#Brec Bassinger on ‘DC’s Stargirl’ Season 2

She’s got it in hand.

Courtney Whitmore, aka Stargirl (Brec Bassinger), returns to wield her staff and fight for justice in Season 2 of “DC’s Stargirl,” premiering Tuesday (Aug. 10) on The CW.

“In Season 1, they gave me the Cosmic Staff and I’d be falling over my own feet. Because I had never used a Bo staff in my life,” Brec Bassinger, 22, told The Post, referring to Stargirl’s signature tool and weapon.

“But then coming into Season 2, I was so much more confident with it. Now people, make fun of me on set because my staff is like my comfort blanket. Instantly when they give it to me, I feel this sense of ease.” 

Season 1 of the superhero series followed high schooler Courtney as her family moved from California to Nebraska and she got acclimated to a new school. Unbeknownst to Courtney or her mom Barbara (Amy Smart), her new stepfather Pat (Luke Wilson) used to be a superhero sidekick and a member of the Justice Society of America (often referred to as the JSA). Season 1 saw Courtney discover her Cosmic Staff (“it’s like Thor’s hammer,” said Bassinger), assume the alter-ego of “Stargirl” aided by Pat, and become the leader of the second incarnation of the JSA. 

“When I first met [Luke Wilson] I was so intimidated by him, because ‘Legally Blonde’ was one of my favorite movies growing up,” Bassinger said. “But within the first week, that was gone, because he’s so humble and such a giving actor. I feel very grateful that I’m getting to work with a performer who’s that established and [is] still an awesome human being.”

Season 2 follows Courtney as she struggles to balance her high school life with her superhero responsibilities with new threats arriving, including the villain Eclipso (Nick Taraby). 

“A lot of the conversation in Season 2 is like, ‘What’s the difference between bad and evil?’” said Bassinger. “And Eclipso is pure evil. He feeds on the darkness of humanity and finds people’s insecurities. Even the fight scenes with him aren’t average fight scenes. They’re so much more psychological than [with] a lot of physical villains.”

In Season 2, Courtney also eagerly embraces her double life, Bassinger said. 

“Throughout Season 1, she’s kind of still figuring out how to use the Cosmic Staff, and what her role is on the JSA. Coming into Season 2, she’s so confident about being Stargirl and truly believes that it’s her destiny.”

The show is a case of art imitating life, since Bassinger herself was going through a similar path of stepping up to an unexpected new role before gaining confidence, she said.

“Honestly, when I auditioned for ‘Stargirl’ I was in such a weird point in my career. I was coming off of a kids’ network,” she said, referring to several Nickelodeon shows  that she starred in, such as “Bella and the Bulldogs” (2015-2016) and “School of Rock” (2016-2018). 

“I hadn’t worked for a little bit, and I was like ‘Maybe it ran its course.’ I still loved acting and wanted to act, but I was in a weird transitional period. I was looking at colleges when I got the audition for ‘Stargirl.’ Within a couple of weeks, I signed a contract. It all happened so fast. It was such an emotional roller coaster for me, going from ‘Okay, is acting what I’m supposed to do for the rest of my life or will I go to school?’ to ‘Wow, I’m now going to be a TV superhero!’ ”

“I kind of feel like Courtney, because she’s so excited and proud of being ‘Stargirl,’ and that’s how I am as Brec. I’m like, ‘I’m going to be Stargirl for the rest of my life!’ I love it.”