Nashville star Laura Benanti has joined the cast of CBS' Supergirl, playing Alura Zor-El, the Kryptonian birth mother of Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist). Alura, described as "a strong noblewoman," sends her daughter to Earth just before her home planet of Krypton is destroyed. While it isn't known how large of a role she will have on the series, Deadline reports that Alura's "wisdom and guidance echoes across space and time," as Kara goes on her journey to become Supergirl.

The series follows 24-year-old Kara, who has been hiding her incredible abilities during her time on Earth, before she decides to embrace her powers and become the hero she was born to be. The only other confirmed cast member at this time is Mehcad Brooks as Jimmy Olsen, a photographer for CatCo, the media conglomerate that Kara also works for. Other characters who have yet to be cast are Cat Grant, the CatCo founder whom Kara works for as her personal assistant, Wynn Schott, a CatCo programmer who lives next door to Kara and has a huge crush on her, and Hank Henshaw, who works for the Department of Extra-Normal Operations (DEO).

Greg Berlanti (Arrow, The Flash) co-created the series with Ali Adler (No Ordinary Family), with both writers serving as executive producers alongside Sarah Schechter. It isn't known when production may begin on Supergirl, which was given a straight-to-series order by CBS. Laura Benanti is best known for playing Sadie Stone on ABC's Nashville. Her other credits include arcs on The Good Wife, Nurse Jackie, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Go On and Royal Pains.