Chloe Bennet joining The Powerpuff Girls live-action reboot at first felt like a left-field choice – but it was actually a good move after Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and makes a lot of sense. Created by Craig McCracken, the animated series premiered on Cartoon Network in 1998. The saga centered on Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup. Blessed with superpowers, the three kindergarteners protected Townsville under the tutelage of their father and creator, Professor Utonium. Powerpuff Girls ultimately ran for six seasons, garnering much awards recognition - including six Emmy nods - along the way. Despite concluding in 2005, its legacy has lived on via feature films and special episodes. Powerpuff Girls also spawned a variety of spinoff media including an anime series, comic books, and video games.
In August 2020, it was announced that a live-action version was in development at The CW. Executive produced by Arrowverse's Greg Berlanti and co-written by Juno's Diablo Cody, the series received a pilot order in February 2021. The following month, it was revealed that Powerpuff Girls cast Bennet, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perrault as Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, respectively. Following the trend established by Riverdale and Nancy Drew, the characters will be older and probably more angsty. Now disillusioned twentysomethings, the series will find the trio resentful of a childhood dedicated to fighting crime. In that regard, it sounded in line with The Umbrella Academy than the source material. As such, the project has been met with skepticism.
In terms of Bennet, however, it may actually have been a truly inspired move. After all, the actress just recently finished bringing a superhero journey to life on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. As such, she has a wealth of experience that's ripe to be channeled into this Blossom's emotional arc. Ahead of the Marvel spinoff, Bennet's biggest acting break was a brief role on Nashville. Prior, she'd focused primarily on music. Therefore, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was a huge spotlight to step into — especially since, unlike the others, she played an established comic book character. Add to that the fact that Bennet was acutely aware of representing the Asian-American community and that's a lot of pressure and responsibility on the shoulders of a relatively unknown, lightly-experienced, then 21-year-old actress. One could almost say, it's comparable in weight to a whole city relying on you to protect it when you're a kid.
Though the stakes were drastically different, the role of Daisy Johnson (aka Quake) was a job that Bennet clearly took just as seriously. That went as much for offering a compellingly distinct yet faithful version of Quake as it did for providing a role-model for Asian and female fans. As viewers know, the show experienced a number of teething problems in its earlier run. Equally, there was understandably a learning curve when Bennet stepped into the role and the wider public eye. Ultimately, however, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. found its rhythm. And Bennet matured as both an actress and an outspoken champion for a better, more inclusive industry, garnering a passionate fandom. The fact that she did so within the glare of an intense new spotlight just made it all the more impressive. And the entirety of that emotional experience could correlate perfectly to Blossom's journey.
Bennet has a grasp of the pressures, anxieties, and more that will encompass this Blossom. She has a familiarity with the emotions attached to such things. While she herself - at least publicly - never buckled beneath them, or the exhaustion of even just playing a superhero team-leader, she'll no doubt have a deeper understanding of how one could become jaded. And even if the experience ever did overwhelm Bennet, she's experienced working through it. Therefore, she could channel both those facets into her Powerpuff Girls performance. As such, there will no doubt be an understandable authenticity that makes it all the more compelling. As well as that, it will also give the show a slight meta quality. After all, in the wake of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D's seven seasons, acting out having an often painful superhero past on Powerpuff Girls will require little imagination.