Daya Vaidya has plenty of impressive acting credits to her name, including Bosch, The Locksmith, and BET+'s limited series, The Black Hamptons. However, she's someone many of you will surely instantly recognise for her standout role in Superman & Lois season 3!
Taking on the role of supervillain Onomatopoeia, her character is a member of Intergang under the Mannheim family, working alongside crime boss Bruno Mannheim to target non-superpowered superheroes - and eventually attracting the attention of Superman. However, like Lois Lane, Peia Mannheim is also fighting cancer, a disease which has played a large role in her descent into villainy.
Daya is someone who enthusiastically supports organizations that champion diversity in Hollywood and women's rights. She's also a two-time breast cancer survivor who promotes breast cancer awareness and research, and her role in The CW series has delivered one of the superhero genre's most impactful storylines.
We recently had the good fortune to speak with Daya about her role in Superman & Lois. As well as teasing the upcoming finale, she reveals what it was like to share the screen with Superman, how it felt to don a supervillain costume, the experience of working with her co-stars, plans to appear at comic conventions, and much more.
You can check out the full interview in the player below!
This isn’t a question I get to ask many actors, but what is it like to stand opposite Superman on set?
Oh my God, it’s incredible [Laughs]. Tyler is amazing. He’s actually the best partner. What’s interesting about him is his worth ethic. He’s insane. He was a football player or a high-level athlete, so he brings that to the role and, when you’re working with him…Tyler never gets tired, he never complains, he is Superman [Laughs]. He acts like Superman. He’s great.
Of course, before that confrontation with the Man of Steel, your character has that really beautiful exchange with Clark Kent about her battle with cancer and ‘The Pull’; in contrast, what’s it like to shoot a scene as hard-hitting and intimate as that one?
The thing about this role is that I just had to let go. I had to let go of anything that was blocking me from wanting to go back into my own personal experience. That was key. I was in Vancouver at the time and able to be alone, and that was the main thing I worked on; making sure I was open and vulnerable. You build up walls with stuff like that, but when we were on set shooting these things, they were very personal and very realistic. The producers did a good job with authenticity, so it was weird as I’d see things and they would trigger memories and all that crazy stuff. I had a couple of weird breakdowns where I said, ‘This is a little intense.’ I had to let go and let it happen and experience all the feelings.
This is a very complex character, and having played both sides of her, do you believe she’s a villain or simply someone who believes they’re doing the right thing, albeit in the wrong way?
I love when we talk about the villain question because I really do feel like that is complicated. I’ve always said that I think the true villain of this season is cancer. That’s the true villain. When I play her, I don’t think of her as a villain. She’s trying to save her family. She’s trying to save her life. I can speak to this also as there’s not a lot you won’t do when you’re trying to save your life. I’m not saying you should hurt people, but there’s a desperation in it and everything she’s doing…I think the most pivotal scene is when she’s at dinner. That was tricky. I’m with the family and so happy to meet the potential love interest of Matteo, and then I have to turn. Mama Bear comes in and then I’m all about protecting my family. As an actor, I had to make a decision then that I was no longer sweet Peia; I’m turning into Onomatopoeia. Is that a villain? I like the audience to try and figure that out.
In terms of that duality, what has been the most rewarding and challenging aspect of exploring that as an actor?
That’s the thing…I don’t know about all actors, but for me, that’s the thing that is most exciting. It’s that dichotomy. I was really excited about trying to explore how we find these two sides and make them honest. I didn’t want to do something one-dimensional and I was trying to figure out the humanity of her. It’s not just this one-dimensional supervillain, but her as a woman and a mother and protector. Also, the whole idea of her being angry that South Metropolis is being ignored. I thought a lot about that and me and Chad talked about that a lot. We had many conversations on set and he was a good partner to bounce this stuff off as we really got into the nitty-gritty of the layers. A partner like that brings more out of you. When I’m working opposite him, you’re as good as your partner. I owe a lot to him. And Tyler and Bitsy. They were all good partners in this!
As this is a role where you have to make yourself quite vulnerable as Peia, how helpful has it been to have Chad L. Coleman by your side as you explore her dynamic with Bruno?
We were joking by saying we’re each other’s TV soulmates [Laughs]. We were two peas in a pod, singing musicals on set and dancing. We’re two theatre rats. We both come from theatre and we’re both artists who love the art of acting and theatre. We had a lot of fun being geeks on set. Straight-up acting geeks! It was nice to be able to let loose with someone like that and he’s very protective. He allows you to have your space, but when we had to do the really intimate and emotional moments, he takes care of you. There are some actors, honestly, who don’t care. There’s a wall and it’s hard to penetrate. He’s not like that. He was open. We just really played.
To be one of the big bads of a superhero series like this one, what does that feel like in terms of pressure and what, in your opinion, makes Onomatopoeia a worthy villain to test Superman’s resolve?
I thought it was the coolest thing that her power is so strong, it matches Superman. I got so excited when I got the script where we discovered that. I have to say, and this is no joke, the fans…I’ve never met such a nice bunch of people and humans! This is the best fan mail I’ve ever gotten! I feel like the superhero fans know this world so well and they’re so smart about it. I was actually learning things. People were writing to me and I was learning a lot in real time and educating myself. I didn’t know as much and really dove in. Now, I’m getting into this world. Now I want more. Just wait until the next couple of episodes…there is some really cool stuff she goes through facing Superman. I don’t think we’ve seen a character like this. At least not in DC, I don’t think.
Onomatopoeia has understandably changed a lot in the transition from page to screen, so did you reach a point where the comic books weren’t as helpful as they otherwise might have been in preparing to join the DC Universe?
That’s very true. For me, it was a very visual thing. That visual of Onomatopoeia when it was the man and the dark shadowy figure with the mask…when I got to put on the costume, that informed a lot. I’m very visual, so when I put on a costume or look at something, it makes me feel a certain way. A lot of what I was portraying with the sound came from what she visually looked like, and then my imagination. The other part of it was the writers and showrunners. Todd, Greg, Brent and all of them gave me a big history. They’re really into the mythology and Jai Jamison, who pitched Onomatopoeia, I could sit with and get so much information and background. That helped. Everybody is very knowledgeable on the set, so they helped!
Joining this comic book franchise means you get your own supervillain costume, so when you have that and the mask on, do you find yourself standing a little taller and undergoing a transformation of sorts as a performer?
Oh my God, 100%. First of all, there’s the shoes. I don’t know if everybody can see the boots, but the boots she wears, the heels are massive. Our costume designer is truly talented and the whole team. There’s a whole superhero costume team that constructed it, so as soon as it goes on and it’s a tight fit…I had to work out…it was immediate. You put it on and you feel like a superhero. You feel like you have powers. I’m silly, you know, so I’d walk around doing my thing and trying to blast people [Laughs]. I really wanted the thing to come out of my mouth. I’m like, ‘Arghhh!’ I was doing it and having so much fun.
Now the show is airing, it must be a lot of fun to see Onomatopoeia fully realized with her powers and that awesome mask brought to life?
Yeah, the best part was in the alleyway when they’re showing my neck with the veins and all that. When we were shooting it, I did all of that physically, but the director said to me, ‘Just go for it, and then the special effects guys will add some stuff and play with it.’ So I had no idea what it was going to look like until I saw it last week. When I saw it, I was like, ‘What?’ It was crazy and scarier than I thought. I don’t know how I felt, but I gave everything. I was tired after that night as I gave every ounce of energy I could possibly have inside of myself. If you’re going to fight Superman, my attitude that night was literally, ‘I’m fighting Superman! There better be nothing left inside of me.’ I literally took that as a challenge physically, and then they added the special effects. It came out great. I was excited.
When it came to those action scenes, is that something you were able to have fun with before the stunt team inevitably stepped in to do their magic?
That was one of the most fun things. I didn’t know how much I would like it. Now, I’ve told my people, ‘Get me more stunt roles!’ I loved the action and stunts. I got into that. I used to be a professional dancer, so I think that’s maybe that’s why I got into it. Rob, the incredible stunt coordinator, helped me play with different body movements and, again, it goes to the theatre geek in me. The body work and everything, I take it super seriously. There were rats. There were actual rats going through the set because we were shooting in this crazy alley and there were real live rats. The thing it did to me is that, I had this thought about animals and said to myself, ‘She’s a destroyer.’ The stunt stuff just goes along with that. It was great.
Elizabeth Tulloch does a great job as Lois Lane as she’s going through this cancer battle, so what was it like for the two of you talking about that, and were you able to give her some insights into that journey?
I thought it was a really special thing and a special experience for us. She’d done a lot of homework. She was very prepared and knew a lot. She’d ask me questions and we’d talk about stuff, but I was surprised by how much she knew already and how much she had delved into it. It was just moving. Two women…it was a deep moment and it brought up conversations about health and taking care of ourselves. It was a special time for me and her to have those bits in the scenes, especially when we’re in the hospital and I move away from her. That was for real. There were some real moments there. I think she could sense that I was affected, and she was affected too. A lot of times, people might not know, but when actors have those things on set, they can be real. At least, for me and her. There’s no faking it. You’re really there and I loved having that with a fellow actor. It brought us closer.
Last year’s Thor movie briefly touched on a battle with cancer, but Superman & Lois has really delved into it in a special way. What has it meant to you to bring a story like this into a massive franchise like DC and share it with people?
There were so many moments, with Chad and I specifically, where we’d do a scene…I haven’t had this a lot in any of the roles I’ve done, but we’d literally stop the scene, look at each other, and go, ‘Can you believe this? This is crazy, right? This is cool.’ There were a lot of times when we were very well aware that this was something different and special. You could feel it. Also, I think when the crew members and everybody were watching the scenes, it was a trip to see how affected people were watching in real time. Our cast and crew. I don’t think there’s a single person not affected by cancer. Everyone is touched in some way, like six degrees of separation by cancer. When we do these scenes, literally the entire crew would come up and say, ‘Oh man, you guys…’ I knew it was something then.
There are only a couple of episodes left for this season, so is there anything you can tease about what we can expect to see from Onomatopoeia as we head towards the finish line?
Whew, what can I tease? Just that it’s going to become incredibly intense. The battles are not over. The battle has just begun [Laughs]. If you thought the battle against Superman was something, there’s even more in store. It’s going to be exciting I think. I’m excited to see how it all comes together because when we were shooting it…whoa, it was intense.
Looking to the future, we don’t know if Superman & Lois will return, but what are some of the other projects you’re working on? I know you’re a big advocate for cancer awareness, for example.
I’m actually right in the middle of shooting a show called The Black Hamptons which is the exact opposite. I’m dressed up all glamorous and it’s a glam show like Dynasty set in the Hamptons. I’m shooting that right now on the beach [Laughs]. I went from Vancouver in the snow to the beach in Malibu. That will come out in the Fall, I believe. I’m just having a lot of fun, trying to soak it all up. Being in Superman & Lois was a pivotal career change experience. It’s been a good ride.
You’re now part of this comic book world now, so do you think we might see you at some conventions down the line? When you join the DC Universe, fans are going to want to meet you and get your autograph…
Oh, 100%, yes. I’m literally in the middle of it. You know when you get agents to book these things? I’m finding out about the convention world and totally want to do them. Are you kidding me? I’ll get into a costume and prance around [Laughs]. That’s right up my alley and I’m 100% down for that. Chad and I are supposed to be doing some together. If you go to my Instagram @dayavaidya, I’ll be posting those dates so whoever is watching this should definitely come through. We have to bring Bruno Mannheim and Onomatopoeia to the conventions. The both of us will be fun, signing and acting crazy!
Season 3 of Superman & Lois premiered on March 14, 2023, with new episodes released every Tuesday.