Actress Haley Lu Richardson declares that she still has deep desires to play a superhero, despite ultimately not landing the role of Batgirl in the DCEU. The young star has become a growing success over the last few years, starring in hit films such as 2016’s The Edge of Seventeen and the psychological thriller, Split.
Now, after tackling almost every genre under the sun, Richardson has set her sights on making her mark in the DCEU. It was mentioned back in 2021 that she had been seriously considered for the part of Batgirl in HBO Max’s upcoming film.
Richardson had some stiff competition as well, as she was up against Zoey Deutch, Isabela Merced and eventual Batgirl star Leslie Grace. Rumors are speculating that Richardson may have stepped down from the audition process before the screen-test phase could even begin. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she recalls her Batgirl casting experience and ensures she gave it her best shot. She stated, “I really tried, let me tell you - I really did try. Yeah, it was exciting regardless, and I did get a nice little personal email from J.K. Simmons out of it, which was really nice. Getting the role would have been pretty cool, but I told myself that his email meant more to me than getting the role. So I tried, but I’m not Batgirl at the end of the day."
Undeterred, Richardson still hopes to use her skills to portray a different superhero one day. “I’m trying to think what freaking superhero I can play now because aren’t they all done already?” Richardson said. “Haven’t they all been made? My dance skills, my flexibility, and my athleticism needs to be utilized. Are there any superheroes that are dancers?”
It was Richardson’s breakout role in Kogonada’s drama movie Columbus that really showcased how much range and versatility she has within her as an actress. She also starred in the 2020 dramedy Unpregnant alongside Euphoria’s Barbie Ferreira. The film follow Richardson’s character, a pregnant teenager, who discovers that she isn’t allowed to get an abortion in her home state of Missouri. Ferreira and her end up going on a hilarious road-trip to Albuquerque, so she can get the procedure done there safely, without her disapproving parents’ permission. The movie demonstrates undeniable chemistry between the two and sheds light on real anti-abortion laws that still to this day try to dictate what rights a woman has to her own body.
Although getting an email from J.K. Simmons is iconic, it is still evident that Richardson is dead-set on playing a superhero at some point throughout her career. A dancing superhero seems quite revolutionary as well, she might be onto something with that idea. Despite her worries of there not being any more superhero films left for her, there are still a number of projects in development from Marvel, DC, and even X-Men that she could still potentially join. Fans can also catch Richardson in Kogonada’s most recent film, After Yang, which is currently in theaters and available for streaming on Showtime.
Batgirl is expected to be released on HBO Max in late 2022.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
