Smallville's Super Casting Coup

Fri., Jul. 20, 2007 11:41 AM PDT by Gina Serpe

Well, what do you know? It is a bird.

Smallville producers have confirmed that none other than Supergirl herself will be swooping into the titular town, with relative newcomer Laura Vandervoot signing on for the girl-powered role.

Supergirl, who, when not fighting the evil forces, goes by the more civilian-friendly name of Kara, will make her debut on the small screen when Smallville's seventh season kicks off this fall.

According to Superman mythology, Kara is the naturally strong-willed Krypton-bred cousin of Clark Kent and manages to catch the wandering eyes of both Jimmy Olsen, played by Aaron Ashmore, and Lex Luthor, played by Michael Rosenbaum.

As it is, fans can expect plenty of action sequences from the comic world's newest recruit—the Toronto-raised Vandervoort comes to the series armed with a second-degree black belt, a resume detail producers didn't let pass them by.

"We cast Laura because she is the embodiment of Supergirl—she has warmth, beauty and she can kick some serious ass," Al Gough, the show's executive producer, said.

The season premiere airs on Sept. 27, though Vandervoort, who has appeared on CSI, as well as the films Troubled Waters and The Lookout, isn't the only new face poised to hit the network that night.

Two new thesps have also signed on to join the cast of Supernatural, premiering a week later.

Katie Cassidy, the daughter of '70s idol David and the Dallas remake's would-be Lucy Ewing, will star as Ruby, joining the Winchester brothers' two-strong squad of demon hunters as they continue the search for the Hell-sprung spirits who were released in the series' second season finale.

Pretty young Casanova thing Lauren Cohan, meanwhile, joins the cast a little later in the season as Bela, a mercenary who tries to profit from the supernatural world.

"Ruby and Bela, each in their own unique way, are dangerous, ruthless, more bad than good; and they'll each prove big trouble for Sam and Dean," series creator Eric Kripke said. "We were excited to find both Katie and Lauren; they just popped off the screen for us, and they bring charisma and intelligence to their roles."

The Supernatural season premiere airs on the CW Oct. 4.

Also in store for CW's 2007-08 TV season:

Tyra Banks' always fierce America's Next Top Model has been renewed for two more years, keeping the model competition on air through the 2009-2010 season. Banks and her wannabe catwalkers head back to New York after this coming cycle's Los Angeles go round.
Beauty and the Geek kicks off the new season on Sept. 18, when a new twist will be thrown into the house. The geeky males and beautiful females will be joined by one hunky guy and a dorkalicious girl.
The second season of The Search for the Next Pussycat Doll will be given a major overhaul, with the new round of competition focused on forming an all-girl singing group, Girlilicious, instead of having the winner join the exisiting act.