Javicia Leslie, who will portray Ryan Wilder in Season 2 of The CW's Batwoman, admitted she feels great personal responsibility every time she puts on the cowl.
"I'm constantly reminded about what this means to so many people and how this has really nothing to do with me and everything to do with what putting on that suit means," Leslie recently told The Los Angeles Times. "The first time I put the suit on, I immediately felt an immense amount of responsibility to save the world. Me, Javicia. Not even me as Ryan."
Leslie continued to explain that this responsibility is rooted in the fact that Ryan Wilder is a Black woman and lesbian, noting, "Someone will be impacted and someone will feel represented and someone will feel more powerful."
Leslie was announced as the new Batwoman in July 2020, after the show’s original star Ruby Rose exited the series after one season. In the same interview, Leslie revealed that she was excited to step into the role because Ryan isn't a perfect human or a perfect superhero.
"I think that there’s almost this idea that superheroes are supposed to be perfect," Leslie continued. "They all have something in their past that they struggle with, but you see them as these bright lights." She added, "Ryan, she was more impacted by the things that happened in her life, so she carries that weight, and I think that that’s something that I connected with her."
Leslie added that her being the first Black actress to portray the superhero in a live-action production is "only the beginning." "I can only imagine where entertainment is going to go when it comes to making sure that superheroes represent everybody," the actor continued. "I just look forward to seeing what other kinds of superheroes we’re gonna get from the start of this and other shows like this."
It was previously revealed that Batwoman's Season 2 premiere, titled "What Happened to Kate Kane?", will find the homeless Ryan Wilder trying on Kate Kane's Batsuit after stumbling upon it. In her new role, Ryan will come face-to-face with a new gang called the False Face Society, as well as a Bruce Wayne imposter. Ryan won't experience her first true hero/villain face-off until Season 3, Episode 2, "Prior Criminal History."
Batwoman stars Javicia Leslie, Rachel Skarsten, Meagan Tandy, Camrus Johnson, Dougray Scott and Nicole Kang. Season 2 premieres on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.
Source: The Los Angeles Times