Kaci Walfall, star of DC’s Naomi TV series, reveals how she prepared to play the young superhero in the upcoming show set in CW’s Arrowverse.
Kaci Walfall, star of DC’s Naomi TV series reveals how she prepared to play the young superhero in the upcoming show set in CW’s Arrowverse. Produced by filmmaker Ava DuVernay, the series is inspired by Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker’s 2019 comic book series of the same name. The show will air on The CW on January 11.
Named in tribute to the late comic book artist Dwayne McDuffie, Naomi McDuffie is one of the newest heroes in DC’s comic universe. Given the codename “Powerhouse” by Aquaman, Naomi is capable of firing energy blasts, as well as using the energy to give herself super-strength, super durability, and the ability to fly. The child of metahumans from an alternate universe, Naomi is sent to Earth-0 (the main DC Universe) as a child to escape the wrath of a metahuman criminal. As seen in teaser trailers, Naomi grows up watching Superman and other DC heroes, only to be thrust into their world after a battle in her hometown has her questioning her origins. With the first season aiming to explore Naomi’s origins and introduce her to a whole new audience, Walfall has revealed how she prepared to play Naomi.
Speaking to SyFy, Walfall discussed how she approached the role of one of DC’s newest heroes. The star revealed that once she had been cast, she created two Venn diagrams, one for her versus Naomi, and one for the character written for the show versus the character written in the comics. Walfall said that she and Naomi were similar due to them both being intelligent and stylish, but differed where she is introverted while Naomi is quite extroverted. Walfall stated that it was fun to explore the character in that way. Check out Walfall’s answer below.
“One of the first things I did when I got the role was I made a Venn diagram of me versus my character, and the character in the pilot versus the character in the comics. We’re both intelligent; we’re both smart; we both have a pretty good sense of style. But I think going even deeper than that, I think that what’s different is that Naomi is an extrovert and I, Kaci, am an introvert depending on the situation … it’s been really fun to explore that and explore that authenticity within her. I also think that what’s similar about us is that we both have a good sense of drive and passion. That’s what keeps us going — when people tell us no, that doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop”
Naomi was first revealed in December 2020, with the show later being confirmed to be moving forward as a series in February 2021. The cast was later revealed in March 2021, with Walfall in the lead role alongside Mary-Charles Jones as Anabelle, Barry Watson as Naomi’s father Greg, Cranston Johnson as metahuman villain in-hiding Zumbado, and Alexander Wraith as the hero’s Thanagarian mentor, Dee. Fans got their first glimpse of the series as part of a trailer showcasing The CW’s Arrowverse lineup for 2021-2022.
Naomi promises to be one of The CW’s most intriguing DC shows in 2022. While prior shows such as Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, and Batwoman were inspired by characters who had decades of source material, Naomi is still a new character even in the comics. Because of this though, the show can perhaps offer fans a more unique experience, as audiences can see DC’s finest heroes through the frame of a hero whose journey has just begun.
Source: SyFy
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