Whether pummeling her way to planetary peace on Supergirl, or rocking out on Broadway as the young Carole King, Melissa Benoist is a multi-hyphenate force.

Director of Photography Christopher Ross captured The CW star, aka Kara Danvers/ Kara Zor-El—for the July-August 2018 issue of Watch —and the results are out of this world! See this kick-ass cover girl slay in these striking photos—including web-exclusive bonus images—plus learn fun facts and interview tidbits about Melissa Benoist.

The final season of Supergirl returns Tuesday, August 24, on The CW. Watch free next day on CWTV.com and The CW app.

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Star bright

Fun fact: Before landing in Supergirl, Benoist starred as Glee's singing and dancing Marley Rose.

Character study

"What I find the most interesting about playing Kryptonians is that they're so squeaky clean. Be it Clark Kent or Kara Danvers, they're so all-American that sometimes you want their moral compass to stray a bit, for them to have a dilemma." — Melissa Benoist

Carrying the torch

As Benoist's character Kara Zor-El's badass side edges further to the fore, comparisons are being made to Lynda Carter's iconic Wonder Woman.

Sporting chance

Kara's hyper-athleticism, confesses Benoist, is not a talent she herself can claim: "I still can't even catch a ball to save my life."

Word nerd

Fun fact: Benoist is a fan of The New York Times Crossword. "Monday's the easiest one," she encouragingly informs our writer.

Song bird

During this summer's filming hiatus, Benoist is doing a two-month stint on Broadway, starring as the young Carole King in the hit musical Beautiful.

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Practice makes perfect

Benoist says that David Harewood, Supergirl's Hank Henshaw, inspires her on many levels—and cites his turn as Othello at London's Royal National Theater as a testament to his stellar acting skills.

The world's a stage

In Kara Zor-El's complicated relationship with love interest Mon-El (Chris Wood), Benoist also finds Shakespearean echoes. Mon-El is from Daxam, "which I guess you could relate to Romeo and Juliet's Montagues," says Benoist, "and she was a Capulet, on Krypton."

Bright lights, big city

Benoist grew up in Littleton, Colorado, and moved to New York to attend Marymount Manhattan College, where she majored in theater arts. Soon after graduating from college in 2011, with a few onstage gigs under her belt, Benoist auditioned for her fate-changing role in Glee.

Strange magic

Exposure to New York's grittiness, says Benoist, was a revelation: "Just because you might not be happy doesn't mean you're not inspired or fulfilled or stimulated."

Welcome to Canada

Fun fact: Supergirl films in Vancouver, British Columbia—a city Benoist has come to love.

Role calling

Feeling a responsibility to the young women who watch the show, Benoist explains that while Supergirl's scripts pass through many hands, she too has a say in her character's behavior.

Aspiring to inspire

"We all, especially the women on the show, feel really special to be a part of it, and every day we have conversations about what we're saying to young girls, and what we're teaching them." — Melissa Benoist

The final season of Supergirl returns Tuesday, August 24, on The CW. Watch free next day on CWTV.com and The CW app.

SUBSCRIBE NOW: Enjoy 4 Digital Plus 2 Print/Digital Issues Of Watch Per Year — For Free!