“OMG!! This is amazing!! I am so glad Batwoman will be played by an amazing Black woman,” Rose gushed. “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 !!”
“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,” Leslie said in a statement, as per Variety.
A post shared by Ruby Rose (@rubyrose) on Jul 8, 2020 at 3:35pm PDT
She also shared the exciting news on Instagram as well, captioning the post: “For all of the little black girls dreaming to be a superhero one day… it’s possible!”
Leslie will play a new character on the show named Ryan Wilder, Variety reported. This character is described as “likable, messy, a little goofy and untamed,” unlike Rose’s character, Kate Kane. “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,” the outlet explained.
A post shared by Javicia Leslie (@javicia) on Jul 8, 2020 at 3:55pm PDT
Ryan lives in a vant, and “is the most dangerous type of fighter,” Variety continued. Ryan is “highly skilled and wildly undisciplined. She is an out lesbian, athletic, raw, passionate, fallible, and very much not your stereotypical All-American hero.”
Leslie previously starred in God Friended Me for two seasons along with the BET series The Family Business and the film Always a Bridesmaid.
Rose exited the role in May, which shocked fans. Rumors swirled of onset drama, and friction regarding her work hours. She shared a video on Instagram after the announcement was made, and cryptically noted that “It wasn’t an easy decision but those who know, know.”
“I didn’t want to not acknowledge everyone involved and how big this was for TV and for our community,” Rose added. “I have stayed silent because that’s my choice for now but know I adore you all.”
Batwoman is expected to return to the CW to air on Sunday nights in January 2021.
Newsweek did not receive comment from Ruby Rose or Javicia Leslie at the time of publication.
