Batwoman Evolution: What Javicia Leslie’s New Role means for the War for Diversity.
New changes are coming to the CW’s Batwoman and it is a step in the right direction.
The heir to the bat cowl has been revealed as Javicia Leslie, who is known for TV roles on CBS’ God Friended Me (2018–2020), MacGyver (2017–2018). Leslie will be portraying the Crimson Knight for season 2 of CW’s Batwoman. This news came a few months after Ruby Rose announced her departure from the series.
Batwoman’s New Character
Leslie’s new role is a whole new character originated to the arrowverse, Ryan Wilder. From what it being reported, Leslie’s character, Ryan Wilder, can be described as a likable, goofy and someone who is “untamed.”
“ A Likable, messy, little goofy and untamed woman who’s 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. She is an out lesbian, athletic, raw, passionate, fallible and very much not your stereotypical All-American hero.”
Who is Javicia Leslie ?
Born from a military family, Leslie was born in Germany but called Marlboro, Maryland her home during her childhood. She moved around before residing in Los Angeles, 2012. Her acting resume is way beyond just being Batwoman.
Leslie’s most prominent role was Ali Finer, the sister of Miles Finer (Brandon Micheal Hall) in CBS’s God Friended Me. Finer acted as a support system for Miles during the show’s tenure.
On the film side of Hollywood life, She had a lead role in Yvette Nicole Brown’s 2019 rom-com, Always a Bridesmaid. She also starred in Lifetime’s Swim at your Own Risk.
But her resume overall is beyond acting.
She actually has government experience as well. She worked in Washington DC for little over two years, helping soldiers and their families receive pay for extended contracts.
In a April 2020 interview with Afterbuzz TV, Leslie discussed a time when she had the opportunity to continue in her governmental journey or step onto her Hollywood path, clearly we are witnessing what road she chose to go down.
The (Potential) Meaning of the Role
Leslie’s new role is one for the Hollywood history books as she will become the first Black actress to play the Gotham vigilante. The question I pose to readers: is this step in the right direction or simply a PR opportunity?
I can provide an answer: Call it, with caution I might add, “a step in the right direction”. As a person of color living in America, who is striving to become a member of the media, the only thing I ever asked for is PROPER representation in today’s media circuit.
As a lover of all thing superheroes and a 90s kid, the only time I ever had representation from my corner view of the world was in cartoons.
I had John Stewart, the Green Lantern in the Cartoon Network Justice League series and Static Shock on Kids WB during my Saturday morning childhoods. Speaking of Cartoon Network, Remember Codename: Kids Next Door, technically, it was not a superhero show but I would add the character “Numbah 5" to my list as well. Mind you that was during my childhood.
I envy today’s generation because the concept of a “Black superhero” is starting to become a common concept. Kids these day have “The Umbrella Academy’s Allison Hargreeves, Raising Dion’s very own Dion.
Of course, the Arrowverse itself have blessed us with Black superheroes from Legends of Tomorrow’s Hawkgirl(Ciara Reene) to Arrow’s Mister Terrific(Echo Kellum) and Spartan to Black Lightning’s Lightning(China Anne-Mclain), Thunder/Blackbird(Nafessa Williams) and the man himself “Black Lightning( Cress Williams) to The Flash’s Kid Flash(Keiynan Lonsdale) and XS(Jessica Parker Kennedy), Stargirl’s Dr. Mid-Nite(Anjelika Washington)and Supergirl gave us Guardian(Mechad Brooks).
One of the key solutions to proper representation in media is advocacy. It is important that we have people that are two things: people who do look like us that already established their seats at the table speaking on our behalf and people who don’t look like us whose money matches their ethics speaking on our behalf. It’s no secret that money talks in all industry. Media that is deemed popular can have a nasty effect on white people, causing perpetuated stereotypes to be enforced
Her Allies Rally Behind Her
Fellow superhero’s on social media expressed nothing but gratitude for Leslie new role.
Ruby Rose, among other arrowverse heroes, took to instagram to congratulate Leslie for getting the job.
“ OMG This is amazing said Rose in her instagram post. I am so glad Batwoman will be played by an amazing Black woman. 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 !! ”
It warms my DC Comics loving heart knowing that the Arrowverse family welcomes Javicia with open arms.
Overall Point
Leslie’s new role remains an anomaly for now. While casting her is fantastic, lets wait to hear what the critics think of her. She is already dealing with trolls. Leslie’s role, like her Gotham Predecessor, is a historic role and trolls, unfortunately, come with the hollywood territory. Leslie comes to Gotham City January 2021 on the CW. Let the countdown begin!
