Azie Tesfai: You're a Superhero

Azie made history as the first Ethiopian and Eritrean person to portray a superhero on television as Kelly Olsen/Guardian on The CW’s Supergirl. Now, she’s bringing that experience to DC’s youngest readers with an empowering early-reader graphic novel for ages 5–7 that introduces Mariam, a six-year-old Ethiopian girl discovering that superheroes aren’t only the iconic characters she admires, they’re also the everyday people in her community, her mother and, ultimately, herself. The story brings Mariam into the world of Superman, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Batman and The Flash, while introducing Ethiopian culture and representation into the DC universe in a very personal way. Mariam was inspired in part by childhood photos of Azie herself, who grew up rarely seeing girls who looked like her represented as heroes. Azie’s journey with DC is especially unique: after making history onscreen as Guardian, she went behind the camera to co-write “Blind Spots,” the episode in which Kelly officially becomes Guardian. With You’re a Superhero!, she is now taking that work to an entirely new generation and helping children recognize that the qualities they admire in superheroes can already exist within themselves. Azie Tesfai is an actor, writer, and producer best known for her role as Kelly Olsen/Guardian on The CW’s SUPERGIRL, where she became the first Ethiopian and Eritrean actor to portray a DC superhero. Her credits also include the Golden Globe-nominated JANE THE VIRGIN, MATLOCK, and BEL-AIR. During the final season of SUPERGIRL, Tesfai expanded her work behind the camera, co-writing an episode of the series. She has since sold two original scripted projects, THE CHASE to Universal Television for NBC and ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN to Amazon. She is also developing several projects across scripted and unscripted television, including the scripted series SHEBA, and is the author of the upcoming DC Comics children’s book You’re a Superhero!