After Ruby Rose exited the CW Bawoman series, Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. have found their new leading star in God Friended Me co-star Javicia Leslie.
According to Deadline, regarding the casting, Leslie said “I am extremely proud to be the first Black actress to play the iconic role of Batwoman on television, and as a bisexual woman, I am honored to join this groundbreaking show which has been such a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community.”
Caroline Dries, who helped to develop the series for television and served as executive producer for Season 1 alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Geoff Johns gave some insight earlier on the new character named Ryan Wilder set to be played by Leslie, saying “I’m inventing a whole new character who in her past was inspired by Batwoman, so she will take on the mantle and is completely maybe not the right person at the time to be doing it, so that’s what makes it fun…”
Leslie’s other credits include BET drama series The Family Business and a feature in Always a Bridesmaid. The character description set to take on the mantle of Batwoman is as follows.
She’s likable, messy, a little goofy and untamed. She’s also nothing like Kate Kane, the woman who wore the Batsuit before her. With no one in her life to keep her on track, Ryan spent years as a drug-runner, dodging the GCPD and masking her pain with bad habits. Today Ryan lives in her van with her plant. A girl who would steal milk for an alley cat and also could kill you with her bare hands, Ryan is the most dangerous type of fighter: highly skilled and wildly undisciplined. An out lesbian. Athletic. Raw. Passionate. Fallible. And very much not your stereotypical All-American hero.
Be sure to stay tuned to Comic Watch for more as it is released!