Batgirl Casts Ivory Aquino As First Trans Character In A DC Comics Feature Film

“When We Rise” actor Ivory Aquino has been put into the role of Alysia Yeoh in the upcoming DC comics movie, ‘Batgirl’. Yeoh’s appearance well marks the first time a live-action film adaptation of a DC Comics title will feature an openly trans character.

Few Facts about the film

Actually, the character, which was first appeared in a 2011 issue of “Batgirl” written by Gail Simone and which is penciled by Ardian Sya, is the best friend of the titular superhero aka Barbara Gordon. The film, set at HBO Max, also features actors Leslie, J. K. Simmons (as Barbara’s father, Gotham City police commissioner Jim Gordon), Brendan Fraser ( as the unspecified main villain), Michael Keaton (reprising his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman, which he will first do in “The Flash” in late 2022) and Jacob Scipio (in an unknown role). Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (“Bad Boys For Life”) are directors of the movie.

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Who is Aquino?

Aquino is a transgender in real life, who is best known for her performances in the Netflix series “Tales of the City”, ABC’s “When We Rise”, and also “When They See Us”.

Both Yeoh and Aquino are transgenders

Both are trans-actors, marketing the first time live-action feature film adaptation of a DC Comics title will feature an openly trans character. Yeoh has first appeared in a 2011 issue of Batgirl.

LGBTQ+ representation in superhero adaptations

Over the past few years, there have been several strides in broadening LGBTQ+ representation in superhero adaptations, especially on Television. In 2021, Marvel Studios’ Disney Plus series “Loki”, the title character, played by Tom Hiddleston revealed he is pansexual and the feature film “Eternals” included the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first same-sex couple, played by Brian Tyree Henry and Haaz Sleiman.