Ever since we learned that 33-year-old bisexual actress Javicia Leslie would be taking over the reins from Ruby Rose as the new lead in The CW's queer, DC superhero series Batwoman, we've been eagerly awaiting some kind of first look of Javicia's new character Ryan Wilder... well, thanks to Canadagraphs, we've finally got some on-set pics from Batwoman season 2 to keep us happy!
Though the ongoing, global pandemic still has a lot of stateside movie and TV productions on hold, filming for the superpowered, queer-centric Arrowverse show resumed in Canada this week, and although she isn't suited up as Batwoman just yet, we do see Javicia interacting with the rest of the cast and crew for the first time as they filmed an action-packed scene at a local market in New Westminster, British Columbia.
These one-set pics mark the first time we're seeing Javicia in action as the Ryan Wilder since her casting as the new Batwoman was announced earlier this year in July.
"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, who was previously known for her role in CBS' God Friended Me, told Variety in a statement when the news of her casting first broke.
And shortly after the Batwoman season 2 on-set pics were posted online, Javicia herself took to Instagram to bless the Arrowverse stans with more exclusive content, revealing the first official look at the superheroine donning her iconic Batsuit mask and red wig!
"Look out, Gotham, I'm suited up and ready to go," Javicia captioned the picture. "But just wait until Ryan Wilder puts her own spin on the Batsuit."
Of course, the internet was loving it all!
None— Rogier (@Rogier) 1600906827
Instead of the beloved Arrowverse show recasting Ruby's previous character Kate Kane, Leslie will be playing the role of a new series lead named Ryan Wilder.
"She's likable, messy, a little goofy, and untamed," a now-deleted casting notice said, describing the Ryan Wilder character. "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, reformed and sober, Ryan lives in a van with her plant. A girl who would steal milk from an alley cat and could also kill you with her bare hands, Ryan is the most dangerous type of fighter: highly skilled and wildly disciplined. An out lesbian. Athletic. Raw. Passionate. Fallible. And very much not your stereotypical All-American hero."
Though this was just a small, tiny peek at what fans can expect, we can't wait to see what else Batwoman season 2 has in store for us when it premieres in January 2021!
