How Leslie Grace Scored The 'Batgirl' Role

Dc's "Batgirl" has been around since 1961 as a counterpart to Gotham's Batman. Since then, her character has undergone several alterations to fit different perspectives as desired by the writers of the comic series.

Despite its success as a comic franchise, studio execs never dropped a standalone feature film for the famed vigilante. For a while, there were speculations that a "Batgirl" movie was in the works, but as time passed, most fans could not tell if the project was getting closer to fulfillment.

They recently dispelled fans' concerns by promising that the project should kick off soon. The network also kept to their words by hiring female screenwriters Christina Hodson, including Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah.

However, it took a long time for them to cast the lead part for the movie. The team had to go through a long list of female actresses before settling on Leslie Grace.

Read on to find out why the actress made the final cut.

According to several media outlets, her stellar audition clinched her the role as the female personation of Gotham's caped crusader. In the tryout, her portrayal of the "Batgirl" left the directors mesmerized as she perfectly mixed her character's natural feminine antics with the required fierceness a vigilante should have.

This unique take tilted the odds in her favor during the final process.

Arbi's reaction when quizzed about picking Grace for the role largely praised the actress as a perfect reincarnation of "Batgirl."

"There was something that," Arbi snapped his fingers. "Hit a nerve, and [we] felt like we were actually watching Barbara Gordon."

The "In The Heights" star could hardly keep calm when she got the info about her selection. She shared the news with her fans on Twitter, retweeting a media post from the studio.

"I am BEYOND EXCITED to embody Barbara Gordon, your #Batgirl! I cannot believeeee what I'm writing," Grace said.

"THANK YOU, DC, for welcoming me to the family! I'm ready to give her all I've got!" she concluded.

Although the storyline is yet to be unveiled, the forthcoming film will portray "Batgirl" as Barbara Gordon, daughter of Gotham City's police commissioner, James.

The contest for the lead role in "Batgirl" was quite intense. Grace came out on top over other actors such as Zoey Deutch, Isabella Merced, and Haley Lu Richardson.

At DC's fandom event, Arbi and Fallah also gave some insight into who they wanted for the role and how the audition was a tense-filled period.

"We wanted to have a very broad casting," Arbi said. "It was a very wide range of ages and races. What was important for us was that the best actress for the part would be cast. Eventually, we saw Leslie."

"It was a 'Goosebump Moment,'" Fallah said. "The whole time, it was 'who is going to be Barbara Gordon?'"

Grace has since clinched the lead role; however, production for the film is yet to start, and no other cast is known to the public.

Dc's virtual fandom event revealed a first look at the concept art for their live-action "Batgirl." Grace was in attendance alongside the directors and the screenwriters of the proposed film.

The team divulged some tidbits about the new "Batgirl." They informed fans to expect the character as a redhead, with her traditional cowl, rather than a mask.

Grace is widely known for her breakout performance in Lin Manuel Miranda's musical film "In the Heights." She portrayed Nina Rosario, a young girl who came home from college for the summer with a secret.

After the event, several fans retweeted the concept art. They also voiced their excitement over her selection for the female vigilante role.

The film is expected to debut exclusively on HBO Max but has no scheduled release date currently.

When the studio execs first announced the project's news, they signed up Joss Whedon as writer and director. Whedon, however, failed at fleshing up the story and left in April 2018.

Then came Hodson, who previously wrote the script for DC's "Birds Of Prey." Arbi and Fallah were later added to the team, after which they began the search for the female lead.

"With Batgirl, we hope to take the audience on a fun ride and see a different side of Gotham," a source said.

"Christina's script is crackling with spirit. Adil and Bilall have an excited and joyous energy, which is infectious, making them the perfect filmmakers for this Bat project. And I'm just psyched I get to be part of the DC universe, which is super cool."

Arbi and Fallah have worked on projects like FX crime drama, "Snowfall" blockbuster, "Bad Boys 3," and family drama "Rebel."