Movies
Batgirl Set Photos Suggest DC Film’s First Trans Character Is Coming
‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Suggest DC Film’s First Trans Character Is Coming
The set photos are serving up clues.
rachelkiley
January 18 2022 1:42 PM EST
May 26 2023 12:25 PM EST
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Batgirl Set Photos Suggest DC Film’s First Trans Character Is Coming
The set photos are serving up clues.
We’ve still got a lot to learn about the upcoming Batgirl film, but it looks like we might have gotten a glimpse of a fan favorite trans character joining the movie.
Ivory Aquino, a trans, Filipina-American actress, was spotted on set with Leslie Grace, who plays the titular hero in the upcoming HBO Max film.
\u201cmore pictures of leslie with jacob scipio and ivory aquino on set. #batgirl (jan 18, 2022)\n\n\ud83d\udcf7: [Ewan Bootman / REX]\u201d— best of leslie grace (@best of leslie grace) 1642528521
\u201cMore photos from the set of #Batgirl showing Leslie Grace, Jacob Scipio, & Ivory Aquino \ud83e\udd87 \n\n[\ud83d\udcf8@PimPamCreative]\u201d— Batgirl Film News \ud83e\udd87 (@Batgirl Film News \ud83e\udd87) 1642515926
Word went out last October that Batgirl was looking to cast a trans Asian American woman for the role of “Alanna.” According to ScreenRant, the role’s description sounded similar to that of Alysia Yeoh, Barbara Gordon’s roommate and best friend first introduced in Batgirl by writer Gail Simone in 2011.
Alysia came out as trans by issue #19 of the run, and dated both Barbara’s brother, James, and a woman named Jo, the latter of whom she eventually married in the comics.
As plot details for Batgirl the movie have been largely kept under wraps, we don’t know for sure that Alysia will be part of the line-up, or what type of role she’ll play relative to the plot if she is. But fans of the character are hopeful after photos of Aquino on set started circulating.
\u201cBarbra Gordon and Alysia Yeoh straight out of the comics! \ud83e\udd87 #Batgirl\u201d— Batgirl Film News \ud83e\udd87 (@Batgirl Film News \ud83e\udd87) 1642457617
\u201cALYSIA YEOH CONFIRMED FOR THE BATGIRL MOVIE WE'RE GETTING OUR FIRST TRANS DC CHARACTER IN LIVE ACTION LETS FFFFUUUUUCKING GOOOOOOOOO\u201d— Catwoman-Core \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f (@Catwoman-Core \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f) 1642525796
\u201cIf that\u2019s her in the movie, I hope DC Comics understands they are now under legal obligation to bring Alysia Yeoh back into the comics continuity. This is not a request.\u201d— Carol Anne Talks Comics! \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Carol Anne Talks Comics! \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1642436450
Even Simone herself tweeted out something that left fans even more confident that Alysia has joined the crew.
\u201cIT\u2019S OKAY, EVERYONE, I AM JUST FREAKING OUT A LITTLE RIGHT NOW I\u2019LL BE FINE BUT THERE IS A BATGIRL MOVIE COMING OUT BY A TERRIFIC WRITER AND ALYSIA YEOH IS IN IT JOYYYYYYYYYYY\u201d— Gail Simone \ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udc9b (@Gail Simone \ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udc9b) 1642432257
The film, which was written by Birds of Prey scribe Christina Hodson and is being directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, has also cast J.K. Simmons, Brendon Fraser, Jacob Scipio, and Michael Keaton so far, and is slated for release sometime later this year.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.