A new episode of Superman & Lois airs tonight (August 10) on The CW. Titled “The Eradicator,” this episode promises danger for the entire cast of characters, and one of those dangers is Leslie Larr as played by Stacey Farber. Originally presented just as someone who works with Morgan Edge, we saw that there was a lot more to Larr — and with tonight’s episode, she’s going to be performing even more Super-feats.
Interestingly, when Stacey first booked the role of Leslie Larr, not a lot of her backstory was revealed — but she was given two very different types of scenes to play. We spoke with Stacey Farber in an exclusive KryptonSite interview about her experience on the show which you can read below.
“They wanted to see that an actor could play both sides,” she recalls. “That they can play a scary, evil, threatening villain person, and also play an ordinary, sweet, naive, malleable, impressionable person. Interestingly, her character in the auditions was played as a brilliant scientist and researcher who wanted to change the world, who could be corrupted by someone like Morgan Edge when he comes to town.
Finding out about Leslie Larr’s abilities and powers was something that came through a Zoom meeting with showrunner Todd Helbing. “He explained to me that she would be a meta human with a Kryptonian consciousness, and that eventually they planned for her to fly and have heat vision. I was very excited about it,” she shares.
While Stacey Farber has an impressive resume that includes Degrassi: The Next Generation, Saving Hope, Diggstown, Cult, Schitt’s Creek and Virgin River, this was her first time working with a green screen, which is something we’ll see the final effects of with tonight’s show “The Eradicator.” While it wasn’t quite “performing opposite a piece of white tape on a pole,” Stacey recalls one of the most memorable VFX sequences as being the end of a recent episode where Leslie Larr and Morgan Edge (Adam Rayner) are looking back at Tal-Rho’s Fortress. “We looked out at this incredible expanse, and that was [really] not there,” she remembers. “We were actually standing in a big sand pit, and everything in front of us was green [screens].”
In an earlier episode of Superman & Lois Season 1, it was revealed that Leslie Larr was actually once a Smallville resident named Irma Sayers. “I was shocked when they referenced that name. I was like – I’m IRMA?” Farber recalls, adding that it was fun because the art department had to get a childhood photo from her mother. “Irma’s long gone,” she explains, offering the possibility that maybe that past is something that could someday be explored. “As far as I was playing it, she is a new woman on a mission, and Irma is left behind. Although I wonder, what happened to all of the people that surrounded Irma? Where did they go? I wonder if they look at Leslie weirdly, like, ‘hey! That’s not Leslie’!”
A good point, considering Irma Sayers surely would have family in town, recognizing Leslie Larr’s familiar face…
Filming a TV series during a pandemic was a challenge, but Stacey says that the S&L cast and crew was “a great group.” Fortunately, as a Canadian, she was able to visit family more than others. She also had an unexpected surprise of an old friend also being in the cast!
“I had known Sofia Hasmik for years,” Stacey reveals about the actress who plays Chrissy Beppo. “It’s so random… she wrote me on Instagram and was like ‘I saw you’re in Vancouver! Are you still going to be there? I booked a job in Vancouver!’ and I told her I also booked a job in Vancouver,” she remembers. Ultimately, they realized they were both booked on the same show, and they were able to hang out during filming.
The experience itself seems to have been a fantastic one for Stacey, who also is greatly enjoying watching episodes on The CW app. “I was just so blown away,” she says of the rewatch. “I know these people personally now, so that adds a layer of fun to watching the show, but I can’t get over how talented everyone is. There’s totally a chance in superhero movies and shows that these things can come across as flat or archetypal, but each person brings something so good – I can’t put my finger on it, but I think maybe it’s chemistry. Bitsie and Tyler have amazing chemistry as Lois and Clark, and that’s not always the case when you pair two strangers together and say ‘pretend you’re in love.’ Also, [the show looks like a movie. I can’t get over it.”
What will she always remember about this experience?
“I’ll never forget any of it. It’s pretty special to be wearing a custom-made super suit,” she recalls, but also, she will never forget how it felt to play a character who was fighting Superman. “It felt bigger than being two actors on set. I was nervous to do it, to try and take down Superman,” she says.
As for what is coming next for Stacey Farber, she is auditioning, and she would love to be in a new series. Her dream job, however, is that of a multi-camera sitcom. In 2015, she was the lead in an NBC sitcom that didn’t get picked up, but she’d love to do that, to be able to work in front of a live studio audience.
And for longtime fans of Stacey’s career, who rightfully were fans of her character “Ellie Nash” on Degrassi, might we ever see Ellie again?
“There was reunion thing years ago, but I didn’t feel like it was right for me to go back to it,” she recalls. “I’m very defensive of her. If she were to come back, I’d want it to be great, and I’d want it to be worth it.”
“I’m really proud of that show, and it was a big part of my childhood, and it continues to be a big part of my life. I’m reminded of it pretty much every day. But I want to do other things,” she continues.
You can see a trailer for “The Eradicator” below; a gallery of promotional photos can be found here. The episode airs at 9PM ET/PT August 10 on The CW. Our thanks to Stacey Farber for taking the time to speak with us!