Javicia Leslie ( ; born May 30, 1987) is an American actress. After landing her first major role in the Lifetime film Killer Coach (2016), she appeared as a series regular on the BET drama The Family Business (2018–2025) and the CBS comedy-drama God Friended Me (2018–2020). She also starred as the lead of the film Always a Bridesmaid (2019). She played the title role for the last two seasons of the series Batwoman (2021–2022), with five cross-over appearances in the final two seasons of the series The Flash (2021–2023). She currently portrays Detective Daphne Forrester in High Potential.
Early life and education Leslie was born into a military family on May 30, 1987 in Augsburg, West 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 college 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 the first season's actor, Ruby Rose. She plays Ryan Wilder, an original character created for the show, who takes up the mantle of Batwoman for the final two seasons of the series; she also appears, as Wilder and as Wilder's evil Earth-4125 doppelganger who goes by the moniker Red Death, in five episodes of the final two seasons of The Flash. She has been appearing in the ABC comedy-drama High Potential as Detective Daphne Forrester.
Personal life Leslie is bisexual, Christian, and trained in Muay Thai. In May 2025, Leslie announced that she got engaged to Nana-Yaw Asamoah, an executive at AMB Sports and Entertainment. Leslie married Nana-Yaw Asamoah at the Banyan Tree Mayakoba in Riviera Maya, Mexico on April 18, 2026.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2010 MuSicktuation Kiyoko Short film 2017 Neva~eh Princess Omni Short film 2018 Pas Honteux Michelle Short film 2019 Stuck Ebony Short film First Day Back Linda Jones Short film Always a Bridesmaid Corina James 2020 Roped Britney 2022 We Are Gathered Here Today Jen Stone-Spitz Something from Tiffany's Sophia 2023 Double Life Jo Creuzot
Television Year Title Role Notes 2015–17 Chef Julian Monisha Recurring role2016 Hello Cupid Reboot Mo Main cast2016 Killer Coach Samantha Morgan TV movie 2016 Prototype Waitress TV movie 2017 Broke & Sexy Monisha Episode: "Broke & Sexy Finale"2017 Kat - Web series, main cast 2017, 18 MacGyver Jesse Colton 2 episodes 2018–25 The Family Business Paris Duncan Main cast (seasons 1-2, 4—5); guest appearance (seasons 3, 6) 2018–20 God Friended Me Ali Finer Main cast 2021–22 Batwoman Ryan Wilder / Batwoman Title role (seasons 2–3); 31 episodes 2021–23 The Flash Ryan Wilder / Batwoman, Ryan Wilder / Red Death 5 episodes2023Christmas Detective Kate Bennett TV movie 2024–present High Potential Daphne Forrester Main cast
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