Heated Rivalry Standout Sets Sights on DCU’s Starfire Role

Got a slightly unexpected pitch flying in for DC: Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova—yep, the Canadian actress you probably know from 'Heated Rivalry' as Svetlana—has officially tossed her hat in the ring for the role of Starfire in whatever new version the DC Universe is cooking up. If casting sometimes feels like fan wishlist roulette, well, Kharlamova is leaning right in.

Ksenia's Take: Why Starfire?

In a recent chat with EnVi, Kharlamova went on record about why Starfire is high on her superhero wish list, and honestly, it’s kind of genuine. She’s not just in it for a big-budget paycheck or a shot at Hall H applause. Instead, she said she loves how superhero films have this way of making people 'feel less alone' and 'inspired'. Here’s the standout bit from the interview:

'I think it’s just such a fun genre. There’s a certain sense of wonder. It’s just so beautiful, and I would love to be in a movie that evokes that feeling from people.'

She also let slip that Starfire isn’t the only character on her mind. According to her, there are 'plenty of cool characters' out there she’d love to tackle, which is essentially the polite way of fishing for both DC and Marvel roles at once. And just to fuel existing rumor flames, she casually mentioned she’s been catching up on X-Men comics. Read into that what you want—at minimum, it’s a clear signal she wouldn’t mind a visit from Kevin Feige, either.

Starfire’s Current Whereabouts in the DCU

If you lost track: last time Starfire popped up in live action was with Anna Diop in HBO Max’s 'Titans', which finished its fourth and final season in 2023. Since then, there’s been a decent swirl of rumors and half-announcements about what’s next.

Here’s the actual confirmed state of play:

• Teen Titans Movie: DC Studios has reportedly started development on a live-action 'Teen Titans' feature, with Ana Nogueira (notably, the writer behind the new 'Supergirl' movie) writing the script.
• Script Status? Not so fast—it’s complicated. About six months ago, DC Studios' co-CEO James Gunn went public, shutting down all script leak rumors. According to Gunn, not even he has read a script draft. In his words: 'Anything you’ve heard about that movie is made up or a guess. No one in the world knows anything about the concept for the story except four people.'
• Animated Starfire Project: On the animated front, Starfire will headline her own show at DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation, with Josie Campbell executive producing. Gunn says this one lands under the 'Elseworlds' branding—so, adjacent, not mainline DCU canon.
• Recent Cameo: For those keeping track of DC’s deep bench of cameos, Starfire already managed a quick, wordless appearance in 'Creature Commandos'. Not exactly a launchpad, but at least the character’s on the board.

The Bottom Line

So, will we see Kharlamova trade in her Heated Rivalry drama for alien princess energy? Way too early to say, and we’re still a long way from actual casting. But you can add her name to the mix—and she’s not being subtle about it. For now, the closest thing DC has given us to news is a series of executive quotes and an animation project that technically 'counts, but not really'. If you’re watching for real, confirmed Starfire updates, there’s still a wait ahead. But for fans of spec casting, consider the campaign officially launched.