After years of anticipation, Batgirl is finally headed into live-action, with a new movie that is expected to be released exclusively on HBO Max. Earlier this summer, In the Heights star Leslie Grace was cast in the titular role of Barbara Gordon / Batgirl, and the actress has spoken publicly about how excited she is to embody the character. In a recent interview with Billboard, Grace shed some light on the process of preparing to star in Batgirl, ranging from physical training to keeping an eye on the tweets from DC Comics-savvy fans.
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“Lots and lots of training! I’m currently fight-training every day with my amazing ‘martial arts mom,’ Ming Qiu, who cracks the whip!” Grace revealed with a laugh. “I’ve never fought in my life, so we are working really hard every day to get my body used to all the motions! 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!”
The Batgirl film has been in the works in some capacity since 2017, and has ramped up development in recent months, enlisting Ms. Marvel and Bad Boys For Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah to helm the upcoming project. The Batgirl script is written by Christina Hodson, whose work includes Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) and the upcoming The Flash movie.
“She’s someone who’s been underestimated by even her own dad and being the youngest kid, sometimes you’re insulated from all of the tough stuff of life and she’s so eager to prove to herself and to everybody else that there’s some things that she can handle,” Grace said in a previous interview. “So, this journey is definitely going to show me a lot of that. I feel like I’m on an endless journey of proving to myself what barriers I can break, what limits I can break for myself and I’m excited to put a little bit of that eagerness and drive and, like, almost a bit of stubbornness into Barbara’s character.”
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