How Javicia Leslie & Kaci Walfall Became Superheroes On and Off Screen

E!: Kaci, can you relate?

Kaci Walfall: Of course! That was very hard for me in the beginning, because I am very hard on myself, still am. And throughout the series, I realized that taking that time for myself will only improve my work.

I also had a mentor this summer, Ciara Renée—she was in DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and The Flash. She told me the same thing, that that is super duper important. And she made me make a list of five things that I could do on my own that didn’t have anything to do with my phone or anything to do with work.

E!: When you first signed on, did you have any idea how impactful Batwoman would be?

JL: When I auditioned for it, I didn’t think I’d get it. I just felt like, it doesn’t make sense, like, Batwoman’s was not Black. [I thought,] “This is interesting that they didn’t just ask for a Caucasian actress, but whatever, I’ll just audition for it.” So when I did get it, the first thing I was excited about was getting the job. But then the second thing I was excited about was, “Oh, cool. I’m a superhero.” And then when the trades went out, and it titled it first Black Batwoman, that was the first time I put it together that “Oh, yeah, this hasn’t been done.” And so immediately, I felt that responsibility. I was super excited to be a part of this journey that’s gonna make any kind of difference, but I’m really just doing what I love.