Canadian actress Laura Vandervoort was the latest addition to the superhero craze with her role as Supergirl in the immensely popular “Smallville” (CW, 2001- ). Born Sept. 22, 1984 – coincidentally, the year that the original silver screen version of “Supergirl” was released – Vandervoort grew up in Toronto and graduated from the York Mills Collegiate Institute in North York, Ontario. Although she originally studied English and writing, she had been active on television since she was a teenager, beginning with a handful of appearances on the popular kiddie horror series, “Goosebumps,” (syndicated, 1995-98). For north of the border viewers, Vandervoort was best known for her supporting role of Sadie Harrison on the smash Canadian series, “Instant Star” (CTV, 2004 –). But she also had bit parts and guest starring roles on shows such as “Mutant X” (syndicated, 2001-04), “Falcon Beach” (ABC Family, 2005), “C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation” (CBS, 2000- ) and the quirky private eye series, “The Dresden Files” (Sci-Fi Channel, 2007). On the big screen, she had a small role in the critically embraced thriller, “The Lookout” (2007).

Vandervoort’s Supergirl is the latest in a long line of superheroes to make appearances on “Smallville,” which recounts the adolescent years of Clark Kent discovering his superhuman powers before he dons the Superman cape. With her debut in the first episode of the show’s seventh season in the fall of 2007, Vandervoort played Clark’s Kryptonian cousin Kara, who has been in suspended animation since their home planet exploded. Her advanced powers include the ability to fly – a trick Clark has yet to master – and Vandervoort’s strong-willed and independent-minded Kara promised to shake things up on the long-running series.