Ruby Rose On Why She Left Batwoman, How Back Injury Exacerbated The Situation

Ruby Rose has shed a little more light on her decision to exit The CW’s Batwoman after its first season in an interview with EW. Rose played Kate Kane in the first season of the CW series and made headlines when it was announced in May that she would be leaving the series and that a new role would take on the cowl, later revealed to be played by Javicia Leslie.

Rose told the site that the role’s demanding nature, something that all of the Arrowverse shows’ leads have talked about at times, was made “a lot more difficult” by the back surgery she underwent due to an on-set accident. She made it clear that wasn’t the only reason or even the primary one, and that the COVID-19 pandemic led her and producers to think about what they really wanted. You can see highlights from the interview below:

On her decision to exit the show: “Being the lead of a superhero show is tough. [Laughs] Being the lead in anything is tough. But 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.”

On being proud of the show: “The challenge is sort of outweighed. The accomplishment and the trust that people put in you to do that role and then there’s also the vibrancy of being able to come on set and set the mood and the tone and the trust being put into it is something that’s been such an honor. And I love my experience in [Batwoman]. I’m so grateful that we got to achieve everything that we did and I’m proud of everyone that worked on it. I’m proud of myself for working under sort of interesting circumstances, you know, with the recovery and all. I would definitely do [TV] again. I just think that it was also time for me to take a break to fully heal and then return.”

On the season being cut short due to the pandemic: “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.”

On the show continuing with Javicia Leslie as the new Batwoman: “I think she definitely knows what she’s doing and she seems fantastic. I think that honestly, I was so proud and so happy when I was told who would be replacing me. I’m just really stoked and I’m definitely going to watch the next season as well and see how it all comes together.”