The new DCU film "Supergirl" recently sparked debate following its official poster release, with a fan questioning how Kara Zor-El, possessing the same "steel body" as Superman, could have ear piercings.
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn personally responded on Threads, explaining that "just as it's explained in 'Superman,' she can get drunk for the same reason: she goes to a planet with a red sun. Not to mention, she grew up on the remnants of Krypton, so she didn't truly gain her superpowers until her teenage years."
This explanation aligns with the opening of the original comic "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow," which the film is based on. In the comic, Kara Zor-El and Krypto travel to a red sun-lit planet to celebrate her birthday, where Kryptonians temporarily lose their powers and can get drunk like ordinary people. Gunn's use of the red sun to address the ear piercing issue is therefore not a last-minute addition but a continuation of the comic's approach to Kara "briefly becoming mortal."
In fact, this isn't the first time "Supergirl" lore has addressed ear piercings. During the run of CW's "Arrowverse" series "Supergirl," producer Ali Adler previously told fans that Kara's ear piercings were done while she was still on Krypton.
Interestingly, the series' fourth season, episode 16, "The House of L," revisited a similar issue. In that episode, Lex Luthor, wanting Red Daughter to appear more like the true Supergirl, pierced her ears while she was weakened by Kryptonite, offering another in-universe solution to the long-standing question of how Kryptonians could wear earrings.
However, what began as a discussion about lore escalated when former Superman actor Dean Cain reposted related content.
Cain, who starred in the 1990s series "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," amplified a post on X (formerly Twitter) that mocked Milly Alcock's appearance. The post compared her to the character Cha-Ka from the 1970s series "Land of the Lost," asking, "So why does she look like this guy?" Cain replied, "Damn... I laughed."
This comment immediately drew backlash, with many online users arguing that it was inappropriate for Cain, a much older former Superman actor, to publicly mock the appearance of the new "Supergirl" star. Others pointed out the irony, noting that Cain had previously spoken about experiencing racial discrimination as a half-Asian actor playing Superman, only to now attack someone in a similar manner.
Previously, Cain had also repeatedly criticized Gunn's DCU, expressing dissatisfaction with the new "Superman" portraying the protagonist's immigrant status as an allegory for the American experience. He stated:
"How 'woke' is Hollywood going to make this character? How is Disney going to change their 'Snow White'? Why do they have to change these characters to cater to contemporary times? For Superman, it was originally 'truth, justice, and the American way.' They took that away... they changed it to 'truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.'"
Observers suggest that Cain, in attempting to amplify the "Supergirl" controversy, ultimately generated free publicity for the film and rallied more fans to support Milly Alcock. The movie is set to premiere in North America on June 26, 2026.