Javicia Leslie opened up about being the first Black actress to play Batwoman in a live-action TV show during a DC FanDome panel Saturday in support of the show.
‘I wanted to be a Black superhero; you don’t get to see that that often,’ the 33-year-old actress said, noting that she had previously aspired to play a superhero in an interview the previous month.
‘A month later, I become the first Black Batwoman, so I think that that’s’ fate, adding, ‘it really hits the nail on the head when it’s like, speak your dreams, speak your affirmations and truly just know that whatever you truly want to do, and you go towards it, it can happen.’
Rising star: Javicia Leslie, 33, opened up about being the first Black actress to play Batwoman in a live-action TV show during a DC FanDome panel Saturday in support of the show
The German-born beauty, who inherited the role from Ruby Rose, 34, said she feels it’s extra special that the character is bisexual as she is, and hopes to be a role model and voice for young people.
‘I was scrolling through all the followers and I saw all the rainbows in the bios,’ she said of her social media. ‘I felt like exactly what I wanted to be, which was a role model.’
She continued: ‘I feel honored, I feel excited. I feel like there are so many little Javicias that don’t have voices; little Black girls that didn’t have a voice; little bisexual, bicurious, lesbian, gay, everything that just didn’t have voices.
‘And I feel honored to be able to be a voice for my community – and the entirety of my community.’
Big picture: The actress said of the role, ‘I feel honored to be able to be a voice for my community – and the entirety of my community’
Leslie said she feels it’s extra special that the character is bisexual as she is, and hopes to be a role model and voice for young people
Leslie, who’s also been seen on God Friended Me, said that representation is what sets the role apart from past ones she’s had.
‘To play a character that represents my community in the same way, that’s not a common thing as an actress — to also be a part of a community and play a character of a community,’ she said. ‘It feels really powerful. With everything that’s going on right now, this is what we need. We need to see representation.’
She said that the role, which has an alter ego of Ryan Wilder, complements her strengths.
‘When I read the character description, it was definitely me,’ she said. ‘I love the idea that it’s goofy meets bada** meets a person who doesn’t like to be told what to do.
‘A person who does not like to follow the rules. I loved the fact that Ryan was just who I am, just a hot mess!’
Important: Leslie, who’s also been seen on God Friended Me, said that representation is what sets the role apart from past ones she’s had
The German-born beauty inherited the role from Ruby Rose, 34, (pictured) with a different alter ego named Ryan Wilder
Building anticipation: The show’s second season is slated to hit the air next year
Showrunner Caroline Dries opened up about the character on the panel and her background.
‘We have a new hero rising into Gotham,’ she said. ‘She has a lot going against her. Growing up, she was a statistic of injustice when she was born. The system was not built for this person.
‘She will constantly battle against the system. She’s battled it her whole life and she’ll continue to battle against it as Batwoman.’
Leslie also spoke about the superhero’s costume and the specifics she and Dries are looking at.
‘Caroline and I were also talking about how important it is that, if we’re going to have a Black Batwoman, that she needs to become a “sistah” when she becomes Batwoman,’ she said. ‘It’s important for her to feel the silhouette, for her to still look like that – more of a natural textured hair and things like that. We’re still putting things together. I can’t wait.’
Prior to Leslie, Black actress Kimberly Brooks performed the voice of the character in a 2003 direct-to-video animated movie titled, Batman: Mystery Of The Batwoman.
The show’s second season is slated to hit the air next year.