Mercy Graves is a character originally created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini and can be traced back over 20 years to the 1996 episode of Superman: The Animated Series called A Little Piece of Home.
However, she would come to be known as Lex Luthor’s bodyguard and close associate.
In the fourth season The CW’s Supergirl, Mercy Graves is played by Rhona Mitra. She remains Lex’s bodyguard but also has a mission of her own. Graves will attempt to spearhead the rising human-first movement, and she will step into the spotlight with both Lex and Lillian and prison.
But who is the woman behind this character? Rhona Mitra has quite the extensive resume in television. Starting back to 1995, where she played Cass in Ghostbusters of East Finchley.
However, it was her modelling that first brought to the attention of the public. Between 1997 and 1998 she was the official Lara Croft model, and this exposure helped to launch Mitra’s acting career.
Over the years, she’s worked on The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous, Party of Five, Gideon’s Crossing, The Practice, Boston Legal, Nip/Tuck, SGU Stargate Universe, The Gate, Strike Back, and The Last Ship Prequel: Dr. Scott’s Video Journal. Mitra’s awards nominations include a Screen Actors Guild Award from 2006 for her work on Boston Legal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4gcIdPQpcs
She also has movie experience, filming Hollow Man with Kevin Bacon back in 2000, Sweet Home Alabama, Spartacus, The Number 23, and The Loft. Mitra also had one of the lead roles in Neil Marshall post-apocalyptic thriller Doomsday.
Other than Supergirl, Rhona Mitra has also filmed Game Over, Man! this year and provided voice work for Squadron 42, a video game with a 2019 release date.
Many of Mitra’s roles have been fairly action-based, with the star’s physicality seeing her cast in a number of strong female roles.
Mitra was born in Paddington, England, but she’s of mixed heritage with her father being of Indian descent. Her parents divorced when she was eight and Mitra was sent to boarding school, though she was eventually expelled from two different institutions.
Little is known about her personal life, with her Instagram mostly filled with photos of drawings, horses and her work.Supergirl airs on Sundays at 8/7c on CW.