There were tights, flights and all kinds of fights when Supergirl soared into National City on Monday after keeping her identity and her super powers a secret for the 12 years she has been on planet Earth.

    “In my everyday life, I’ve always been such a pacifist,” says Melissa Benoist, 27, who plays Kara Danvers, aka Supergirl, in the new TV series “Supergirl” that premiered on Monday night in the United States.

    “I grew up in a household full of women, and if you hit someone, it was a huge deal, even just a slap. The butt kicking is new. That’s a new muscle I’m flexing, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I liked it.”

    Benoist admits she wasn’t a big comic book reader growing up, but she did enjoy sci-fi movies, including “Star Wars.” Since being cast, she has read lots of DC’s “Supergirl” series.

    Benoist, who earlier this year married her “Glee” co-star Blake Jenner, has discovered that it’s a long way from belting out a tune to taking down the bad guys. The physical challenges of “Supergirl” were initially daunting.

    “I’ve had to train quite a bit,” she said. “I’ve been training since the pilot and before. It’s challenging. It’s tiring. It’s a good thing, though. She’s got to be really, really tough and strong to show girls and anyone that you can overcome the things that you’re afraid of.”

    Being in shape is also essential when it comes to wiggling into her costume, which, while covering her, is still close-fitting with lots of leg.

    “I love that I grew up as a dancer so it feels like a leotard, a skirt and tights that I wore when I was a ballerina,” she says. “What is impractical and sometimes painful is my costume has a corset. My cape is a corset, so sometimes when I’m on the wire that is constricting. Even so, I think I’m very lucky in terms of my suit, I know a lot of people have masks that sweat and don’t breathe at all.”

    “Supergirl” will also delve into Kara’s life when she is out of costume and wearing dresses, so she will have a personal life.

    “[The producers tell me], ‘Take away the fact that she fights aliens, what would this girl be like? What would her life look like?’ We’re definitely going to discover that.”(SD-Agencies)