Recently named by The Hollywood Reporter as their “Next Big Thing” and by Los Angeles Magazine as their “One to Watch,” actress Javicia Leslie was cast as the first bisexual, black actress to play Batwoman.
Leslie was also recently featured in Women’s Health and Emmy Magazine for her breakout series regular role on Warner Bros. Television’s God Friended Me as Ali Finer, the quick witted and levelheaded lesbian daughter of Joe Morton’s Reverend Finer. Leslie is also known for stealing the screen on The Family Business. On the feature film front, Leslie recently tackled the lead role in hilarious new comedy Always a Bridesmaid, penned by NAACP-nominee Yvette Nicole Brown.
Born in Germany to military parents, Leslie was primarily raised in Maryland. With a passion for performing early on, Leslie went on to historically black college, Hampton University, where she appeared in several productions including Seven Guitars, For Colored Girls and Chicago. Following graduation, she took on a job in D.C. helping soldiers and their families all while producing her own play. When she landed her first agent, she packed up and set out with her sights on Los Angeles.
Without any friends or family in the city and just a month living in L.A., Leslie was discovered working the booth of a pop-up shop event. She quickly gained major visibility with the Lifetime movie Killer Coach which propelled her forward with the TV series Chef Julian and recurring appearances on MacGyver. She later starred as a lead in Carl Weber’s The Family Business, alongside Ernie Hudson on BET, which consistently ranked as one of the top 10 cable shows on TV during its run.
Splitting her time between Los Angeles and New York City, she has started an annual charity drive timed around her birthday to use the evening to give back to youth in her community – this year collecting donations of sports items via her charity, The Chandler Foundation. when Leslie isn’t filming, she spends her free time planning her next charity event, spending time with her dog, Judah, and staying fit through her passion for fitness and healthy diet.