Javicia Leslie made history in July when she was cast in the titular role of the CW’s Batwoman, making her the first Black woman to play the lesbian superhero on television. Instead of taking over as Ruby Rose’s Kate Kane, Leslie will be starring as a new character named Ryan Wilder.
Now, the bisexual actor has offered the first official look of what her character will look like in costume.
Over the weekend, Leslie shared a picture on Instagram of her in the signature red wig, cowl, and cape worn by the iconic superhero. “Look out, Gotham, I’m suited up and ready to go,” she wrote in the post’s caption. “But just wait until Ryan Wilder puts her own spin on the Batsuit.”
Rose made headlines in May when she abruptly left the show after just one season. She later addressed the exit in an Entertainment Weekly interview, implying that was only partially because of the severe back injury she sustained following an on-set accident.
“It wasn’t so much [the injury], especially because after we wrapped up we didn’t get to finish the real finale because of COVID,” she said in August. “You know, you have time in quarantine and sort of isolation to just think about a lot of different things and what you want to achieve in life and what you want to do. I think for both [me and the producers], it was a great opportunity to have a dialogue about a lot of things. I respect them so much and they’ve been so respectful to me.”
When Leslie was announced to succeed the Batwoman role in July, Rose congratulated the actress for “taking over the bat cape.”
“You are walking into an amazing cast and crew,” Rose wrote in an Instagram post dedicated to Leslie. “I can’t wait to watch season 2 you are going to be amazing!!”
At the time, Leslie said in a statement that she is “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.”
Leslie, who has previously appeared in the series God Friended Me, will be the second Black queer superhero on TV after Nafessa Williams, who plays Anissa Pierce on the CW’s Black Lightning.
Even though fans may be pumped to watch Leslie as the first Black, bisexual Batwoman, they’ll have to watch until season 2 premieres on the CW in January 2021.
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