Not more than two days have passed since the season one finale aired on the CW and the newest Arrowverse show, Batwoman has lost its leading lady. Ruby Rose, who debuted as the titular character in the 2018 Arrowverse crossover, Elseworlds, announced her departure on Tuesday from Batwoman. In a statement, Rose said:
“I have made the very difficult decision to not return to Batwoman next season. This was not a decision I made lightly as I have the utmost respect for the cast, crew and everyone involved with the show in both Vancouver and in Los Angeles. I am beyond appreciative to [exec producers] Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Caroline Dries for not only giving me this incredible opportunity, but for welcoming me into the DC universe they have so beautifully created. Thank you [WB chief] Peter Roth and [CW president] Mark Pedowitz and the teams at Warner Bros. and The CW who put so much into the show and always believed in me. Thank you to everyone who made season one a success – I am truly grateful.”
Little is known as to why Rose stepped down from her role as Kate Kane/ Batwoman after only the first season but the actress experienced backlash from fans of the character, which first appeared in the comics in 2006. Fans of the comics version of Batwoman were skeptical that Rose was a lesbian like the character and posted hateful comments on her Instagram and Twitter. Rose turned off comments on her account and put up a tweet addressing the backlash on Twitter before deactivating her account:
“Where on earth did ‘Ruby is not a lesbian therefore she can’t be batwoman’ come from – has to be the funniest most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read. I came out at 12? And have for the past 5 years had to deal with “she’s too gay” how do y’all flip it like that? I didn’t change.
When women and when minorities join forces we are unstoppable… when we tear each other down it’s much more hurtful than from any group. But hey/ love a challenge I just wish women and the LGBT community supported each other more, My wish was we were all a little kinder and more supportive of each other…Sending everyone my love and gratitude, it’s been a rollercoaster of a year, this month especially.
I am looking forward to getting more than 4 hours of sleep and to break from Twitter to focus all my energy on my next 2 projects. If you need me, I’ll be on my Bat Phone.”
Rose also had to have emergency surgery in September 2019 when she herniated two discs in her spine while doing stunt work months earlier.
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With Rose leaving, the character of Batwoman will be recast for the second season, however it is hard to say when the role will be recast considering Batwoman and many other CW shows will not start their new season until January 2021. One thing is certain, though, whoever is cast to replace Rose will be part of the LGBTQ community. In a joint statement, Berlanti Productions and Warner Brothers Television thanked Rose for her time as Batwoman and looked “forward to sharing its new direction, including the casting of a new lead actress and member of the LGBTQ community, in the coming months.”
What do you think of Rose’s departure from Batwoman? Who do you think should take up the cowl in her place? Let us know in the comments.
Update: According to TVLine, a source close to the show confirmed that Rose’s departure was a decision made by both the actress and the show runners. The source added:
“It wasn’t 100-percent her decision. It was a breakup. She wasn’t happy working on the show, and did that make her fun to work with? No. So everyone decided it would be in the best interests of the show, and for all concerned, if they parted ways. It just wasn’t a good fit.”
TVLine also confirmed from an insider that Rose was having trouble adjusting to the demands of being the lead a TV show and was having trouble acclimating to life in Vancouver.
Source: TVLine, Dark Knight News, Entertainment Weekly,
