Meet 'The Flash' Cast: From Past DC Universe Appearances to Off-Screen Controversies

From controversial figures to Hollywood veterans, here’s everything to know about the cast of The Flash

The Flash finally hit the big screen.

But between Warner Bros. shuffling its DC lineup and star Ezra Miller's numerous controversies, for a while, it seemed like The Flash might never get released.

The movie centers on Barry Allen (Miller), a.k.a. the Flash, as he races back in time to stop the death of his mother. However, he accidentally winds up in an alternate universe where General Zod isn't dead, posing a grave threat to the world.

Miller shares the screen alongside stars like Michael Shannon and Ron Livingston. Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck reprise their roles as Batman in the 2023 film.

While the film made $268 million at the box office, according to Box Office Mojo, Co-CEO of DC Studios and Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, spoke highly of the flick. "I will say here that Flash is probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made," he told Deadline in January 2023.

From A-list stars to darlings of European cinema, here's what to know about the cast of The Flash.

Ezra Miller as the Flash

Ezra Miller, 30, plays Barry Allen, a.k.a. the Flash, known for his incredible speed and ability to travel through time and space with the Speed Force.

Before the character's standalone movie, Miller's version of the Flash previously appeared in Justice League (2017) and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). On top of their role in the DC Extended Universe, Miller is known for playing Aurelius Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts series and for their breakout role in The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012).

Miller has also been at the center of scandal and controversy. The actor has a long history of legal troubles and alleged substance misuse. In 2020, a video surfaced of Miller choking a woman outside a bar in Iceland. Two years later, they attacked patrons at a bar in Hawaii, and the following month Miller was arrested for alleged second-degree assault. Later in 2022, the actor was accused of grooming and harassing two individuals, one of whom was 12 when they met Miller in 2016 and another 12-year-old who had met Miller in February 2022. In August of that same year, Miller was summoned for allegedly burglarizing a home in Vermont.

The actor later said they were treating their "complex mental health issues," telling PEOPLE in a statement: "I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life."

In January 2023, the actor pled guilty to misdemeanor unlawful trespass in the Vermont burglary case and began a one-year probation, though two felony charges were dismissed.

The same month, producer Peter Safran, co-CEO of DC Studios, told reporters: "Ezra is completely committed to their recovery. We are fully supportive of that journey they are on right now. When the time is right, when they are ready to have that discussion, we will all figure out what the best path forward."

He continued, "But right now ... they are completely focused on their recovery. And in our conversation with them, in the last couple of months, it feels like they are making enormous progress."

Sasha Calle as Supergirl

Sasha Calle, 27, plays Kara Zor-El, better known as Supergirl. She will be the first Latina actress to portray the role since it was created in 1959.

"Representation in the entertainment industry really matters, and I'm super honored," Calle told V Magazine in 2022. "I'm really happy and really thankful to DC and Warner Brothers for doing this now. It's so cool that we're doing this, and, ya know, it's about time."

Supergirl will also be one of Calle's first major roles. Before becoming a superhero, she was best known to soap opera fans for her role as Lola Rosales on The Young and the Restless. She starred in more than 200 episodes between 2018 and 2021.

Calle could also return as Supergirl in a potential spinoff film. Despite Warner Bros. shuffling its DC movie lineup and canceling numerous projects, Gunn announced earlier in 2023 that a Supergirl movie was on the way. The studio has yet to confirm which actress will star in the role.

Michael Shannon as General Zod

Michael Shannon, 48, will play General Zod, a Kryptonian killed in 2013's Man of Steel and The Flash's antagonist.

The actor spoke to Variety in March 2023 about reprising his role, saying he was "a little confused." Shannon continued, "I said, 'As memory serves me, I think I died in Man of Steel. Are they sure they got the right guy?' But then they explained to me the whole multiverse phenomenon, which I was a little behind the times on that."

Shannon has been a prominent face in Hollywood for decades. He starred in Revolutionary Road (2008) and Nocturnal Animals (2016), both of which landed him Best Supporting Actor nominations at the Oscars. He also starred in movies like The Shape of Water (2017) and Knives Out (2019).

He has numerous TV credits to his name too, including starring roles on Boardwalk Empire, Waco and its sequel series, Waco: The Aftermath.

Shannon is married to actress Kate Arrington, who is best known for her recurring roles on shows like Ray Donovan, Mare of Easttown and George and Tammy. Together, the couple have two daughters, Sylvia and Marion.

In February 2022, Deadline reported that Shannon would star as Joseph McCarthy, the infamous politician known for McCarthyism, in the upcoming biopic McCarthy.

Michael Keaton as Batman

Michael Keaton, 71, will reprise his iconic role as Batman. Keaton first starred as Bruce Wayne in the 1989 Tim Burton film and again in its 1992 sequel, Batman Returns.

In 2021, Keaton told The Hollywood Reporter he had always wanted to reprise his role as Batman. "Frankly, in the back of my head, I always thought, 'I bet I could go back and nail that motherf-----,' " he said. "And so I thought, 'Well, now that they're asking me, let me see if I can pull that off.' "

Keaton was originally supposed to make his Batman return in the HBO Max film Batgirl, but Warner Bros canceled the movie. The cancellation was met with backlash from fans, but the co-chair of DC Studios defended the decision, calling the movie "not releasable."

Aside from starring as the DC hero, Keaton is also known for playing the titular character in Beetlejuice (1988) and a jaded actor in Birdman (2015) — a film that earned him a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars. Most recently, Keaton earned a Golden Globe and Emmy for his role in the miniseries Dopesick.

In his personal life, Keaton has had a few high-profile relationships. He was married to the late actress Caroline McWilliams from 1982 to 1990 and dated Courteney Cox from 1990 to 1995. He and McWilliams also have a son, Sean Douglas. (Douglas is Keaton's given name; he took the stage name Keaton to avoid confusion with actor Michael Douglas.)

Ben Affleck as Batman

Ben Affleck, 50, will also be reprising his role as Batman from 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Both Affleck and Keaton will appear in the film because of the multiverse within the DCEU.

Even before becoming Batman, Affleck was one of the biggest names in Hollywood. He's starred in massively successful films like Good Will Hunting (1997) and Argo (2012), which respectively earned him Oscars for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture, as well as Gone Girl (2014). He has also had a lengthy career behind the camera, directing films like Gone Baby Gone (2007), The Town (2010), Argo and Air (2023).

In 2002, Affleck began dating Jennifer Lopez and the two later got engaged. In 2004, however, they ended their engagement and Affleck began dating Jennifer Garner. Affleck and Garner wed in 2005.

During their marriage, they had three children: two daughters, Violet and Seraphina, and a son, Samuel. The couple announced their separation in 2015 and finalized their divorce in 2018.

In 2021, Affleck was spotted with Lopez for the first time in over a decade. The two eventually went public with their relationship and married in 2022.

After starring in The Flash, Affleck will reprise his role as Batman in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which is expected to release in December 2023 after experiencing numerous delays.

Ron Livingston as Henry Allen

Ron Livingston, 55, plays Henry Allen, Barry's father who was wrongly convicted of his wife's murder. Livingston is taking over for Billy Crudup, who originated the role in Justice League.

Livingston has had a long career in Hollywood, starring in everything from cult classic hits like Office Space (1999) to box office juggernauts like The Conjuring (2013). He's also starred in series like Band of Brothers (2001) and A Million Little Things (2018–2023).

In 2009, Livingston married actress Rosemarie DeWitt, who is known for starring in Little Fires Everywhere (2020) and the Oscar-nominated film Rachel Getting Married (2008). The couple have two daughters: Gracie James and Esperanza Mae.

Kiersey Clemons as Iris West

Kiersey Clemons, 29, plays Iris West, a journalist at Picture News and Barry's love interest.

Clemons' role in The Flash was not her first brush with the DCEU: Her part was originally cut out of 2017's Justice League. However, when Zack Snyder released the full four-hour "Snyder Cut" of the film in 2021, her character's scenes were added back in.

On top of portraying Iris West, Clemons has also had roles in the Amazon Prime Video series Transparent (2014–2015) and the films Flatliners (2017) and Antebellum (2020), in which she starred alongside Janelle Monáe.

After The Flash, Clemons will go from the DCEU to the Warner Bros. MonsterVerse franchise when she stars in Godzilla and the Titans on Apple TV+. Clemons will be joined by costars Kurt Russell and his son, Wyatt.

Antje Traue as Faora-Ul

Antje Traue, 42, plays Faora-Ul, General Zod's second-in-command. Like Shannon, Traue will also reprise her role from 2013's Man of Steel.

Traue is an accomplished German actress, and many of her past roles are in German films and series, the most notable being Netflix's horror series Dark.

She's also appeared in major English language productions, including Pandorum (2009), Seventh Son (2014) and Criminal (2016), but The Flash is her biggest Hollywood film to date.

Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen

Maribel Verdú, 52, will play Nora Allen, Barry's mother who was murdered when he was young.

Verdú has been acting in Spanish films for more than 30 years. She has previously starred in movies like Pan's Labyrinth (2006) and Raymond & Ray (2022).

She's been married to Pedro Larrañaga since 1992 and has won numerous Goya Awards.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.