There's a lot of intrigue surrounding The Flash, especially as the expectation is the movie will end with the Scarlet Speedster creating a new DC Extended Universe. In that world, the SnyderVerse will be sidelined, with Michael Keaton replacing Ben Affleck as Batman and Sasha Calle stepping in for Henry Cavill's Superman as the Girl of Steel, Supergirl.
The fact Warner Bros. has cast a Latina actor as the character is definitely significant, and a huge step forward in bringing some much-needed diversity into the DCEU.
Talking to V Magazine (via CBR), Calle reflected on being shown a scene of her playing Supergirl by director Andy Muschetti while on set, explaining it was then that the significance of what she was doing hit home. "Representation in the entertainment industry really matters, and I'm super honored, honestly [to be the first Latina Supergirl]," she explains. "There was a moment when we were shooting, when Andy was like, 'Hey, come over here and watch this scene on the playback monitor.'"
"And I go over and I see her [Supergirl], and she's in her full glory. And suddenly, I got really emotional. Because I'm looking at that, and I'm like, 'Wow, I wish I would have had this when I was little.' It meant a lot to me," Calle continued. "I turned into child Sasha watching this person. So it's really important. And I'm really happy and really thankful to DC and Warner Bros. for doing this now. It's so cool that we're doing this, and, you know, it's about time."
Aside from how the character has been portrayed in the comic books (which were created at a time when anyone who wasn't white was typically depicted as a stereotype), there are absolutely zero reasons why Supergirl can't be Latin. The hero doesn't have to be blonde-haired and blue-eyed, and based on the set photos we've seen, Calle's take on the Girl of Steel looks awesome.
Oh, and before anyone complains too much, it's worth noting that this take on Supergirl is clearly inspired by the version from the Injustice comic books. While she was Superman's daughter in those, everything from the hairstyle to the costume has been translated to screen by Calle in The Flash.
The Flash is set to be released on theaters on June 23, 2023.