Isabela Merced Flies In As Hawkgirl For Progressive Insurance’s Superhero-Themed Campaign

When car trouble strikes, even superheroes sometimes need backup. Progressive Insurance is swooping in to help save the day in a very superhero way.

Teaming up with DC, Warner Bros., and the highly anticipated DC Studios "Superman" film, Progressive is putting its in-app safety feature, Accident Response, in the spotlight with some help from Hawkgirl herself, Isabela Merced.

To celebrate the collaboration, Progressive unveiled a life-sized, comic-style diorama at the film’s world premiere, where attendees had the opportunity to pose like superheroes for a memorable moment.

Actress Isabela Merced, who plays the role of Hawkgirl in the new “Superman” film, sat down with The Blast to talk about her partnership with Progressive, what it was like playing Hawkgirl, and what’s next for her in film and music. 

To help bring this superhero experience to life, Progressive debuted a life-sized, comic-inspired diorama at the “Superman” world premiere, where attendees had the chance to step into the action and showcase their own superhero moment. 

The campaign also puts a superhero spin on Accident Response in a series of TV spots featuring Flo and Jamie. 

“With Accident Response, we’re putting real help right at our customers’ fingertips the moment they need it,” said Meghan Walsh, Business Leader, Integrated Marketing at Progressive Insurance. “Teaming up with 'Superman' gives us a bold, fun way to showcase just how powerful that support can feel—because when the unexpected happens, Progressive can help save the day.”

Progressive Insurance partnered with DC and Warner Bros. and the upcoming DC Studios “Superman” film to help shine some light on their in-app safety feature, Accident Response, a real-time resource designed to help drivers when they need it most. To help bring the experience to life, Hawkgirl from the film is stepping in to assist.

“I guess when it comes to ‘Superman,’ I feel like the great thing about him is that he's always there right when you need him, but he's not a real person. So I guess it made sense to me that they tied it in with the movie. I think it's clever,” she told The Blast exclusively. 

“I also really just love that they paid an homage to the “Action Comics” #1 cover. I just think it's clever and it's cute, and it totally makes sense for the movie. And as somebody who's a member of the Justice Gang, temporary name for now, it totally feels right.”

At the ‘Superman’ premiere, attendees had the opportunity to step right into the action for a photo inspired by the iconic “Action Comics” #1 cover, featuring a life-sized diorama of a branded car replica suspended mid-air. 

Merced told The Blast that filming the new movie was “great” and she “absolutely loved the sci-fi part.” 

“Sci-fi is my favorite genre and also the big pull for me was James Gunn and how he is just, he has such a clear vision. And you’ll see with this movie that the world is so distinct, and it feels like a real respectful version of ‘Superman’ from the comics,” she said. “As someone who’s a loyal fan of the DC universe, I grew up watching Justice League Unlimited as well as the ‘Superman’ animated series. I absolutely had to get on board and also continue the legacy of Latinas playing Hawkgirl. It just felt right.” 

When discussing the character of Hawkgirl, Merced said she wishes she could be more like her, “more fierce and independent.” 

“I think she inspires me a lot in that way. She’s not afraid. She doesn’t have a mask really. She’s very clear with what she wants to do and what she doesn’t want to do and where she stands and her respect for people is earned and not just given,” she continued. “I think she is the youngest member of the Justice Gang and she is the only woman. I’m used to being in that position, being the only woman and youngest in the room usually, so it was fun for me to explore, like what a less filtered and on paper, a bubbly version of me would have been like in a work environment.” 

The biggest challenge for Merced while filming “Superman” was something she didn’t consider would be a challenge ahead of time. 

“The physicality of it. I am not afraid of heights, but I did not consider, for some reason, it did not click in my brain, that I would be in a harness the whole time as a bird person. I’m slightly, moderately claustrophobic, so I tend to panic when I’m in tight spaces and with a harness and a super suit, it was really tight,” she explained to The Blast. “So I think that was the biggest challenge for me. Especially being there all-day long filming like that and not really being able to take breaks. You do what you can to get the scene done. That challenged me very much mentally and physically.” 

In addition to all the amazing acting credits on Merced’s resume, she’s also a singer and songwriter. When asked if she loves one over the other, she said “music and acting are very similar, but they do live in different places in my brain.” 

“I have a music studio that I’m building right now, so it’s something that I’m actively investing in and wanting to expand on,” she said. “I have a song coming out August 15 that’s like a salsa version of a song that I have from 2019 with a Peruvian Grammy-winning producer. It’s a big deal. It’s something that I’m still actively hustling with, but I’d say I’ve taken more of a priority in acting, but music has always been a part of my life. I like to treat music more as a hobby as opposed to a job, whereas I feel like acting is more of a job for me.” 

After the new single comes out on August 15, Merced hopes the music video will soon follow. She’s also planning some live performances. 

Before ending the chat with Merced, we thought it could be fun to shoot some rapid-fire questions out there. 

TB: What’s the last TV show you binged, and what’s next?

IM: “The last TV show I binge watched was actually the other day. I was watching ‘Love Island’ trying to get what people were talking about, and I was entertained. It was a social experiment for me. What am I going to watch next? I would say ‘Overcompensating.’ That sounds like a fun show.”

TB: What’s your dream travel destination that you’ve not visited yet?

IM: “I would love to go to Thailand.” 

TB: What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

IM: “My favorite way to spend the day off is doing nothing, probably playing on my Switch, or playing video games, and then being outside with my dogs, doing a lot of self-care.”

TB: If you could play any superhero other than Hawkgirl, who would it be?

IM: “That’s a good question. That’s a really good question. I would say, I mean, I guess I could play a man, too, if it’s up to me. I think I would love to give it a go with The Flash. I really was a big fan of The Flash.”

TB: Is there something you’ve never done that you would love to?

IM: “I’ve done a lot at a very young age. I would say probably a backflip on the ground. I’ve done a backflip on the trampoline, but not on the ground. I would love to see if I could do that. Then I would definitely need to call Progressive.”

"Superman" releases in theaters on July 11, 2025.