Nia Nal

Nia Nal
Arrowverse character
Nicole Maines as Nia Nal / Dreamer
First Episode Appearance	Supergirl: "American Alien" (2018)
Created by	Robert Rovner Jessica Queller
Character played by	Nicole Maines
In-universe information
Occupation	Speechwriter, reporter
Affiliation	CatCo
Family	Isabel Nal (mother) Paul Nal (father) Maeve Nal (sister) Nura Nal (descendant)
Abilities	Precognition Astral projection

Nia Nal (also known by her code name Dreamer) is a fictional character from the television series Supergirl, portrayed by Nicole Maines. The character is based on and is depicted as an ancestor of the DC Comics character Nura Nal/Dream Girl. She debuts in the fourth season of the series. Nia Nal is the first transgender superhero on television.

Background

Nia has a degree in international relations from Georgetown University. She was a political speechwriter in Washington, D.C. where she worked for Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart), the White House Press Secretary, under the administration of President Olivia Marsdin (Lynda Carter). She was sent to National City to be taken under the wing of Kara Danvers/Supergirl to learn the ways of reporting and superheroism.

Storylines

Following a similar path as Kara Danvers/Supergirl from earlier seasons, Nia joins the CatCo reporting team and works to fulfill her heroic destiny as the superhero Dreamer.

Concept and creation

In January 2018, Supergirl creator and executive producer Greg Berlanti spoke at an event about the lack of trans representation in the broader Arrowverse. "We don’t have an active trans character across the shows[...] And so I still feel behind the times every day on that issue,” Berlanti said. In May 2018, it was reported that an open casting call was searching for a transgender actress of any ethnicity in her early 20s to join Supergirl’s fourth season as Nia Nal. The character was initially described as, "A confident, wunderkind of a fashionista. Once a political speechwriter, Nia is the newest addition to the Catco investigative reporting team. With her she brings sparkling wit and biting humor but under that banter-y, chic façade, lays a soulful young woman who has much to offer the world. A young Cat Grant type."

On July 21, 2018, trans activist and actress Nicole Maines was announced in the role at the show's San Diego Comic-Con panel. It was also confirmed that Nia would become the superhero "Dreamer" and that she is an ancestor of the Legion of Super-Heroes member Nura Nal / Dream Girl. Maines described Nia Nal / Dreamer as having "this ferocious drive to protect people and to fight against discrimination and hatred. She’s the superhero we need right now." The character is the first transgender superhero on television.

Powers and abilities

Nia Nal's powers include precognition, and astral projection.