Odette Annable, who played the role of Reign in the “Supergirl” TV series, was a special guest at the 2025 Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Illinois, where she participated in a Q&A panel with the fans.
Expressing her enjoyment of the event, Annable noted that unlike larger conventions such as San Diego Comic-Con or New York Comic Con, Metropolis felt like a “festival and a convention combined,” allowing for more intimate interactions with fans.
A significant portion of the Q&A focused on her powerful role as Samantha Arias/Rain, the Worldkiller, on “Supergirl”. Annable revealed that playing a dual identity was “daunting” at first, requiring her to deeply understand and justify both characters. She emphasized the challenge and reward of portraying two distinct personalities simultaneously, calling it “one of the best challenges” of her career and a “creative high point” that boosted her confidence and self-love. She enjoyed “being bad” as Rain and felt powerful in the costume. Reflecting on fight scenes, particularly with Melissa Benoist, Annable highlighted the demanding nature of learning choreography “on the day” and the crucial trust in stunt coordinators. She also shared her deep pride in her very first scene in the Rain suit on a rooftop with Melissa, a moment that felt “very surreal” and a realization of a long-held dream.
Annable also delved into other memorable roles and aspects of her career. She spoke about the unique experience of filming “Cloverfield”, a found-footage horror film, where the improvisation and freedom offered by the camera-holding approach (often by TJ Miller) created a natural and “unexpected quality”. While she would love for her character, Beth, to have survived a nuclear blast in Central Park, the fate of Beth in a potential “Cloverfield 2” remains “up for debate”. Her time on “House” presented its own challenges, particularly mastering medical jargon and working alongside the “intimidating” yet “warm and welcoming” Hugh Laurie, from whom she learned invaluable acting lessons. Annable secured this role after a previous audition years prior, showcasing the importance of persistence in the industry. She also shared an amusing anecdote about working on “You Again”, where she accidentally “smashed” a camera lens while throwing plates. More recently, she spoke highly of Jared Padalecki’s leadership and professionalism on the show “Walker”, where he was deeply involved in every aspect of the production.
Beyond acting, Annable revealed her involvement as an ambassador for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, describing the experience as “truly unmatched” and feeling “kismet” given her later connection to the Superman world. While she started acting at age four in “Kindergarten Cop” (having learned Spanish first and being introverted), she is now interested in creating and producing, with writing being a more natural fit for her than directing due to her “scattered” brain and ADD. As for future aspirations, Annable expressed a desire for Broadway if the right role came along, admitting she “can’t sing and can’t really dance” but humorously mentioning “West Side Story” as wishful thinking. Her dream acting roles lean towards romantic comedies or relationship dramas, drawn by her curiosity about human connection. She would also love to work with Tom Hanks, admiring his diversity and believing she could learn a great deal from him. She also confirmed her voice acting roles as Chloe the Chihuahua in “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” and Amada in “Fallout 3”. Odette Annable concluded the Q&A by expressing deep gratitude for the fans who braved the rain, hoping to return to Metropolis in the future.
Thanks to Sassy Ann Shenefield for the video.
