Javicia Leslie Takes the Bat Cape as CW’s Batwoman

Javicia Leslie has accepted a monumental role as series lead for CW’s Batwoman. Leslie becomes the first ever Black Batwoman.

The God Friended Me co-star said on her latest casting, “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.”

Ruby Rose was formerly Batwoman as character, Kate Kane. Announcing her departure from the CW show back in May, Rose said it was not a decision made lightly.

Leslie will take on a new character, Ryan Wilder, who will become Batwoman.

The new character’s description reads, “Ryan Wilder is about to become Batwoman. 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.”

Caroline Dries, creater of the show and co-executive said on the decision to create a new character, “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”.

She further said that the introduction of a fresh character is to “respect everything that Ruby put into the Kate Kane character” and “helps the audience a little bit too, that we are not asking them to not address the elephant in the room.”

Ruby Rose reacts to the Batwoman recasting with an Instagram post of Leslie writing, “OMG!! This is amazing!! I am so glad Batwoman will be played by an amazing Black woman,” Rose wrote next to a photo of Leslie. “I want to congratulate Javicia Leslie on taking over the bat cape. You are walking into an amazing cast and crew.  I can’t wait to watch season 2 you are going to be amazing !!”

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