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Leslie Grace ’s role in “In the Heights” clearly impressed studio executives because news broke today that the actress signed on to be the new ‘Batgirl.’
According to Deadline, Warner Bros And DC Films have chosen the Latina actress to play Barbara Gordon in ‘Batgirl.’ In the lineup for the role were actresses, Isabella Merced , Zoey Deutch, and Haley Lu Richardson, according to Deadline.
After the news came out, Grace tweeted about her excitement, “I am BEYOND EXCITED to embody Barbara Gordon, your #Batgirl,” Leslie tweeted after the news broke. “I cannot believeeee what I’m writing rn… THANK YOU DC for welcoming to the family! I’m ready to give her all I’ve got!”
The film will debut on HBO Max in 2023 and the filmmakers behind it are Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the team who made Bad Boys for Life, according to The Root. Christina Hodson, who was responsible for writing Birds of Prey and The Flash) will be writing the script for this new DC film. Kristin Burr is producing, according to Deadline.
The character, Barbara Gordon is the daughter of Gotham police commissioner Jim Gordon, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Past actresses who played Gordon include Yvonne Craig who played Batgirl on the ’60s TV show, and then Alicia Silverstone played her in Joel Schumacher’s 1997 movie Batman & Robin, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
‘In The Heights’ was the 26-year-old’s breakout film. Prior to getting her feet wet in acting, she is also a three-time Latin Grammy-nominated singer. Grace was born in the Bronx and raised in Davie, Florida where her mom ran a hair salon. Grace is the youngest of five siblings and was known to always be singing and dancing from a young age.