[Published at Film Inquiry] In 2018, Nicole Maines made history by being cast as Dreamer in CW’s Supergirl, the first transgender superhero in television history. A lifelong trans activist, role model to men, women, boys, and girls alike, and fiercely talented actor, the renaissance woman has accomplished more in her 21 years than most do in their entire lives. And she’s just getting started. Before being cast in Supergirl, Maines landed a role in her first feature, Bit, a queer, feminist, vampire horror comedy that serves as a miniature anthem for our troubled sociopolitical times.

Bit follows Laurel (Maines), a transgender teenage girl who embarks on a summer vacation to LA, only to find herself running with a group of four queer women vampires who target predatory men. While getting to know her new crew, Laurel carves a path to self-discovery and adulthood for herself.

At Frameline43, the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, the world’s largest and longest-running LGBTQ+ film festival, I had a chance to speak with Maines about the making of Bit, what intrigued her about the script, writer and director Brad Michael Elmore‘s singular vision, their partnership, trans representation in TV and film, season 5 of Supergirl, and more.

Alex Arabian for Film Inquiry: How did it feel to be playing the anti-hero instead of the superhero?

Nicole Maines: It was really fun. It was weird because I did Bit before I did Supergirl. It wasn’t a change because I hadn’t gotten to be a hero yet. It was the first kind of role that I had ever gotten to do that, and so, getting to be drenched in blood very often was exciting and fun.

I bet. And Bit represents the allure and intoxicating promise of LA and expectations versus reality. It’s also a blood-soaked response to the #MeToo and #TimesUp Movements and toxic masculinity. What intrigued you about Brad’s layered script?

Nicole Maines: First and foremost, while it is doing all of those things, and while it is talking about something relevant and it’s doing it in a way that hasn’t quite yet been approached, before all of that, I was really drawn into it just because of how fun the script is and how fun the movie is. It’s refreshing to be able to talk about those issues while dressing them up as a glamorous vampire horror comedy. And so, it was so intriguing to me because it felt like it was talking about these issues in a way that didn’t make it feel like homework. It felt accessible to a wider audience because it doesn’t feel ever in the film like it’s, at least to me, really cramming anything down anybody’s throats. And while Duke, of course, is absolutely outright, “Men can’t handle power,” It’s still digestible just because it’s a fun vampire movie.

It makes that all an easier pill to swallow because it’s really hard to really think about the world we live in sometimes because it just seems so freaking bonkers. So, I was so intrigued just because of how fucking fun the movie is.

It’s an absolute blast. And I loved the ’80s phantasmagoric vision. Did Brad the cast in on his vision, or did you wait until the final product to view what he had created?

Nicole Maines: Oh, no. From the jump, Brad was very transparent about kind of everything he wanted to do with the movie, and we were all super on board with it. I mean, we’d all seen The Lost Boys, and so we all knew why we were there, what we were doing. We were just thrilled with how it came out. And then, of course, it was even written in the prescription. You’ve got this montage dance sequence set to Rasputin [laughter]. Now, imagining that is one thing, but then when the whole movie’s put together, and we just saw it with all the synthesizers and the color correction, it was just something entirely different. I know I felt like it was just special and amazing to see that all come together. I can’t even imagine how Brad feels.

Speaking of montages, there’s this one montage during which Elton John’s “All The Girls Love Alice” plays over Duke’s origin story. It’s one of my all-time favorite songs. I’d always wanted to put it in a movie if I had ever made a film, but thankfully Brad beat me to it and definitely did a better job than I ever could. It shows how much talent he has for visual flair.

Nicole Maines: He’s so freaking talented. He’s so smart and fantastic. And he’s just one of those guys who can just delve into any topic and really just explore it inside and out. He’s one of those people who can talk for an hour because he’s just interesting and has unique perspectives and is smart. And that’s why he’s such a successful writer. He throws 100% of himself into everything that he does. And so, especially with Bit, he poured his whole heart into it. And he’s so smart. The soundtrack alone is just such a freaking banger. So, getting to work with Brad is a freaking absolute pleasure, and so, now he’s stuck with me.

So, it goes without saying you’d collaborate with him again for sure?

Nicole Maines: Absolutely.

One thing I noticed is that the vampire hunters are all predominantly white, poorly educated, heavily armed, and surrounded by subtly patriotic decor such as Uncle Sam posters. Is it safe to say that they represent the extremist, alt-right hate groups in this allegorical world that Brad’s created

Nicole Maines: Absolutely. It is incredibly safe to say that. You could say that, surrounded by police tape and bulletproof vests, it’s that safe. It was very intentional. And especially with this character of Duke, she is the Heath Ledger of this movie, first and foremost, because Diana [Hopper]’s amazing. But the character of Duke is someone who’s anti-authoritarian. She’s the type of character who’s always like the Joker. And I can’t say it as well as Brad says it, but she’s always been highjacked by the Twitter trolls and the sexist trolls being like, “Oh, this character’s ours. I identify with him.” Very kind of like how they stole Rick Sanchez from all of us. But with Duke, he really wanted to make someone that they could not high jack and they could not steal because she was so, at her core, against them. And so, with this movie, he really wanted to have the antagonists of this movie – because Duke’s not the antagonist – Vlad is the larger antagonist, but he is also just one part of these girls are fighting against patriarchy and fighting against, like you said, toxic masculinity. It was very, very intentional to do that. And should we be blessed enough to do a sequel, I know Brad would want to just keep running with that.

Let’s hope there is one for sure.

Nicole Maines: We’re all talking about it. We’re all like, “Someone pay us.”

When did you first get the acting bug?

Nicole Maines: My thing was I always liked playing dress-up. That was something that felt safe for me. That was something where I got to wear stuff that I identified in and felt comfortable with. And so, when I was in middle school, I started acting, because I was just kind of like, “Dress up.” I loved it then. And just as I continued to grow up, I was always watching behind-the-scenes footage of actors on set having a good time. I’d watch their interviews at Comic-Con and see how well the cast got on. I was like, “How fun must that be to be with people you like, playing dress-up all day, and getting to tell awesome stories?” And of course, my next thought was, “I’m from Maine. No one’s from Maine. The industry is on the clear other side of the country. There’s no way I’m going to do this.”

And so, when I was a senior in high school, I was lucky enough to get cast in a guest role on Royal Pains, which was super fun and amazing. And up until that point, I’d only done theater. And just being on Royal Pains, everyone was so amazing. Especially Mark Feuerstein. He was an amazing first [person] to get to work with because he’s so nice and so talented that it really reignited the passion that I had. I was like, “This is so cool and so unlike anything I’d ever done before. Can I do this for the rest of my life, please?”

And so, naturally I didn’t work for four years. I hadn’t graduated. I just finished my third year of college. I was studying art and women and gender studies at the University of Maine. And I’d been doing self-tapes just with my roommates, with my dad, with anyone whose afternoon I could steal. I got the audition for Bit, and so I did it. Brad liked it. We talked on the phone a couple of times. He told me more about this character and more about what he wanted to do with the movie. And just continually, I was like, “Yes, yes, yes. This is amazing.” And I was out to dinner with my mom and my brother. I took them out for Mother’s Day dinner. And at dinner, I got a text from Brad. He told me that I got the part. Then that turned into a celebration dinner. So, Brad‘s really the one who kind of set me on the path to even get to be on Supergirl because I auditioned for it, I got the callback, and went in the room and met with Robert Rovner and Jessica Queller while I was out in Los Angeles.

I’m so thankful to Brad and to Bit because it really put me where I needed to be to go on this path. I’ve made such amazing friends in Char [Diaz], in Diana, in Zolee [Griggs], in Friday [Chamberlain], in James [Paxton], and Brad, in the sound designer Will [Denton], in Petey. And all of them are just so good, and I feel so close to all of them. And that’s the hard part about being in Vancouver, is I see them all hanging out and I’m like, “I miss you. I’m in Canada, and I miss you [laughter].”

As painful as it is to see your Bit family in LA, I’m sure it’s nice to be reunited with your Supergirl family?

Nicole Maines: Yeah. I’ve made amazing friends. We’ve already hung out a couple of times since being back. I know we have plans to do– what are we doing? We’re going to dinner at some point this week, and Katie [McGrath] said something about Pilates, but she will have to drag me kicking and screaming [laughter].

You’re currently in Vancouver filming season five of Supergirl?

Nicole Maines: Mm-hmm. Yeah. It’s just started filming season five.

Awesome. Are you allowed to share any plot info and what may be in store for Dreamer?

Nicole Maines: Oh, man. I’m looking around. I’m like, “Are there any red dots on my forehead?” Let’s see. What can I share? We’re definitely going to see more development in her relationship with Brainiac 5…is what I feel like I can safely say, but anything more than that I think I would be dispatched [laughter].

Fair Enough. You mentioned one thing about viewing at all this behind-the-scenes footage and watching actors having a great time. I was writing a piece about Supergirl a few months back, and I was looking at one of the Kevin Smith episodes on IMDb, and the behind-the-scene pictures were of him and the cast and all you guys just cracking up. It just looked like you guys were having such a good time. I remember listening to one of his stand-ups, and he was saying how fun he has every time he directs one of those episodes. So, what’s it like working with Kevin Smith as a director? Is it even work?

Nicole Maines: Kevin is amazing. He’s funny, first and foremost. He’s just freaking hilarious. And the cast was already so funny and upbeat, and so then you have us being led by Kevin Smith. And you think we won’t get anything done, but he’s also just such a talented director because he knows exactly what he wants and he knows exactly when he’s got the shot that he needs. And so, you’re not just kind of standing there, reshooting something eight times. If the actor likes it, he likes it. He’s like, “Let’s move on. We don’t need to keep going.” So, we would get out early also, which was great. And working with him is just a freaking blast.

How important is it for trans people to play specifically transgender characters in film and television?

Nicole Maines: I think that it’s important for trans people to be playing trans characters because it sends a message off-screen. It says that we are not men in dresses, which is historically what we have seen on television in representations of trans people. We’ve seen cis men in dresses or in drag playing women. And so, that’s where I feel like people might get that idea that, “Oh, that’s what trans people are.” That’s where that whole bathroom argument comes from. It’s important to have trans people playing trans characters because then those gears are turning off-screen in the audience’s heads, being like, “Oh, this is what a trans person, or this is what transgender actually looks like.” But I think it’s also important to mention that trans people shouldn’t just be limited to playing trans characters because there aren’t that many trans characters being written, which is a whole other issue. I’s important for trans characters to also be able to play just cis characters because trans women are women and should be allowed to play women. Vice versa for trans men.

That’s a great point. And outside of Supergirl and a possible Bit sequel, are there any projects in the future that you have lined up?

Nicole Maines: I don’t know. I’d have to ask Brad what he’s writing. My plate’s kind of full right now. I’m married to Vancouver for the next 10 months.

Wow. You only get really two months off and then it’s back to filming again?

Nicole Maines: Well, the few months is longer than it sounds. But by the end of hiatus, I was like, “Let’s get back! I’m ready to work!” There’s a certain amount of antsiness that comes with being an actor who’s not working. You’re like, “I know I’m going back in June, but I’m also kind of like [laughter], “I haven’t worked in a month and a half.”

Film Inquiry would like to thank Nicole Maines for her time and insight.

Bit screened at Frameline43 on June 22, 2019.

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