'Batgirl' casts Fil-Am actress Ivory Aquino as first-ever trans character in DC Comics film

Filipino American actress Ivory Aquino has been cast as DC’s first transgender character “Alysia Yeoh” in the upcoming 2022 DC film “Batgirl.”

Ivory Aquino will portray the best friend of the titular superhero, whose alter ego is Barbara Gordon, played by Leslie Grace. The actress, who is also transgender, is making history for her part starring in the first live-action film adaptation of a DC Comics property to feature an openly trans character.

The DC character Alysia Yeoh first appeared in a 2011 issue of “Batgirl” that was written by Gail Simone and illustrated by Ardian Syaf, according to Variety.

The casting was first leaked on social media when the American actress Leslie Grace posted a photo of ​​two women crossing the street in what appears to be the film’s set on her Instagram story. Grace tagged Aquino and captioned the post, “Barbara and Alysia 😍🦇.”

Aquino, who is the niece of former Philippine president Corazon Aquino, was born in the Philippines and moved to the U.S. when she was a teenager, according to Rappler. She is best known for her role in ABC’S 2017 docudrama “When We Rise.” Aquino has also appeared in Netflix’s 2019 drama miniseries “When They See Us” and “Tales of the City” and in the 2019 film “Lingua Franca.”

Other cast members of the upcoming “Batgirl” film include J.K. Simmons, Brendan Fraser, Michael Keaton and Jacob Scipio.

HBO Max’s “Batgirl,” which is produced by DC Films and Burr! Productions, is being directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah and features a screenplay by Christina Hodson. The film is currently slated for a 2022 release date on the streaming platform.

Featured Image via @msivoryaquino (left), DC Comics (right)

Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark!

Trailer: Highly anticipated 'Chainsaw Man' anime promises dark, surreal trip full of gore

'I’m actually a fierce lion': 'Survivor' has its first winner of Filipino descent

Keanu Reeves says he wasn't really sad in the 'Sad Keanu' meme photo

Daughter of NYC elderly woman beaten in broad daylight weighs in on new anti-Asian racism film