‘DC’s Stargirl’: Joy Osmanski Teases What’s Next for Tigress and Sportsmaster

You haven’t seen the last of DC’s Stargirl‘s delightful villains Tigress (Joy Osmanski) and Sportsmaster (Neil Hopkins) after tonight’s stand-out hour. The duo have officially joined the cast as series regulars for Season 3 — so, spoiler that they’re going to survive the events of this season, I guess. But for Osmanski, the news that she’d be suiting up on the regular wasn’t a huge shocker.

“It wasn’t a huge surprise, because the character from the beginning was treated with specificity and care,” Osmanski told Decider, before adding, “It’s still very gratifying though.”

On this week’s episode, “Summer School: Chapter Four,” the two supervillains get wind that their daughter Artemis (Stella Smith) has football tryouts, and decide their best option is to break out of prison and cheer her on. In order to sneak into the high school undetected, though, they need Pat (Luke Wilson) and Barbara’s (Amy Smart) help, leading to some hilariously awkward interactions between the two couples, one of whom recently tried to murder the other.

By episode’s end, Paula (aka Tigress) and Crusher (aka Sportsmaster) have said their goodbyes to Artemis, and are heading to break back into prison to serve out the rest of their time. But naturally, they’ll back, sooner or later. And if not in Season 2, the duo will definitely be popping up regularly in Season 3.

To find out more, we talked to Osmanski about some of the big moments in the episode, wearing athleisure instead of a supervillain suit, and a little bit about the villainous couple’s shifting status quo in Season 3.

Decider: First of all, congratulations on getting added as a series regular for Season 3… Did you have any expectations at all coming in for season one or even for season two this would become a regular gig?

Joy Osmanski: It wasn’t a huge surprise, because the character from the beginning was treated with specificity and care. As an actor, you kind of sense early on… Either that develops over time, or you know from the outset, oh, I’m expendable. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s just sometimes, depending on how you’re written, you get a sense of things. But I was always really surprised by the amount of care that was taken with Tigress and Sportsmaster, and their relationship. It’s still very gratifying though.

You and Neil Hopkings have such a fun rapport on the show, what’s it been like building that up over the course of Season 1, and now for this episode in Season 2?

I mean, we’re just so lucky. Because I remember before I met Neil, I was like, please, I just hoped to God, I get along with this guy. I get along with most people, but it’s an intimate working relationship and it’s a lot of time that goes by, and plus both of us have families, and we both had to travel a lot. I just count myself very fortunate that Neil and I have, so much in common, and we speak a lot of the same language as actors… And we’re both complete goofballs. Our senses of humor really gelled, and I think that helped immensely.

On a similar note, what’s it been like forming this familial bond with Stella Smith, as well?

Oh, she’s fantastic. Stella and I have a lot in common personally, we were both adopted. We were adopted internationally. That carries with it a certain amount of instant bond. I’ve always felt that to be the case when I’ve met other international adoptees. There’s just something that resonated very quickly and clearly between Stella and myself. I’ve been really grateful for that too, because it makes being her mother just a cinch.

Talking about Tigress in general, I imagine part of the answer to this is “acting,” but how do you balance being a menacing threat and also being a comedic character both at the same time?

One of the great parts about playing Paula and Tigress is that there’s very little self awareness in a way. I don’t think Paula spends a whole lot of time navel gazing. She’s not in therapy, she’s looking at her behavior and analyzing it. That makes for a character who is often funny because she doesn’t have a lot of the social norms that most of us try to adjust ourselves to. Most of us are pretty aware of how we should be acting in public.She tries her hardest to do that, but it’s so simply veiled, her disgust, what makes her funny is that she’s relatively unedited.

Jumping into this week’s episode. This is a very small thing, but I love your superhero/supervillain landing moment, when Paula and Crusher confronting Pat in the shop. What was it like filming that?

First of all, let me give credit where credit is due. That is the work of the wonderful Kiera O’Connor. I hop in at the end, but she’s the one who is totally amazing, bad-ass. I had no idea that that was going to be the entrance. When we were working with [director] Lea Thompson on that episode, she was like,” look how you get to come in.” I was like, “oh my God. That’s so cool.” I was just as surprised and impressed as an audience member, honestly. So that’s why it’s easy to see why people have really gravitated toward the show, and why their responses is so much fun. Because I’m responding in exactly the same way.

This time around for this episode, you’re dressed in, I assume, comfortable clothes, versus the super-villain costume. Is there one that you prefer on the show more than the other?

Well, I mean, let’s be honest as Paula, the wardrobe is pretty much like 100% athleisure and that is the most comfortable wardrobe. I think apart from wearing scrubs, it’s so comfortable. The super-suit endows you with all kinds of bad-ass characteristics, but it’s not something you lounge around in. You’re not just casually in your super-suit. It’s very much like putting on armor. It gets you into the head space, but I wouldn’t say you want to just kick your feet up and read a book while wearing it.

The sequence when Paula and Crusher hiding out at the house, with her and Barbara, just sort of feeling each other out, both as people and as mothers is so much fun. What was it like working with Amy Smart on that? And do you think there’s a level where Paula understand she previously tried to kill Barbara? Or was it just part of the job for her?

I know, Amy and I joked a lot about that! What circumstance would you allow someone into your home, when they previously were in your home and tried to murder you. Amy and I working together is another relationship that has been so easy and fun. We’re both parents. Both have young children. She’s such a lovely human being, and she and I have such a good time on set together. We have so much to talk about. The fact that this was the case puts in this built in, heightened awkwardness. I mean, it’s going to be awkward no matter what, because their techniques, their parenthood, everything about them is so opposite. It’s hard to shake the fact that I tried to kill her. So the fact that we’re trying to put on this domestic act, it makes it so funny and weird. Paula is pretty desperately uncomfortable, I think. But her act is that she covers it pretty well. I don’t think either one of them has any idea what to do.

This is definitely a suspension of disbelief thing, but why do you think nobody noticed two wanted criminals in the stands at the high school?

Oh, believe me, Neil and I were like, “this is the worst disguise ever.” I’m like, “our hoods are up, that’s it?” No, it’s absolutely a suspension of disbelief, but you know what, it’s funny… I mean my own life as proof, there are things often right in front of my nose that I don’t see. So I think because the expectation is that we would never in a million years be there, that’s our best cover. People’s expectations are that they’ll, they would never see us. We’re relatively protected. But yes, it takes the healthy dose of suspension of disbelief, for sure.

The goodbye scene with Artemis is very sweet and very sad, surprisingly. Are they really going to turn themselves in and do their time, or are they on the run now?

My understanding is that their intention is to go back. Which I also found to be absolutely hilarious. Because you would think, well, they’re out. Why would they go back? I think the ultimate goal is to be out legally in some form of another, for her sake, for Artemis’ sake. If they were to go on the lam, that would never be possible, she would be abandoned into the system in some horrific way. I think yes, the plan is to be surprisingly law abiding.

Towards the end of the episode, it certainly looks like Artemis is joining up with Cindy’s young ISA. Once her parents get wind of that, what do you think their reaction is going to be?

On the one hand, wouldn’t every parent be flattered to have their child follow in their footsteps? But on the other hand, I’ve always felt personally like Paula would have an issue with Cindy. That they would knock heads, and I have yet to see how that relationship plays out. Indeed if it ever will. But I feel like the next generation is always seen as a kind of an upstart, and I’m sure Paula would be territorial and like, “how dare you think you can just take over, she’s got high school.” I’m sure Paula and Crusher would rather groom their daughter themselves, rather than have her groomed by Cindy.

What, if anything, can you tease about how Paula and Crusher might show up as regulars in season three?

In the past two seasons they’ve been playing this dual side of themselves, and I think we’re going to get to watch them explore more of the side that they present to the public at large, just to see how they try to navigate that world. Because that’s really the challenge as Tigress and Sportsmaster, it’s like putting on an old glove. They’re so easy and so comfortable playing that role, but it’s their public selves that they both struggle with a bit. So we’ll have to see a little more of that.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

DC’s Stargirl airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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