Canadian actress Laura Vandervoort has won the coveted role of Supergirl/Kara on the CW's Smallville series.  Born in 1984, Vandervoort has appeared in a slew of TV shows including CSI, The Dresden Files, Mutant X, and Falcon Beach among others.  Supergirl, who happens to be Clark Kent's cousin, will be introduced in the first episode of the new season of Smallville and will appear in at least half the episodes (see 'Supergirl Skies on Small Screen').

Unlike the adolescent Superman on Smallville, Supergirl can fly, a talent she flaunts to Clark and then blithely explains 'obviously girls mature much faster than boys.' Look for the producers of Smallville to introduce Vandervoort to comic book fans at the San Diego Comic-Con later this month.