SUPERGIRL Casts Calista Flockhart as Cat Grant

Presumably, she's not just a cat, but a cougar as well.

The Hollywood Reporter has word that the upcoming CBS series Supergirl has cast Calista Flockhart as DC Comics character Catherine "Cat" Grant.  Flockhart joins Melissa Benoist as Kara Zor-El/Kara Danvers, Mehcad Brooks as Jimmy Olsen, and Laura Benanti as Supergirl's mother Alura Zor-El.

Cat Grant is described in the article as "the self-made media magnate and founder of CatCo. Cat started her career as a reporter and has built her company into a global powerhouse. Kara works as Cat Grant's assistant."

Greg Berlanti (executive producer of Arrow and The Flash) and Ali Adler wrote the script for the pilot and will executive produce the drama series through Berlanti Productions' Warner Bros. Television-based banner.  Berlanti Productions' head Sarah Schechter will also executive produce.

Flockhart, 50, is best known for her title role on the Fox series Ally McBeal and for playing Kitty Walker McCalister on the ABC series Brothers & Sisters.  In addition, Flockhart has appeared in the films Quiz Show, The Birdcage and the 1999 version of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Created in 1987 by Marv Wolfman and Jerry Ordway, Catherine "Cat" Grant first appeared in Adventures of Superman #424 as a gossip columnist for The Daily Planet.  Newly divorced and a recovering alcoholic, Cat was a single mother who came to Metropolis with her son Adam to get a fresh start.  Cat became instantly attracted to Clark Kent, becoming romantically involved with him for a while until Clark realized his true feelings for Lois Lane, whom he eventually married.

In the current New 52 continuity, Cat left The Daily Planet with Clark to form an independent news blog Clarkcatropolis.com until Clark eventually returned to the Planet as a reporter.

Flockhart will be the third actress to portray the character in live action, after Tracy Scoggins on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and Keri Lynn Pratt on the series Smallville.  Cat also appeared on the animated series Young Justice, voiced by Masasa Moyo.

Supergirl is expected to debut on CBS sometime in fall 2015.