Ivory Aquino cast in Batgirl as first major transgender character in a DC Comics film

Ivory Aquino has been cast as Alysia Yeoh in 'Batgirl'.

The 'When They See Us' actress has joined the cast of the upcoming HBO Max movie alongside the likes of Leslie Grace (Barbara Gordon), J.K. Simmons (Jim Gordon), Brendan Fraser (Firefly), Michael Keaton (Batman) and more.

As reported by Deadline, Aquino will play Barbara's best friend, and the bartender is the first major transgender character to appear in a live action DC film.

The actress has appeared in Netflix series 'When They See Us' and 'Tales of the City', as well as the likes of 'When We Rise', 'Blue Bloods' and 'High Maintenance'.

'Bad Boys For Life' pair Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are set to direct 'Batgirl', which is being produced by Kristen Burr, while Christina Hodson has written the script.

The plot for 'Batgirl' is being kept under wraps but it will centre on Barbara.

Keaton recently admitted he had to take a "fair amount" of convincing to don Batman's iconic cape and cowl again, having previously played the role 1989's 'Batman' and 1992's 'Batman Returns'.

Asked if he needed persuading, he previously said: "A fair amount. But I wasn’t fleeing it. It just wasn’t in my consciousness and then, when it was, it was a question of them calling when they had something."

Keaton famously snubbed around $15 million to play the Caped Crusader for a third time during the 1990s but doesn't want to dwell on the matter.

He said: "I don’t remember. That’s in my past.

"It’s 2021 or whatever the f*** it is — who gives a s***? Let’s talk about things that matter. Years ago someone asked Batman questions. I said, 'You realise there’s a logjam of bodies floating down a river in Rwanda? Who the f*** cares about Batman?'"