Javicia Leslie ( ; born May 30, 1987) is an American actress. After landing her first major role in the Lifetime film Swim at Your Own Risk (2016), she appeared as a series regular on the BET drama The Family Business (2018–present) and the CBS comedy-drama God Friended Me (2018–2020). She also starred as the lead of the film Always a Bridesmaid (2019). In 2021, Leslie began portraying the title role of The CW superhero series Batwoman, and Red Death in the first five episodes of the ninth and final season of The Flash.
Early life and education
Leslie was born into a military family on May 30, 1987 in Augsburg, Germany. Her family moved to Maryland where she grew up in Upper Marlboro. She attended Hampton University where she appeared in productions of Seven Guitars, for colored girls, and Chicago.
Career
Following her graduation, Leslie moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.
She appeared in the BET series The Family Business and was in the 2019 film Always a Bridesmaid. She previously appeared as a series regular on God Friended Me from 2018 to 2020, where she portrayed the sister of Brandon Micheal Hall's character.
In 2020, Leslie was cast in the title role of Batwoman following the departure of original lead Ruby Rose. She plays Ryan Wilder, an original character created for the show, who takes up the mantle of Batwoman in the second season, and her evil Earth-4125 doppelganger who goes by the moniker Red Death in the first five episodes of the ninth and final season of the CW live action TV series The Flash.
Personal life
Leslie is bisexual. She is a Christian and trained in Muay Thai.