In news that seemingly came out of nowhere, Ruby Rose has decided to leave CW’s Batwoman after one season. The network is now forced to recast the title role ahead of the second season. It’s currently unclear if the network will recast the established Kate Kane character (ala Rachel Dawes in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy) or if we will be introduced to a completely new character.
In a statement (via Variety) Ruby Rose mentioned that leaving the project wasn’t an easy decision for her to make.
“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 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 Peter Roth and 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.”
In a joint statement, Warner Bros Television, CW and Berlanti Productions had this to say:
“Warner Bros. Television, The CW and Berlanti Productions thank Ruby for her contributions to the success of our first season and wish her all the best. The studio and network are firmly committed to Batwoman’s second season and long-term future, and we — along with the show’s talented creative team — look forward to sharing its new direction, including the casting of a new lead actress and member of the LGBTQ community, in the coming months.”
The thing is, nobody knows exactly why Ruby Rose decided to leave. One can’t help but wonder if this has anything to do with the polarising response of her performance in season 1. Many have begun to speculate that Rose was told to exit the project by the network.
