The CW finds Its New Batwoman in Javicia Leslie!
Guess what! The CW has a new Batwoman and her name is Javicia Leslie.
Javicia is the first Black actress to play the DC Comics heroine in live-action. How cool is that?
The trailblazer is stepping into the void left by Ruby Rose, who portrayed Batwoman and exited the series at the end of season 1.
“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,” the actress said in a statement.
According to reports, the new Batwoman’s alter ego is named Ryan Wilder and is the complete opposite of Ruby’s version.
“Ryan Wilder is about to become Batwoman,” a description reads. “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 could also 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.”
As of right now, it appears as though Ryan is an original character and doesn’t have an analogue in the comics.
“As a lesbian who’s been working as a writer for the past fifteen years, I’m well aware of the ‘Bury Your Gays’ trope and I have no interest in participating in it,” showrunner Caroline Dries said in a statement. “That’s why it’s important to me as the showrunner to clarify any misinformation out there about Kate Kane and recasting Batwoman. Like you, I love Kate Kane — she’s the reason I wanted to do the show. We’ll never erase her. In fact, her disappearance will be one of the mysteries of season two. I don’t want to give away any of our surprises, but to all our devoted fans, please know that LGBTQ+ justice is at the very core of what Batwoman is and we have no intention of abandoning that.”
We can’t wait!