An Open Letter To Chyler Leigh
Dear Chyler Leigh,
For over a decade you have graced my television screen and I have cried, laughed, squealed with joy, and cried some more while watching you skillfully portray some of my favorite television characters. You have inspired us greatly with your performances and even though the Season 8 finale of Grey’s Anatomy ruined me, I felt that it was time for you to know how truly super we all think you are.
On Grey’s Anatomy we had the chance to see you play the sweet and brilliant surgeon Lexie Grey. Every flaw that Lexie had somehow made her a better surgeon, and a better person because of it. She had a charming, relatable quality that you crafted so perfectly to form this awkward, funny and exceptionally kind person who became one of the most beloved TV characters of the last decade.
Lexie’s relationship with Mark Sloan was beautiful, complicated and heart-wrenching. To watch that unfold was confusing and wonderful all at the same time. Being with Mark helped Lexie grow and mature, but Lexie did so much more for Mark than anyone had ever done for him. You brought such likeability to that role. You made us all feel like we knew Lexie, like we were her friend.
I’m going to now try to do this without getting super mushy or super weird. I’m going to try and describe how imperative it is for millions of people to see your face on their screen week after week. So please just bear with me.
In a world where sibling rivalry runs rampant, words cannot explain how refreshing it is to see Alex and Kara’s relationship on Supergirl unfold. Alex’s unwavering love for her sister, and Kara’s overprotective ways, make them the ultimate #SisterGoals. You and Melissa Benoist have an energy on screen together that is mesmerizing and the beating heart of the show. To try and use a few words to describe the effortlessness that comes with that relationship would be an injustice to it. It is a privilege to watch.
I am immensely grateful that Supergirl exists. This show premiered at a time when I think all of us, especially young girls, needed it most. Kara offered us a hero. One that we weren’t used to seeing on television but Alex, Alex gave us something much different than that. Alex gave millions of people a voice. She gave millions of people courage, and she did it in a brave, relatable and spectacular way without ever having to put on a cape. I’ve heard many people of many different sexual orientations explain why they love and appreciate Alex so much, but hearing the stories of people coming out because of her, or feeling empowered because of her, have been some of the most beautiful things to be able to witness. Chyler, you did this. You brought her to life and I, as well as millions of people, are forever thankful. For the last two seasons, you have served as people’s escape from reality, their comfort blanket, their source of happiness.
Alex and Maggie’s relationship is one of the most necessary, beautiful, and downright adorable ones currently on television. The work you, Floriana Lima and the writers are doing is crucial and stunning. Her story is essential. It diversifies the common narrative of a kid figuring themselves out when they’re in high school, and being bullied, and suffering through that. A lot of people come into themselves and their identities later on in life. It’s after they already have a pretty solid idea about who they are, and it can really shake up the foundation they have based their identity on.
Anyway, I hope I didn’t get too sappy with this. You’re the best and I thought that was a fact you needed to know. Thank you Chyler for playing wonderful and badass women. You truly are a superhero, Chyler.
P.S. Please tell the Supergirl writers to have Kara fly Alex everywhere. I don’t trust your character on planes anymore. All I’m saying is, prepare yourself for this ~conspiracy theory~ Kara saved Alex from a plane that was about to go down. IS IT SHONDA RHIMES CONSPIRING WITH THE CW???
Sincerely,
Victoria Nelli (A fan that can’t imagine the thought of not seeing you on her screen every week)
What’s your favorite Chyler Leigh role? Add your thoughts in the comments below!
Supergirl airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW and Showcase.
Related Posts
About The Author
Victoria Nelli
Victoria loves all things TV! Whether it's binging Grey's Anatomy (for the 4th time) or talking Orphan Black plot lines with her Professors, she's fully in love with the medium. Victoria loves television so much that she is studying it at Monmouth University. If you love hearing long rants about why Luke and Lorelai are meant for each other you should follow Victoria on twitter @VictoriaNelli.
Agreed. It’s not only that we get a show that passes the Bechdel test every episode. It’s not only that that we get a show that gives us sisters who truly love and support each other. One of the sisters is gay. And one’s a superhero. All good. The main thing is that they love each other. It’s refreshing as hell. And so so well done.
Great letter. Hope the SG writers and actors read it and that it makes their day.
“On Grey’s Anatomy we had the chance to see you play the sweet and brilliant surgeon Lexie Grey.” – I wish they would have done more with her though as to me Lexie often felt like the sibling/love interest/walking book of knowledge more than a surgeon until she got with Derek near the end. I will forever be grateful to “Grey’s Anatomy” for arguably (she’s had other projects but GA is a super high profile project) introducing Chyler to the masses but I’m really happy she’s getting to showcase all her talents on “Supergirl”!
“Lexie’s relationship with Mark Sloan was beautiful, complicated and heart-wrenching.” – I could personally never get behind this pair, but to be fair I’m more of a Maddison (Mark/Addison) fan; Mark for all the times he said he cared about Lexie surly felt like he didn’t really listen to her specifically when it came to the baby plots. They made good friends but I never felt like that was a lasting romance for Lexie.
“words cannot explain how refreshing it is to see Alex and Kara’s relationship on Supergirl unfold. Alex’s unwavering love for her sister, and Kara’s overprotective ways, make them the ultimate #SisterGoals.” – yes; “You and Melissa Benoist have an energy on screen together that is mesmerizing and the beating heart of the show.” – ABSOLUTELY!
“I am immensely grateful that Supergirl exists.” – seconded! Alexandra Danvers our capeless hero! “Alex and Maggie’s relationship is one of the most necessary, beautiful, and downright adorable ones currently on television. The work you, Floriana Lima and the writers are doing is crucial and stunning. Her story is essential.” – seconded!
“You truly are a superhero, Chyler.” – seconded!
“P.S. Please tell the Supergirl writers to have Kara fly Alex everywhere.” – I am SO hoping they do adult Kara and Alex flying to mimic the flashback scene of them doing so as kids, it’d be adorable.
A very nice letter Victoria!
“What’s your favorite Chyler Leigh role?” – definitely Alex Danvers!
I love the role of Alex Danvers the most because again we really get to see Chyler showcase all of her skills it feels; we’ve seen her do drama when Alex tells Kara she killed Astra or when she’s in the vision in “For The Girl Who Has Everything” and is trying to convince Kara to come with her, we’ve seen her do various degrees of a romance with the Sanvers story, we’ve seen her do action scenes – she’s awesome at those, and we’ve seen her be humorous in the form of line deliveries and just her cool background work (see Alex’s looks between Kara and Adam at the cafe or Alex taking whiskey out of the freezer after Kara took her beer).
Alex is a sister but being Kara’s sister doesn’t define Alex like I felt being Meredith’s sister sometimes did for Lexie. I still think of J’onn’s great line about Supergirl is why she got asked to the DEO but Alex is why she gets to stay. As was said above the close bond of the Danvers sisters is something we don’t see a lot on shows so that’s great to see each week; they’re also allowed to have their disagreements but at the end of the day you know it’s Alex and Kara against the world basically.
She’s a daughter but again it comes off as just part of Alex not her main story and you get to see how she reacts to different types of dynamics with being biologically Eliza’s so they have tons of history together but also she’s a surrogate daughter to J’onn and how being close but not growing up with him makes her share things she might not with Eliza because of their history.
She’s a friend and just as with the Sanvers romance journey we get to see various levels of that with being a best friend to Kara, a friend/mentee with J’onn, a friend but not close friend with Jimmy and Winn (she’ll save them when they’re in trouble but they’re not her best friend…to use a “Grey’s Anatomy” comparison they’re more like the Owen to her Meredith where as Kara is her Cristina), and acquaintance to Mon.
She’s a kick butt agent who shows you don’t need a fancy suit to be a hero and on a superhero show that’s something refreshing!
We haven’t seen it much in S2 but Alex is also a brilliant scientist proving you can use your brain as well as your muscle to save the day.
Alex has allowed Chyler to showcase her talents playing bad guys to a degree with brainwashed Alex in the season one finale; it’s not often we see this story but when it comes up Chyler’s got the approach to make it memorable!
Alex has shown us Chyler’s awesome banter skills, her battles of wits against Maxwell Lord have been gold!
All of these things are brought to us because as Alex Chyler gets the screen time to showcase all of theses different sides; yes she got screen time on “Grey’s Anatomy” but again it was usually in a sister/love interest/book of knowledge scene which made her feel just that as Lexie instead of a fully fleshed character like Alex. There was an air of potential around Chyler as the character but again it wasn’t until they paired Lexie with Derek to showcase her surgeon side really did she start to feel as solid as the other characters. Again I am grateful to GA for introducing me to Chyler but I honestly didn’t realize how good she is until she was cast as Alex on “Supergirl”.
I chuckled at Lexie on Grey’s, most memorably in the episode where Lexie meets her dad’d young girlfriend and proceeds to have a meltdown, but I gut laugh at time with Alex on “Supergirl” and again you don’t just see Chyler’s delivery skills but her hilarious background work…she really knows the perfect actions for those moments.
I will say the one talent “Grey’s Anatomy” did showcase of Chyler’s that “Supergirl” hasn’t yet is her singing ability so maybe that’s something “Supergirl” could show Chyler’s new fans also by allowing Alex to at least sing along with the radio in a scene.
Alex Danvers just showcases Chyler’s range of talent at the highest level I feel. Chyler plus the “Supergirl” crew (writers/stunt team/cast/crew which you traditionally think of when hearing the term) have been perfection, lighting in a bottle without question as they say, and I hope they stay together for a very long time!
Another reason I love Alex Danvers is because she shows queer characters can be kick butt as well, you don’t see a lot of queer action heroes but Alex is certainly an example; she’s been a good example for showing queer characters are more than just their sexuality also, they’re layered characters just like everyone else.
Alex is smart, she’s kind, loyal, brave, a great physical fighter, she’s funny, she’s a sister, a daughter, a friend, the second in command to a secret government agency, she’s a good guy to some and a bad guy to others, she’s a girlfriend, she’s had highs and she’s had lows…she’s a fully fleshed out character who happens to queer; her romance with Maggie is a part of her story but like as with Kara as her sister it’s not her only part.
A character like Alex goes a long way because of her positive representation!
I’m still looking for that start of an intimate scene between Sanvers, such as their falling on the couch making out in frame moment or their quickly getting dressed so Kara doesn’t catch them naked/jackets coming off while they kiss before fading out after a decent moment of staying on them, moment but overall “Supergirl” has done this story well and showed there’s no difference in Alex with her girlfriend and Kara with her boyfriend.
The time Chyler has personally put in to learn why this reveal was important to a lot of fans is just another reason to love her personally!
One could definitely go on and on about the greatness of Alex and Chyler, but I’ll stop here for now and look forward to the comments that follow which include other reasons to love Chyler and her work.
I was such a Lexie fan on Grey’s and I think the show did an awful job at writing out her character on the show. The plane crash episode was a tad ridiculous and it took me a couple years to like Grey’s again. I’m glad Chyler found another show and a good character to play. Admittedly, I don’t watch Supergirl and I think maybe a shouldn’t have passed on it given the great reviews here. In today’s world of endless tv shows, it’s difficult to choose what shows are worth checking out and the do miss the boat on some of them. Maybe in the future I will give it a good binge watch.