Conservative actor Dean Cain is facing criticism from fans after laughing at a meme comparing Supergirl actress Milly Alcock to an ape-like character. The incident has reignited discussions about celebrity behaviour, online trolling, and the scrutiny faced by women in blockbuster franchises. The upcoming Supergirl film is also projected to underperform at the box office.
Dean Cain, the 59-year-old actor best known for his 1990s portrayal of Superman, is currently facing a wave of backlash from fans and critics across social media platforms.
The controversy stems from his apparent endorsement of a derogatory meme targeting Milly Alcock, the 26-year-old Australian actress cast as the lead in the upcoming DC Universe film Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. The meme in question compared Alcock's appearance to that of Cha-ka, a primitive, ape-like human character from the 1974 television series Land of the Lost.
This unflattering comparison was initially made by an internet troll on the platform X, who directly asked Cain, 'And why does she look like this guy?
' Cain's response, 'Dang it... I laughed,' accompanied by a smiling emoji, was widely interpreted as him mocking Alcock's looks. This simple reaction quickly went viral, drawing sharp condemnation from a significant segment of the superhero fan community and beyond. One particularly scathing reply to Cain's post stated, 'What a fantastic way to kill your legacy, @RealDeanCain.
And what a glorious way to lose the respect of millions of kids that looked up to you three decades ago. What a disgrace.
' Another critic added, 'Your Superman performance is never going to be looked back upon fondly, your bitter jealousy has tainted any legacy you had left. ' These responses highlight how the incident has become about more than a single meme; it has tapped into broader sentiments about legacy, celebrity influence, and the perceived bitterness of an actor whose most famous role remains decades behind him.
In the face of the mounting criticism, Cain eventually attempted a partial clarification, stating he 'never said she was ugly,' though his overall demeanor suggested he remained largely unbothered by the controversy. The Daily Mail has reported that it has reached out to both Cain and Alcock for comment, though neither has provided a substantive public statement on the matter at this time.
This incident is particularly poignant given Alcock's own recent reflections on the intense scrutiny she anticipated as a new lead in a major franchise. In an interview with Vanity Fair ahead of Supergirl's release, Alcock, who previously appeared in House of the Dragon, acknowledged the harsh environment. She noted, 'It definitely made me aware that simply existing as a woman in that space is something that people comment on.
' She further lamented the pervasive sense of public ownership over female actors' bodies, stating, 'We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women's bodies. I can't really stop them. I can only be myself.
' Her prescient comments now seem tragically validated, as the online discourse surrounding her has shifted from critique of a fictional character to personal appearance, amplified by a figure from superhero cinema history. The debate has also drawn parallels to another recent young actress in a Disney live-action remake, Rachel Zegler, who faced a similar storm of negative press after making critical comments about the original Snow White film.
This pattern suggests a recurring dynamic where women leading major franchise films become targets for disproportionate and often personal online hostility. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the second film in the newly rebooted DC Universe (DCU) following last year's Superman, now finds its promotional cycle mired in this off-screen controversy. The film, starring Alcock alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, David Krumholtz, and Emily Beecham, is already facing pessimistic box office projections.
According to industry reports from Deadline, Supergirl is tracking for an opening weekend gross of approximately $55 million in North America. This represents a significant decline from the $125 million opening of Superman just last year and raises concerns given the film's estimated production budget of around $175 million, excluding substantial marketing expenses. The combination of a potentially toxic promotional environment and weak financial forecasts presents a complex challenge for Warner Bros. as it attempts to establish its new DCU
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