"The Flash" Star Danielle Panabaker on Spin-offs & Crossovers

I'm joined in the Young Hollywood studio by the lovely Danielle Panabaker. How are you?

Great, how are you?

Lovely. We're talking about Young Hollywood's subtle advertising.

So subtle. Surrounded by us, yes.

I mean, we must be so proud of all the business.

We are, we are.

You are gonna be on this pillow. We're gonna make a new one.

I can't wait.

The Flash.

Yes.

Which you are, yes, starring in. It's exciting times.

I can't wait. I'm so excited.

They're excited. And there's a massive anticipation behind it as well. That's what's great about the show is they have The Flash, who's this iconic sort of superhero.

Right. Comic book.

Comic book. Well, people, they're excited. They're they're very passionate about what they love.

Yes, absolutely. Very enthusiastic.

But this is new to you because you've not been in the comic book world that much, so.

No. I've done a little bit of like superhero stuff when I was younger. But the comic book fans, I mean, they're all over Twitter, they can't wait, they're so excited, so.

Right. And were you familiar with these that like Arrow, The Flash? Were you familiar with these before obviously getting the roles?

I wasn't as familiar with comic books. It's been a good education, though, because I get, you know, the DC guys have been so generous in giving us so much information and so many books. I got a book that is the encyclopedia of The Flash recently.

Okay. Right. Nice.

I know.

And how far did you get through it?

It's gonna get read super soon.

Okay. You've seen the pictures. You do what I do. You flick through the pictures.

Yeah, yeah, it's a really pretty book.

That's great. That's great. Um, and we we were talking about obviously their excitement and the and the anticipation for this show. It comes out October 7th.

Yes.

Um, so we've got a little a little bit of time. Um, but they are very passionate. Does that put more pressure on you going into a show where you know the fans are so hardcore about what they love?

Um, I don't know if it's more pressure. It just makes me want to do a good job for them. You wanna show up and make them proud every week.

Right. And you're you're kickin' snow. We've seen you in the Arrow. You've you were in that show as a guest star first.

Yes. Which was so fun. It's so like such a great family over there, and we were so welcomed in. So cool to be on that.

Yeah, same producers and people like that.

Yeah, same producers, and you know, it was awesome.

Right. And uh, going into that on the Arrow, did you know, because obviously the acting world, you were booked as a guest star, did you know that you were gonna have the spinoff, The Flash, that was all beforehand?

Actually, I knew about The Flash before I knew about Arrow. I signed on to do The Flash, and then they said, here, as an extra little bonus, we wanna sneak you guys into Arrow for an episode.

Oh, okay. So, And the Arrow people, will they be crossing over onto The Flash?

Fingers crossed, it would be so great if they did.

But you don't know?

I'm not at liberty to discuss that.

I think that's a yes. I think that's a yes. Normally, if they can't discuss it, it's a yes. Um, but Barry Allen, Barry Allen the Flash.

Yes.

He's been in a coma. He's in a coma, so you haven't had much at the moment you haven't had much dynamic or relationship with the guy, right?

No, not at all. And, you know, prior to this big particle accelerator exploding, Barry Allen.

You said that really quick. That's impressive.

I'm practicing particle accelerator a lot.

Wow.

You see, this is the tough part about being a scientist. You have to take these big words and make it look like you know 'em. Um, so he's been in a coma since the explosion, and prior to that, I had my character had no idea who he was.

Right, okay. And you work in STAR Labs. That's where you're the scientist.

Yes.

Um, and when he does come around, you're gonna help him use his powers, right?

Yes. So he wakes up from the coma in our first episode. And he has to deal with the reality of, holy crap, now I've got these superpowers that make me run super fast. And it's really exciting for the scientists to see, you know, he's a miracle in a lot of different ways. But as scientists, all we wanna do is poke and prod and examine him. So it's hopefully, we'll learn to work together, but it might there might be some growing pains.

Okay. Um, and getting him to obviously work on his powers. If you could, not that that may happen or may not happen, if you could suddenly get your own superpower in the show, what would you pick?

Hmm. I don't know if I got a choice about my own superpower for the show. There have been rumors that my character could turn into Killer Frost, who people from the comic books might know. Um, that would be awesome. I love the idea of being like a badass girl, like taking on the boys and giving them some back.

Right. Okay. So that's good. Yeah. And who is your favorite superhero of all time? My favorite superhero. You mentioned you obviously weren't big in the comic world, but obviously the world of superheroes is huge.

Man, I don't know. Uh, Wonder Woman's awesome. I'm like.

Wonder Woman's a good one. I could see you doing Wonder Woman.

Well, somebody else already got the job, but.

No, but I think, yeah, you never know. I mean.

You know, a couple years.

We can always easily get rid of them. It's Hollywood. No one's safe. We know people.

No one's safe in Hollywood.

No one's safe in Hollywood. Um, and you guys film this in Canada, is that right?

In Vancouver.

Okay. Is that your, have you spent much time in Vancouver or is?

Yes. I've already been up there for about three months this year. It's such a beautiful city. I mean, it's so outdoorsy, it's so clean. It's really great.

Mhm. Favorite thing to do there when you're not filming?

I love food, so I love to eat. Like I.

Good answer.

I love, there's amazing restaurants there. The sushi, it doesn't matter where you go, the sushi's delicious.

Okay. I love that. Favorite thing about Canada for me is that the our English queen's on their money. You did notice that, right?

I did not know that.

You you seriously didn't know that?

I mean, the Looney's and the Toonie's, they're already comical enough. How are we supposed to take this money seriously?

Our queen's on their money. That's crazy. The English queen, yeah, it's great, it's brilliant.

We Americans have no time for that.

Yeah, you should realize. It's terrible. And you've spent three months in Canada and didn't realize who's queen was on the money?

I'm sorry, I'm not taking my time to stare at money.

Right, okay. I'll let you off.

Thanks.

Um, and talking about the crazy world of this comic uh, the world. Um, have have you been to Comic-Con? Have you done the whole Comic-Con thing?

I haven't been.

So this year is gonna be your first?

If we get to go, it would be.

I think it's on the cards. I think you'll probably be going. Yeah. I would have thought the the thought that you would uh, The Flash cast would be going to Comic-Con.

It would be great. I'm really, I'm really keeping my fingers crossed.

Okay. Have you seen much of the the stuff that goes on there? The

Absolutely. I mean the photos every year. They just it's like fans try and top themselves one year after another.

But yes, Arrow we Arrow is now continuing as well.

Yes.

And then you're gonna be on The Flash competing. Is there like a little bit of competition in the in the cast?

No, I don't think there's any competition. In fact, I think there's the exact opposite with Arrow. They're like, you know, they're like the seniors in high school, they know what they're doing, they've got it down pat. And they've just been so friendly and welcoming to us. You know, I think Stephen gave Grant some advice before he got started.

On being extremely good-looking and working out.

Probably.

Okay. I could do with some of that advice. Uh, just ask him. CW just is full of beautiful people, isn't it?

I know. It's insane.

That's a lot of pressure in itself. I couldn't I couldn't deal with it. Stay well away.

Thank goodness it's on the boys and not on me.

I think you I think it's pretty on the girls as well. Yeah. You're all doing okay.

Okay, thanks.

How is that every morning being around men like that? Um. That just have bodies like temples. Do you tend to stare?

No.

Okay. I don't. Okay. I would. Okay. I would stare. I have stared. Stephen's especially.

You know what? I I haven't seen him topless, so I wouldn't know.

Okay. That's weird that I have. This is a perfect moment to wrap this up and move on. My secret's out. Um, The Flash, though, we're all excited for it. You're excited for it. We'll be I'm sure Young Hollywood will see you at Comic-Con as well.