Inde Navarrette has burst into the spotlight starring as Sarah Cushing on The CW’s latest Arrowverse series of Superman & Lois. This show is a return to Smallville, Kansas that we have not seen consistently in over a decade. Navarrete’s character is the daughter of Clark Kent’s (Tyler Hoechlin) high school girlfriend and childhood best friend in Lana Lang (Emmanuelle Chriqui). However, Sarah Cushing is so much more than that and a good chunk of this praise is, and all because of the amazing Inde Navarrette.
Thanks to this California native being ever so kind, I was able to ask her some questions about the Arrowverse, her experience with playing a small-town girl, and a little tease and what to expect from her character in the upcoming second season.
COLIN GAUGHAN: With comic book shows like this, some fans expect the actors on the show to know the deeper canon and lore of the comics their show is adapting and I saw in an interview that you did not grow up like comic books. Did you have any help in prep for your role of Sarah Cushing or being in a DC Comics TV show?
INDE NAVARRETTE: During prep for the first season, Todd Helbing was my go-to guy for anything having to do with Sarah. We talked about where we wanted her to go, where she was coming from, her motivations, and how much her environment affects her. Since Sarah is an original character, I had a lot of fun and freedom to create her myself. Children often take on characteristics of their parents (whether they want to or not) so I read about Lana and what kind of person she is. But mostly Todd and I are having fun piecing her together. It’s a fun jigsaw puzzle.
Colin: How familiar were you with the large and ever-expanding world that is the “Arrowverse”?
Inde: Secretly, I watched The Flash and Arrow in middle school. Only saying secretly because I know I’m going to meet them someday and I need to be professional.
Colin: Two of your episodes’ directors have been Tom Cavanaugh and David Ramsey. Since they are both experienced actors in the Arrowverse TV shows, were they able to add any extra flair to their episodes that a regular director would have given?
Inde: Both David and Tom had a flair that I have only experienced with directors who were previously in front of the camera. So it was no surprise that their episodes were beautiful to watch.
Colin: In the 8th episode, you perform the song “Little Light” for Smallville High’s singing competition. I have heard a lot of stories of showrunners asking their cast to sing for the show, so what was your experience like? Did you offer your amazing talents before they asked? Were you nervous at all for that episode and scene airing?
INDE: I’ve never sung in front of people before so when I read the episode I didn’t know what to feel. At first, I was angry because I was nervous and then I got excited to do it, so I finally just decided that I was just going to do it. Why not? I mean it’s not like millions of people are going to watch it… Alex [Garfin] is a talented pianist, so there have been many times when we’ve sung together or I’ve just listened to him play. So, when Todd [Helbing] asked us if we had any secret talents to put in the show I wasn’t surprised when I learned Alex volunteered that information. It was a terrifying experience but as Miley Cyrus once said, “It’s the Climb”.
COLIN: Since you did grow up in California and in the LA area, did you have any issues playing a character from a small mid-western town?
INDE: Not in the slightest. Well….yeah, no. Because of Visalia, where I grew up for the first 15 years of life, it was easy to slip back into a small, agriculture mindset. Where everyone knows everyone and it smells like manure everywhere you drive and you see people you really don’t like at the only mall in town. It felt like home right off the bat.
COLIN: When on the set of Superman & Lois since there was an age divide with the cast, what was the on-set environment like? Did you all stay close to cast members around the same age or was it more blended?
Shot by Alyssa Yung.
INDE: It’s interesting because everyone’s at different points of life, so there are endless amounts of things to learn about each other. It’s only been one season but I’d say I am lucky to have the cast we have.
COLIN: I have enjoyed the beautiful focus that this show has put on mental health from all of their characters. The biggest example of this for me is Sarah’s depression and dark past. Were there any difficulties talking about those heavy subjects, even as an actor?
INDE: Thank the universe that the directors I worked with during those episodes were kind and aware of how sensitive life’s traumas can be. Because of that, it wasn’t hard to explore that side of Sarah. If anything it was freeing. It’s the moments when that isn’t created that are difficult in order to be playing a person who is vulnerable or just as a person in general.
COLIN: Now that the season is over, and Jordan and Sarah have admitted their love for one another (aww), can you give us any tease on what we should expect for Season 2?
INDE: I’d say . . . Hmm . . . I’d say . . . Young love is bitter-sweet.
Watch Season 1 of Superman & Lois now streaming on The CWTV
