Supergirl's Azie Tesfai cried a lot filming that game-changing scene

Supergirl spoilers for 'Blind Spots' follow.

Supergirl star Azie Tesfai has opened up about filming a game-changing scene for this week's episode 'Blind Spots', admitting things got quite emotional on set.

The episode, which was co-written by the Kelly Olsen actress, tackled important conversations about blind spots when it comes to race, showing how the rest of the team haven't really been listening to Kelly's concerns.

Among them is her girlfriend Alex Danvers (Chyler Leigh), though the end of the episode saw the pair have a powerful conversation when Alex asked how she can better support Kelly as the latter asks for time and space to unpack events.

Related: Supergirl's Azie Tesfai on Guardian's "emotional" debut and that "uncomfortable" final scene

Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, Tesfai spoke on the importance of ending the episode on that particular note.

"It couldn't feel like we solved everything," she explained. "Which is... it's the superhero format. You have an issue. You have the fight scene. You have the reflection – and then it's fixed. For this, it couldn't feel like that, because that's not realistic at all.

"That final scene, I will say, from the first draft, it really didn't change. I sent it to a friend of mine who is in an interracial relationship, and he is a writer.

Related: Supergirl series finale will bring back original cast member

"He and his partner both read it, and they were like, 'This feels very real and accurate,' and just kind of watching them go through the movement, and their experience – it's uncomfortable. And they're such an ideal couple, both of them.

"And Chyler [Leigh] was so great in understanding that. Her and I, personally as friends, had had so many conversations during the summer, and during the year. So it reflected our personal experiences, how you can love somebody and care about them so much, and you'll never fully understand their lived experience."

Tesfai admitted filming the scene was "emotional", recalling: "We cried a lot filming that scene, both of us, a lot. We did one master take, and we were very emotional. Poor [director] David Ramsey was like, 'You guys, we have to do this 20 more times.' But every single time, it felt that way.

"I just wanted to ground it in the reality of: 'This is real life. Yes, this is a superhero show, and everything is heightened, and there's all this fun stuff that happens, and we can fly, and beat the villain. But at the end of the day, this is real life.'

"I really didn't want to end on a note that felt like there was some sort of solution to resolve. It's truly an ongoing conversation."

Supergirl airs on Sundays at 9/8c on The CW in the US. Sky One and NOW air the show in the UK.

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Sam Warner

Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International.  Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.

David Opie

After teaching in England and South Korea, David turned to writing in Germany, where he covered everything from superhero movies to the Berlin Film Festival. 

In 2019, David moved to London to join Digital Spy, where he could indulge his love of comics, horror and LGBTQ+ storytelling as Deputy TV Editor, and later, as Acting TV Editor.

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As a freelance entertainment journalist, David has bylines across a range of publications including Empire Online, Radio Times, INTO, Highsnobiety, Den of Geek, The Digital Fix and Sight & Sound. 

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