Earlier this year, it was announced Ruby Rose was surprisingly departing The CW’s Batwoman series after one season in the titular role, and while there has been speculation regarding the reasoning behind her exit, the actor has now explained her decision.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Rose explained that the lead role can be quite taxing especially after returning to the show following her surgery at the time.
“Being the lead of a superhero show is tough,” Rose said. “I think, in that particular instance, it was a lot more difficult because I was still recovering from my surgery. I had my surgery and then 10 days later I went to work, which maybe wasn’t the best idea. Most people take about a month or three off before they return to work, so it was definitely made more difficult by that. But as far as being a lead of a show or a film — regardless if it’s action or if it’s emotional — in whichever ways it’s taxing.”
Rose continued to elaborate that it wasn’t just her injury that helped her decide to leave the show, it was also down to the ongoing global health crisis.
“It wasn’t so much [the injury], especially because after we wrapped up we didn’t get to finish the real finale because of COVID. You know, you have time in quarantine and sort of isolation to just think about a lot of different things and what you want to achieve in life and what you want to do. I think for both [me and the producers], it was a great opportunity to have a dialogue about a lot of things. I respect them so much and they’ve been so respectful to me. I think it was actually a beautiful way to do something, especially since that was the first time it’s ever been done — the first time Batwoman has ever been played in live-action and that she was LGBTQ. I’m very honored to have been able to play her.”
While it remains unclear on how Rose’s Kate Kane will be written out of the DC series, showrunner Caroline Dries has confirmed that the character will not be killed off.
Rose is set to be replaced by God Friended Me actor Javicia Leslie who will be taking over the lead role in the second season as the newly-created character of Ryan Wilder – a character described as likeable, messy, a little goofy, and untamed.
