The CW series is breaking further ground when it comes to representation after announcing their new casting for the role of Batwoman -- Javicia Leslie, a Black bisexual actress.

Variety reports that The CW has chosen Javicia Leslie to play the role of Batwoman in the show’s second season. Leslie is Black and bisexual, which fits the commitment of the show’s producers to cast an actress who is also part of the LGBTQ community.

In a tweet, Leslie expressed her pride at becoming the first Black actress to play Batwoman. As a bisexual woman, she also said she was honored to join Batwoman in continuing to break new ground for the LGBTQ community.

Batwoman broke new ground two years ago when it announced the casting of actress and model Ruby Rose in the iconic role. Rose is a genderfluid lesbian who portrayed the first openly lesbian lead superhero on a television series.

While Leslie will be taking over the cowl as Batwoman, she will be playing an entirely different character from Rose’s Kate Kane. Leslie will play Ryan Wilder, an out lesbian with a past as a drug runner and who is “not your stereotypical All-American hero.”

Deadline reports that previous Batwoman Rose seems happy with the casting, posting a photo of Leslie on her Instagram page and saying in the captions that she was glad an amazing Black woman would be taking over the role. Rose expressed her excitement at getting to watch Leslie on season two of the show. 

Ruby Rose had previously shocked fans when she announced that she would not return as Batwoman on the show’s second season. While Rose did not elaborate on her reasons for leaving the show, speculation abounded that both Rose and the production were unhappy over how the show was being made.

There were also rumors that the two herniated discs Rose suffered while filming stunts for Batwoman was part of the reason why the actress chose not to return for the second season of the show.

According to Caroline Drie, the showrunner for Batwoman, the decision to create an entirely new character to take on the role of Batwoman was the production’s way to respect the work rose put into Kate Kan, while at the same time making it easier for the audience to accept a new actress in the role.

When production will start on the show’s second season is something that is not as sure as the global coronavirus pandemic continues to rage in the United States. According to the July 9 update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are now 3,047,671 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States. Deaths cause by COVID-19 are now at 132,056.