makes no sense with the story arc covered in the first 7 episodes.
Good point Brierrose - I remember in the episode "Homecoming" when Jeremiah came back that Eliza made it clear in the episode that too much time had passed between her and Jeremiah and she felt she didn't know him that well anymore.....so Zor-El and Alura probably would have the same situation.
Thanks Cat Pat - Brierrose also mentioned that Argos survived - don't know how I missed that in the show.
Not correct Argos was restored when Earth Prime was created.