Celebrity Nooz: Helen Slater

Helen Slater (Actress) - Supergirl

Updated: 3/23/21

Name: Helen Slater

Birth Name: Helen Rachel Slater

Born: December 15, 1963 in Massapequa, Long Island, New York, USA

Claim To Fame: Helen Slater is an American actress, singer and songwriter, best known for playing Superman's cousin Kara Zor-El in the 1984 superhero film Supergirl.

Family Life: Slater married award-winning editor Robert Watzke in 1990, and the two have a daughter, Hannah Nika, who was born in 1995.

Info: Her parents, Alice Joan, a lawyer and nuclear disarmament peace activist based in New York City, and Gerald Slater, a television executive, divorced in 1974.

Slater attended Great Neck South High School and then transferred to the High School of Performing Arts from which she graduated in 1982.

In 1987, Slater co-founded the New York theater group, The Naked Angels, with Gina Gershon.

In 1991, she also co-founded, with her husband, Robert Watzke, the L.A. based theater group The Bubalaires.

Was a member of the Actor's Movement Studio.

Best friend is Helen Hunt.

Trivia: Despite common misconception, she is not related to actor Christian Slater, who played her brother in The Legend of Billie Jean.

Served as a spokeswoman for Preference by L'Oreal in both television and print ads.

Was the first girl to audition for Supergirl (1984). The producers thought she was the strongest of all who auditioned, and after months of callbacks and screen tests, she was cast.

Gained over twenty pounds for the role in Supergirl (1984).

Attended the premiere of Supergirl (1984) with Superman (1978) star Christopher Reeve.

She's naturally a brunette. After dying it once for Supergirl (1984), she kept it blonde for her future roles until she became a spokeswoman for Preference by L'Oreal.

Ranked # 70 on VH1's "!00 Greatest Teen Stars".

Tested successfully for a role in The Slugger's Wife (1985) but was forced to drop the part due to contractual details.

In addition to her piano skills, she is also a classically trained singer. Slater pursued a musical career and released three albums. She also sang a medley of Broadway songs as well other songs in the 1989 movie Happy Together, and also sang in the 1994 movie Lassie.

Appeared in two off-Broadway plays: "Almost Romance" and "Responsible Parties". She also starred in "The Big Deal" at the Pasadena Playhouse.

In 2010, Slater wrote a Supergirl story titled "A Hero's Journey" which appeared in the fiftieth issue of the fifth volume of the Supergirl comic book.

She played Superman's cousin Kara Zor-El / Supergirl / Linda Lee in Supergirl (1984), Superman's mother Lara Lor-Van in Smallville (2001), and Supergirl's foster mother Eliza Danvers in Supergirl (2015).

Where Are They Now: Slater has had a recurring role as Eliza Danvers on the hit CW series Supergirl. It has been announced that she's cast in the comedy film The Hard Way which will hopefully go into production soon.

View other 'Where Are They Now' celebrities

Read the latest issue of Celebrity Nooz

Subscribe!