Milly Alcock graces Vogue Australia’s June 2026 cover ahead of her debut as the lead in DC Studios’ Supergirl, which arrives in theaters on June 26. The 26-year-old Australian actress sat down with the magazine to discuss her first major film role, the intense physical preparation, and what playing an iconic superhero means to her.
Photographed by Lachlan Bailey and styled by George Cortina, the cover story captures Alcock at a pivotal moment in her career. “The power and the privilege of playing a superhero is not lost on Milly Alcock, the 26-year-old homegrown star of the blockbuster Supergirl,” Vogue Australia’s editor-in-chief Christine Centenera noted in the feature.
Alcock debuted as Kara Zor-El in a cameo appearance in Superman (2025) before stepping into the role as the lead for the new film. Director Craig Gillespie, known for exploring complex female characters in films like I, Tonya and Cruella, praised her work. “I’d seen it in her work; she can do that dance,” he said of her ability to blend drama and humor. “She absolutely killed it. It’s such a beautiful performance, and the emotion is always there, and the irreverence. I couldn’t be more thrilled with it.”
In her Vogue Australia interview, Alcock described the film’s distinctive aesthetic. “The tone is very cool. It’s very space-Western, very dingy and dark. A lot of pubs, a lot of neon,” she explained. The film is based on the critically acclaimed graphic novel Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, and features Jason Momoa as Lobo alongside Eve Ridley and Matthias Schoenaerts.
Supergirl marks Alcock’s first major lead role in a feature film. She gained global recognition playing young Rhaenyra Targaryen in HBO’s House of the Dragon (2022-2024), earning a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. The transition from ensemble cast member to lead came with its own pressures. “It’s weird and wonderful and terrifying, because it’s a character the audience already owns, in a certain sense,” she told Vogue Australia. “There is a sense of wanting to please everyone, in a way.”
The physical demands of the role required intensive training. “Getting to play a part that was so physical was really fun,” Alcock said. “One day I was 15 metres in the air, in a harness and with a tight costume over the top, and I had to do a jump onto an uneven surface, and I kept slipping and getting frustrated.” Growing up in Sydney’s Petersham with two younger brothers—one a professional rugby union player—she credited her athletic upbringing with preparing her for the stunt work.
Alcock attended Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, which she has credited as foundational to her acting career. She dropped out in 2018 when cast in the Australian television series Upright, a breakthrough role that earned her the Casting Guild of Australia Rising Star Award and an AACTA Award nomination for Best Comedy Performer. That performance, opposite Tim Minchin, demonstrated her range and caught the attention of industry figures including director Craig Gillespie.
Beyond acting, Alcock is launching her own production company with director Ari Kwasner-Catsi and producer Will Matthews. “I absolutely adore acting, but don’t know if, 30 years down the line, I would want to be a woman who has to be public-facing,” she explained to Vogue Australia. “It’s incredibly exciting, and I love the whole process of filmmaking, it scratches my brain in the right way.” She has also appeared in films including Sirens alongside Julianne Moore, where she played Simone, and continues to seek roles in independent cinema.
Sources
- Vogue Australia — Full cover story interview with Milly Alcock, published May 27, 2026, featuring quotes on the film’s tone, her first lead role, physical preparation, and career trajectory.
- Yahoo Entertainment — Coverage of Alcock’s Vogue Australia June 2026 cover, published June 8, 2026.
- The Australian — Feature on Alcock covering Vogue Australia’s June issue, published May 30, 2026.
- Superman Homepage — Article on Alcock’s Vogue Australia cover moment, published May 29, 2026, confirming her role as Supergirl in the DC Universe.
