Supergirl's Azie Tesfai on Writing an Episode & Becoming Guardian

How's it going?

Good. How are you?

Let me make this bigger. Hi. You look great.

Oh, thank you. Thank you. I like I like the blue. Is it blue?

Yes, it's a Yes, it's a blue Alice and Olivia dress. I love it. You look so good. Well, how's your morning, are you in California?

I'm in Los Angeles. Yeah.

So how's your day going so far? Have you been doing press for most of it?

Yeah, since like 8 a. m. Yeah. It's just a Zoom day, you know, the usual. Different worlds we live in. But it's nice because, you know, I have sweatpants on under this dress, so.

Literally everybody that you get away with it, it's so nice.

Mhm. Yeah.

Okay, well we're excited to talk to you today. We're going to talk about Supergirl and just everything you've been up to too because you're absolutely killing it.

Thank you. Thank you.

How do you feel now that the final season is out?

I think it's surreal because we especially now that we're wrapped and the show's just starting to air, it it we we had such an emotional goodbye in person that uh I keep forgetting almost that I mean this episode obviously I don't, but Yeah. I'll get tagged on social media and I'm like, oh yeah, but we said our goodbyes, but the fans are just now having their final go, you know, with the show. So it's very surreal.

I was going to ask you, is there a certain thing that you did to celebrate as a cast or that you're going to do?

Um, well, I mean, we had so many group scenes at the end. I felt like and it was a lot. The the last couple episodes are epic and huge. Um, you know, there's a lot of everyone there's a lot of group superhero fight scenes in like random forests. So we definitely bonded in the fact that, you know, you're filming night scenes and you're all getting eaten up by mosquitoes. Like we have a lot of very funny memories together. Um, but now I think everyone was pretty tired by the end. They're like, we love you. We like everybody loves each other but This is a lot. Yeah. Bye. See you later. But we still text, you know, Kyler just texted me. Like we're still, yeah. Yeah. Still in contact, yeah.

And you made Arrowverse history by co-writing an episode, which is absolutely huge. How when you, how did you find out that you were going to co-write an episode?

Well, I I had written a sample spec script of a story that I really wanted to explore with my character and uh instead of I guess just pitching them my idea, I wrote a whole script. I was like, I just wrote it. Um, and they and our showrunners were wonderful and sent it to the studio and to our producers uh as my sample and they approved it and and then, um, and then I was, yeah, then and then I was told I was going to write. I had no idea I was going to write me becoming a superhero. That was like, Wow. Uh, insane. Um, but I knew I was going to have some episodes off to join the writers room and I did a month with them, which was incredible. Yeah. Um, came out to LA and did the the 10 to 5, which I was really into. Yeah. And a long with a lunch break in between. Yeah. And then went off and wrote the episode. So I really got to have like a true experience. I didn't have to juggle both for the beginning of it, which was nice.

Which was nice. And you didn't even thinking it wasn't going to happen though. Like I I didn't say anything because I was like, this is going to I'm I was like, this is going to fall apart. Pretty much every

Right. Yeah.

That's awesome. Did you and you designed your costume, right?

I did get to partner and and uh, you know, you you have your wish list and they're wonderful and like asking the actors, like, what would you like? But they actually did it all. And um, and I was like, these are the things in the comics that I love, you know, the golds we've never done, the half helmet we've never like so much of the costume is comic book accurate. And then here are a couple like personal cultural things that I would love to integrate with like the beads and the braids and things like that. And they did that and um and then just being one of the last to kind of become a superhero, I got all the tips from everyone else on like comfort, like zippers in certain places and like

Right.

The vest that can come out for lunch so you can, you know, like just logistical things that we would never think of or the best for fight scenes. So, I felt like my costume was the most comfortable too, because I got all their insight. Yeah.

And growing up before you got cast like as a kid, did you want to ever be a superhero or were you interested in superheroes?

I really wanted to be a clown. And I took it very seriously.

That's a complete opposite of what people usually want.

Oh, I was in preschool and there was a birthday party and I pulled the this woman out who was the clown and I was like, give it to me straight. Like, what do I need to do in the course of my life to become a and I wanted to be a clown, like not like high-end circuses. Like I wanted to do birthday parties. I wanted to be like a birthday party clown. Um, I was very bad. That was that was yeah. And then I thought, oh, okay, I guess, you know, I'm I'm a child of immigrants. Like I guess I'll be a lawyer because that's kind of one of the three jobs that we're allowed to do. So I I didn't even think about anything else outside of being a clown or a lawyer pretty much until after college.

That's crazy. Clown, lawyer, actor, superhero. Just the course of your life, just all up and down, up and down. Which is kind of like the in between, I guess, like being a performer.

Yep. Yeah.

Did you watch have you watched the episode through? Like do you watch it when it airs on The CW?

I don't, just because you live it. But I did with this one, because I I I was lucky enough where I got to see the edits um

Right. Because you wrote it.

Yeah. Say what parts I really cared about and and and asked to preserve and Yeah. Um, and I worked really closely with our director Ramsey um on that part. Like we had pieces that we were very attached to and and and and so we would watch each kind of network pass, the studio pass to see what was preserved and what wasn't. But normally, no, I and sometimes it's at my own fault because I'm like, oh this scene and I it didn't make it to cut and the fans are like, What? Like what?

And you you really stick to your roots and your upbringing. How important because that happens a lot in Supergirl. Like that through your work. That stays the same. How important is that to you to be able to, you know, have that in your work?

Sorry. My culture is everything to me and I think especially because uh there's no representation specifically being East African, like there was no one that I had that I could look at to know that this job was even possible. I was lucky that I had a mom that told me my whole life I could do anything. Um, but for the most part, that that isn't something understandably so that immigrants tell your kids because you sacrifice everything to come to this country and you just want them to do well within the realm of your understanding of what well looks like. My dad still doesn't understand quite what an actor does, you know. Yeah. But so for me, like not just presenting my culture, but speaking about it and hoping that that becomes some sort of example so that more um young girls specifically choose to follow their heart if this is something they want to do, whether it's acting or writing or producing or directing, like that feels important that they know that it's very possible.

Yeah. And that's so awesome that you're able to do both and you do have such a good mindset behind it, you know, Like you don't just want to act. That's awesome. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, we're going to play a little game. So it's who's who's most likely? So it's either you in your personal life or Kelly Olsen. So you're basically going against yourself, but not really, you know. Okay, so it's who's most likely? You'll choose which one. So, first one is, who's most likely you or Kelly to get emotional over little things?

Me. For sure. For sure. Yeah.

Uh, who's most likely to be the biggest simp? Have you used that word before?

Yeah. Kelly. Kelly. Yeah.

I had a feeling you're going to say that. Uh, who's most likely to spend all their money on new clothes?

Probably neither of us. No. I mean, neither of us. Yeah. Don't Kelly's like a military girl. I'm not a big shopper. Like Yeah. Yeah.

On set usually do like getting styled or like when people pick out your clothes for you?

Yes, I love it when someone else does it but I have like an aversion to shopping or malls. I think as a kid my mom used to like I'd like follow her through the grocery stores and the malls and get in. You're like, I'm not doing anymore. Someone just like put me in something then I'm fine. I'm fine.

Who's most likely to win a million dollars? Like luck wise.

Probably Kelly. She's like life's worked out really well for her. Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

Uh, who's most likely to be late?

Me.

It's a problem and I'm trying to get better. It's really bad. I'm never late to work, but my friends have given me ultimatums because I'm I'm always a little bit late meeting them.

Yeah. Yep. You're the late friend.

Yeah. Yeah. LA traffic, guys. You know, you know how it is. I live in Vancouver. I'm like going to meet friends on their shows and I'm like, Vancouver traffic and they're like, that's not a thing. You just left your house too late. Yeah. I'm like, yeah, I'm on my way and I'm still in my bathrobe, you know, so.

We all do it. Who's most likely to stay in on the weekends?

Me. Yeah. You would stay. Yeah. I like being alone a lot, which it's helpful that I shoot a show in another country. But yeah. Yeah. Kelly is like such a part of this group of friends, which is so nice, but I very much would need space. Yeah.

Uh, who's most likely to uh commit a crime?

I feel like Kelly would but it would be a crime for good. Like in this episode or in the episode that she like got that surveillance tape for the orphans, like that's probably not legal. I'm pretty sure that's illegal. But like it's for the greater good. And she would definitely I'm such a rule follower. I would never, but she she she would do it in a cool like honorable way. Yeah, for sure.

And then who's most likely, say Kelly was a real person on The CW, who do you think would watch Supergirl? Oh, man. Do you think Kelly would watch it if she wasn't in it? If Kelly was like walking around.

I I think she would cuz she thinks Alex is cute and so she would watch it for her. That's what I'll say. I think she would watch it for Alex.

That's so cute. Do you have any uh, just like plans for any is there something coming up or more on the jewelry line?

Yeah, I mean I'm I'm writing. That's like my my real focus right now and and developing a couple things with some people that I think are amazing that I've done other shows with and Yeah. Um, and that's that's that's really exciting. And some stories that I think are really special. So I'm putting all of my energy into into writing and and producing right now.

This this is like created a monster in the best way. I was going to say in the best way. Like one and done and now you're like one, now here you go. Like that's like opening up so many doors. That's awesome.

Yes.

Well, you're killing you literally you made history, you wrote your own episode, you're doing amazing things and you're such an inspiration. So I know like usually when you're living it, you don't realize it, you know what I mean? But when people tell you, you're like, oh yeah, I actually am doing that. But like really, you're killing it.

It's been my day, I think. I'm like, oh because when you're going you just are getting things done. Yeah. I feel lucky and and it is so special and I'm so glad that like the episode's going to come out and I hope it it's inspiring and puts good into the world and gets more people to to create and and tell their stories.

Yeah. Well, congrats on all the success and we can't wait to see what else you write. Can't wait to see it on the big screen. This is so fun. Such a fun game. Thank you.