Erica Durance, known as Lois Lane in Smallville , joins the cast of Supergirl.

After playing the role of Alura, Supergirl's mother, for two seasons, Broadway star Laura Benanti is leaving the show and will be replaced by Durance for season three. Executive producer Andrew Kreisberg said in a statement,

"Unfortunately Laura, who Greg [Berlanti] and I have worked with for years going back to Eli Stone, was unable to continue in the role due to work commitments in New York," executive producer Andrew Kreisberg said in a statement. "But we are so blessed that Erica has come aboard to offer her own interpretation of Kara's mother. We had tremendous success with a former Lois Lane last season with Teri Hatcher. We know Erica will continue the proud tradition of legacy actors joining our shows and creating new and exciting takes on classic DC characters."

Season three already has a new villain, Odette Annable, who will be playing a character called Reign, a super-powerful Worldkiller from Krypton, Supergirl's home planet.

Supergirl returns this fall on The CW.