'Stargirl' actor Yvette Monreal breaks down Wildcat in the lead-up to her costumed debut on the show
Now that Stargirl (Brec Bassinger) has seen what she's really up against, it's time for her to start recruiting people to her cause in her fight against the Injustice Society. First up on that list, appearing next episode, is the mysterious Wildcat, who is played by Yvette Monreal. In an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), she breaks down just what makes Wildcat tick and what we can expect from her in her live-action debut.
How did you come to be a part of ‘Stargirl’? What can you tell us about your role?
I auditioned for the role! I got a call back while I was in Spain shooting Rambo so I got the role off tape. So because of those circumstances, I had a skype call with Geoff Johns and Melissa Carter that went really smooth. I retaped myself out there with a Bulgarian casting director and I got the part!
I can tell you that my character is Yolanda Montez aka Wildcat. She's very athletic, great in academics, and she’s grown up in a very Catholic household and is struggling with a few social setbacks, which you will learn about in Episode 4. I can’t say much, but Yolanda carries a very hard shell on the outside. She is sweet if she lets you in (which is not an easy thing to do).
What do you think of the Wildcat costume?
My superhero suit is so special! It took months to make and is the most fantastic thing about my wardrobe! Really helps me get into character.
How did you prepare to bring Yolanda Montez’s character to life?
Once I booked the part, I did have a boxing coach to teach me the foundation of boxing. I also had about 2 weeks of training set up with the stunt team to make sure I had the basics down of how a boxer should stand, punch, and also prepped for “Wildcat” and how to move like a jaguar sense. Just to bring the animal part of her alive a little bit. I love the stunt team they're amazing at what they do!
What is Yolanda’s connection to the original Wildcat?
I can't answer that yet. But in Episode 3 you do see that Wildcat was Ted Grant, also a boxer. It will go into detail in later episodes!
What do you think sets this new, younger JSA apart from other teen super-teams out there?
The cool thing is that we are all teens! A lot of other shows focus solely on the superhero part, but in this show, you REALLY get to see how we are all trying to balance school, peer pressure, home life, while also becoming these newfound superheroes. It’s really fun and the cinematography is out of this world!
If you like superhero shows, this is the show to watch. Give the pilot a shot, it’s beautifully done!
What makes Yolanda want to be a superhero? What is she fighting for?
Again, I can't say much but she has this internal conflict of finding her voice again. You see in episodes 1-3 that she rather avoid confrontation than address it. She WANTS to be a fly on the wall. So, when Wildcat comes into her life, it's life-changing. It’s beautiful because I see it being so relatable. She’s fighting not only for her voice to be heard but also justice and her family within the JSA.
Can you tell us about your time on set? What new experiences did you have working on ‘Stargirl’?
Being on wires for the first time! that was really fun. We practiced me jumping down from a building, so we used wires to bring me up and down. That was so fun, it tickled my stomach so much! I had so much fun working on Stargirl and hoping to do it again! It was work though, and a lot of 14-16 hour days. However, being around the loving and caring cast and crew made it all worth it!
Do you have a favorite JSA character? Are there any other JSA legacies you would like to see join the team?
My favorite would have to be Stargirl because she is so unapologetically herself and she brings this team together! She is the heart of the show and the reason for our being. She's definitely my favorite. Do you know what would be amazing? If Gal Gadot popped up randomly to show us the ropes a few times, that would be extremely epic! Wonder Woman’s appearance, I would vote YES!
Are there any other projects you’re working on that you’d like to talk about?
Right now I’m just hanging tight with quarantine still in place. Enjoying my time at home and trying to stay creative. I’ve been taking singing classes lately so that’s been a great new challenge!
You can catch Yolanda Montez's first appearance as Wildcat this week as 'Stargirl' airs on June 8 on DC Universe and on June 9 on The CW.