The Flash’s Jessica Parker Kennedy Knew Nora’s Identity For Months

As the West-Allen family continues growing in the strangest of ways, it shouldn’t have come as a shock to any when hearing that Jessica Parker Kennedy was one of the latest to sign on as a series regular, thus assuring that we’ll be seeing much, much more of Nora, Barry and Iris’ daughter from the future in The Flash‘s fifth season.

Originally having been introduced during last fall’s crossover event, “Crisis on Earth-X,” Nora confounded viewers and press alike, reappearing at various points throughout the year. Being dubbed “the Mystery Girl,” she eventually revealed her true identity in season 4’s finale – and that, much like her father, she apparently enjoys the pastime that is screwing with the timeline.

Of course, not all actors and actresses are privy to major twists ahead of time, as they may not even learn what’s going on until the day of shooting. But in the case of Nora, Jessica was given ample heads up, which she revealed to Cinema Blend at San Diego Comic-Con:

“Yeah, I knew for months. It was a really stressful thing to not talk about. Also, because Costumes didn’t know, and there was still some cast that didn’t know. So it was awful, because I was there, and they were like, ‘Tell us who you are, tell us who you are.’ And I was like, ‘I think if I tell you who I am, I might get fired before I really even get started. So yeah, I knew for a long time.”

What’s funny about this is that the producers leave certain performers completely in the dark, while others get to know pretty much everything. Stephen Amell is oftentimes an example of the latter, but considering how her character is poised to factor heavily into the story going forward, it’s understandable that Kennedy be generously briefed:

“To be really honest with you, they told me quite a bit. And then it was so long before I ended up working and doing it, that I kind of forgot a lot. And it wasn’t until I went to the writers room the other day and got refreshed, and got more details about what’s going on. So now I know most of the season, and what’s going on, but they told it to me in a flash. They told me as fast as they could possibly tell me, so I was trying to take all of it in. There’s so much in every season.”

The Flash returns for its fifth season on Tuesday, October 9 on The CW, so be sure to tune in then in order to learn more about the heroine known as XS.