In an unexpected turn of events, actress Ruby Rose, who portrays Batwoman on The CW, decided not to reprise her role for its second season.
Batwoman will, however, move forward with its second season. Of course, the show will now have to recast someone else for the lead role.
“I have made the very difficult decision to not return to Batwoman next season,” Rose said in a statement.
“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.”
This is the first time The CW has to recast a lead role in their show. In fact, this is probably the first recast for someone from the Arrowverse.
It’s not made clear why exactly Rose decided to exit the show. Various sources have confirmed that it is not because of the injury she sustained while filming a stunt in Season 1. She had to undergo emergency surgery soon after, or she could have faced paralysis.
Regardless, the decision appears to be mutual, as Berlanti Prods. and WBTV provided a joint statement regarding her departure.
“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,” said the two companies.
Since the schedule for Batwoman Season 2 is in January 2021, the network has ample time to find another suitable candidate for the role.
As such, the studio and network will have plenty of time to cast another actress for the role. They have also ensured that it’ll go to an actress that, like Rose, is of the LGBTQ community.