Stargirl's Cameron, portrayed by Hunter Sansone, has been grappling with a lot. He lost his mother at a young age. Then, his father Jordan, aka the villainous Icicle (Neil Jackson), was murdered during a tussle with the Justice Society of America. Cameron, however, isn't in the loop about his dad's alter ego or that he was one of the members of the Injustice Society of America.
Meanwhile, Cameron and Courtney's (Brec Bassinger) romance continues to blossom. The two have been spending more time together, especially as she tutors him in mastering his powers. That only means the betrayal could possibly cut deeper when Cameron learns about Courtney's secret identity and who murdered his father. Sansone recently spoke with CBR about his character's heritage, his frozen abilities, butting heads with Rick and Cindy, and Cameron unleashed.
CBR: It's taken a while for Cameron to discover his heritage and for the Cameron/Courtney romance to heat up. What are your thoughts on the slow-burn nature of Cameron's arc?
Hunter Sansone: Absolutely, it really did take some time. I think that is refreshing. I was hearing some whispers out there that people were getting a little impatient here and there, wanting to see that develop, but at the end of the day, the time that was taken with the relationship really pays off. It seems so genuine and authentic because that's how things go in life. It's not just, "Oh, I meet you, and we are in love. Now, here we are." It's very true to what people experience. At the end of the day, that's why people are really resonating with this moment.
The same can be said about his chilly abilities. He doesn't become a superhero or villain the next day.
Exactly. It's the same exact concept. Cameron has had little things happen here and there, even in Season 1 with the breath at the diner. I don't even know how much of the audience caught that. It was such a subtle moment. Then, in Season 2, he had a few moments here and there. Now, in Season 3, it's really coming to the forefront. It's a learning experience for him. What I think is really cool is as the audience experiences it for the first time, Cameron is experiencing it for the first time.
Cameron's father was ISA leader, the Icicle. What does that legacy mean to him?
Cameron is just now understanding what his family's history is. At this stage, he doesn't fully know the gravity of who his father was and the things he did. His grandparents are basically telling him that his father was a good man who was helping people and just happened to have this gift of cryokinesis. So, he doesn't have the full picture yet.
Cameron has always held his father on such a pedestal and respected him and loved him. That was his best friend on the planet. So, any piece of information that contradicts that is going to be hard for him to take in, just like any son or daughter learning that your parent is not who they say they are. It's going to take some time. You are not going to automatically believe that in a matter of seconds. You are going to want to really understand that and get multiple opinions and do your own research. He's still much in the stage and process of understanding the truth of that.
Cameron has lost his mother, his father -- everyone except his grandparents. What do they want for him?
His grandparents want him to follow in his father's footsteps. They want him to step up and be that man of the house, in the same way their son was. For obvious reasons, that goes against who Cameron is to his core. He's this good guy who works on his art and loves art and creating art. That is how he feels closest to his mom because that is the bond they had at a young age. Whenever he is painting, that is how he bonds with his late mother. The fact that his ability to paint is being threatened, that is making him question his whole identity.
Cameron also shares a history with Cindy. In what way does she get under his skin -- because we see a bit of a confrontation in tonight's episode?
Every way, she gets under his skin. Cindy [has] a very skilled tactic when it comes to getting inside people's minds and brains. She knows what she is doing. She is so smart. You see it started in Season 2 with our little interaction in the art room. She sees an opportunity in Cameron -- at least in the past, she did, with recruiting him. Now, she has come onto the other side. For good reason, Cameron is extremely skeptical of her and who she is. Maybe she is looking out for her friend Courtney. Maybe she has her own agenda. At the end of the day, I feel those two are always going to clash. They are in complete opposite worlds and destined to go against each other.
Cindy knows how to push buttons, and it sounds like Cameron has anger management issues. Should Cindy or Courtney be worried?
I wouldn't say anybody should be worried. Cameron is not someone who tries to wield his anger or his rage or his abilities to get what he wants, unlike some characters in the show. He comes from a genuine place, and he doesn't even have control of these things. I believe he is much stronger than is let on and is capable of making things happen. He definitely has the ability to hold his own against anyone else on the show, in my opinion. It will reveal itself slowly but surely. Cameron is a good guy, and he's not somebody who is going to try to get what he wants by utilizing his anger or rage.
As far as the institution that is hinted at, it's really just a boarding school. He was sent off to a boarding school by his parents. That's not written. That's a choice I went with as an actor, that he went off to this boarding school at a young age and learned some things about himself. It was to help control some things he may have been experiencing. At the end of the day, that is kind of what it was.
What's the deal between Rick and Cameron? Let's face it -- Rick doesn't even pretend to be nice.
Rick has had an issue with Cameron from day one. There are a few reasons Rick has these problems with him. One is who my dad was. He was Icicle, this bad dude, so he doesn't trust me. Two -- this isn't on the surface, it's just something I went with on my own -- is that Rick is very close with Courtney. He's protective over Courtney. It could be in a flirtatious way. It could be in a brotherly way. I don't know. That is their own world to decide, but it feels like he has some jealousy as far as me spending time with Courtney. So, Rick has these problems with me, and Cameron is just defending himself, in my opinion.
I just chalk it up to the fact that Rick was always this guy in school who was causing problems and getting in trouble. I don't know his history. I don't know the fact that Rick is actually very similar to me. I feel like they would be friends if they had a conversation. They are both orphans. They both have similar backgrounds, and they both have gone through these powers now. They would get along, but I don't think that is going to happen as much.
Courtney has been teaching Cameron how to hone his powers. Over the next two episodes, he will be manifesting them in some miraculous ways. How comfortable is Cameron with using them now?
At the end of Episode 6, he's more comfortable and confident in what he can do and how he can do it. As far as Episodes 4 and 5 [go], he is experiencing this for the first time, and it's scary. He doesn't fully know what this thing is. Cameron feels like he is possessed at times. He doesn't really know how to control it. He doesn't know where it comes from, and he's afraid he is going to hurt the people he loves. Obviously, that explosion in Episode 4 was a big one and could have hurt Courtney, so he's terrified if he lets that out again, he's going to hurt her again or anyone he loves. He's learning how to control it. He's experiencing it for the first time, just as the audience is. Nearing the end of Episode 6, I'd say he gets a good grip on things.
Courtney has been keeping secrets from Cameron -- that she is Stargirl and that her brother, Mike, is responsible for the death of the Icicle. What can you tease about the backlash when Cameron uncovers the truth?
Well, what I can say is if Cameron uncovers the truth, I can imagine it will not be pretty. It's a dangerous subject right there. Everything that Cameron knows is threatened by that concept, with who he is and his very identity with the people he loves and the people he trusts. All of that is subject to being lost with that piece of information. If that comes out, if that is revealed, it is not going to be good.
What else is in store for Cameron in the second half of the season?
The second half of the season is going to see Cameron and Courtney exploring this whole relationship a lot more. It's going to have its ups and downs, its ebbs and flows. One thing to keep in mind is Geoff Johns and our entire writer's rooms do a fantastic job in making things unpredictable. Right when you think one thing is going to happen as far as Courtney and Cameron goes, the other does. It is going to keep you on your toes. The powers that Cameron is dealing with will be fleshed out a little bit more. Those two elements of who Cameron is -- the powers and Courtney-- those two worlds might eventually meet.
Stargirl debuts new episodes Wednesdays at 8 PM Eastern on The CW and the next day on The CW app.