Supergirl: Mehcad Brooks on playing a new version of James Olsen

Mehcad Brooks took some time to discuss his role as James Olsen in Supergirl and the various changes that have been made to the character.

When I sat down to take a call with Mehcad Brooks, I knew right away that I wanted to talk to him about the changes made to Jimmy Olsen (who goes by James in Supergirl). The character is in a different setting than usual and has had the opportunity to grow more than he ever really did in the comics. Before we touched on that, though, we discussed how he got his start.

Mehcad Brooks knew he wanted to get into acting after watch Usual Suspects. In Los Angeles, he attended USC, where he learned even more about the film industry. “I was working three jobs at a time,” Brooks mentioned. This was because he knew he’d inevitably lose one when he’d prioritize an audition instead. That persistence, though, paid off as he started to get more roles.

Brooks played an athlete in several roles and when asked if his background in sports helped with that, “Of course,” was his response. However, he knew about being typecast and he was happy to have the work, but playing athletes wasn’t all that he had in mind for his career. In addition to acting, he was a model for Calvin Klein and he also releases music under the name KING GVPSV.

Getting into the Supergirl discussion, Brooks was surprised when he was cast for the role of James Olsen. When asked what it was like finding out about the role, this was his response:

"I was really excited when I got the job because I was a huge Superman and Batman fan as a kid but I also knew Jimmy Olsen was a freckled redhead. It gave me a lot of hope to know that someone like Greg Berlanti and Warner Brothers were willing to lead the charge of inclusion. Taking on an iconic character is never easy. People are going to have opinions, supportive or not. It’s almost your job as an actor to define yourself to the critic as well as the praise and just be."

More from CW

• The CW’s culture of pulling shows continues as Everyone Else Burns and Run the Burbs are removed from the schedule
• All American: Homecoming season 3 release updates, strike delay, and more
• The CW is out of the superhero business with Superman and Lois canceled
• The Spencer Sisters filming locations: Where is the CW drama filmed?
• The Librarians: The Next Chapter release updates and everything we know so far

Going into the show, he knew the generalizations that most people know about Jimmy Olsen already. Jimmy’s first full appearance in the comics came in April 1940, so the changes that were made to the character were even unexpected to Brooks. “Underserved” is how he described both Jimmy and the Guardian despite Jimmy’s popularity and his ties to Superman.

Brooks likened the Supergirl version of James Olsen to Batman: “I think he is a hell of a multi-tasker, he’s National City’s Bruce Wayne without with the abandonment issues.” This version of Olsen is a bit of a shining light for others in 2018. The show hasn’t shied away from social commentary and we see James reveal his identity as the Guardian even if some people won’t like it.

"I think he is the Barack Obama of Superheroes. We’re at a low level of collective consciousness in our world and I think that even without the crimefighting James would be a superhero just by being a part of the media, exposing the truth. He’s the everyday hero, who’s had enough. He’s your neighbor, but knows Kung Fu and happens to have a plug for alien technology. I love the fact that he doesn’t have superpowers. Supergirl is the superhero we all aspire to be but James is the superhero that we all can be."

“Things don’t really feel inclusive right now,” Brooks mentioned. While inclusivity is something that many are hard at work on, it’s still a problem today. Brooks mentioned working on the Obama campaign as well, so he’s someone who is not only fighting for inclusivity with his on-screen persona as James Olsen, but it’s something he’s doing in real life, as well.

As for what’s next with Brooks, he has a movie coming up and recently released a new album. The KING GVPSV album is titled May 20th and it features 16 tracks. Brooks mentioned that Supergirl has licensed some songs for the show and he’ll have more licensing in the works. As for the movie, he’s in the upcoming Tyler Perry film, Nobody’s Fool, with Tiffany Haddish, Whoopi Goldberg and Missi Pyle. The movie is due out on November 2.

Supergirl returns on October 14 with its fourth season where you can see Brooks continue his role as James Olsen and the Guardian.