After years in the works, DC’s Batgirl movie is officially in pre-production, and fans are eager to see the world of Barbara Gordon / Batgirl realized in live-action. With Leslie Grace now cast in the titular role, and concept art debuting at last weekend’s DC FanDome virtual convention, the excitement surrounding the film is only seeming to grow. As the pre-production process on Batgirl marches on, a new casting description has fans raising their eyebrows. A new post from Kate Ringsell Casting for an “untitled Warner Bros. action film” calls for an Asian-American transgender woman in their mid/late 20s. Some have begun to wonder if the casting call could be for Batgirl, and could be for one of Barbara’s best friends in the comics, Alysia Yeoh.
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Created by Gail Simone and Ardian Syaf, Alysia first made her debut in 2011’s Batgirl #1, as she and Barbara became roommates. A painter and bartender who aspired to be a professional chef, Alysia and Barbara quickly became friends — something that was complicated when Alysia briefly dated Barbara’s serial killer brother, James Gordon Jr.. Alysia came out as a transgender woman in Batgirl #19, making her the first canon transgender character in DC Comics. Alysia has remained a close friend of Barbara’s in the decade since, and got married to a political activist named Jo Munoz. An alternate version of Alysia also appeared in the Bombshells universe, as a member of the Batgirls group inspired by Batwoman.
Adding to the speculation surrounding whether or not this casting call could be for Alysia, Simone took to Twitter to acknowledge that it would be a “pretty big coincidence if not.”
Batgirl will star Grace as Barbara Gordon, with J.K. Simmons expected to return as Commissioner James Gordon, and Jacob Scipio cast in a currently-unknown role. The project is helmed by Ms. Marvel and Bad Boys For Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, with a script from Birds of Prey and The Flash screenwriter Christina Hodson.
“I’ve never fought in my life, so we are working really hard every day to get my body used to all the motions!” Grace said in a recent interview with Billboard of her preparation for the film. “I’m also reading a ton of comics and, believe it or not, keeping my eye out for tweets from our beloved DC comic fans to see what they are excited to see in my iteration of Babs! Research is everything.”
“I’m so excited to honor this iconic character whose legacy spans over 50 years,” Grace continued. “It’s a huge responsibility but also an honor — and I want to do my very best to make sure she gets the best of all I have to give!”
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Image courtesy of DC Comics
