Batwoman: Ruby Rose finally opens up about why she left the show

A few months ago, Ruby Rose departed as the lead of The CW’s Batwoman after one season, but she has now spoken about why she did so.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, former Batwoman star Ruby Rose delved into how the pandemic really played a part in her decision to depart from The CW show as Kate Kane aka Batwoman.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected all mediums of the entertainment industry, including The CW shows Riverdale, The Flash, Supergirl, Legacies and the aforementioned Batwoman – all of which received impromptu season finales. The only shows not affected within the Arrowverse franchise were Arrow, Black Lightning and Legends of Tomorrow.

It was revealed back in May that Rose exited the series in a shock move that nobody saw coming. Not long after that she broke her silence on her exit, explaining that she would go into more depth when the time was right. It seems now is that time as Rose opened up to EW about the major back injury she suffered during her time on the show and how that played a part in her decision to leave.

Despite the admission that her injury contributed to her major decision, Rose has reiterated that there were other reasons too. She explained:

"“Being the lead of a superhero show 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 ten 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.”"

Following Rose’s departure from the series, which already received an early season renewal for season 2 back in January 2020, the Orange Is the New Black and John Wick: Chapter 2 star was replaced by God Friended Me actress Javicia Leslie. Leslie will be playing the role of Ryan Wilder – a new original character who will become a successor to the Batwoman mantle.

Rose revealed that the pandemic played a part in her decision to leave as the isolation allowed her a rare opportunity to reflect on what she wanted out of life.

"“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 dialog about a lot of things.”"

Filming of the second season of Batwoman is expected to begin during the coming months as it will premiere in January 2021 on Sunday (no date confirmed) at 8.00 p.m. ET on The CW following the premieres of Black Lightning, The Flash and new arrival Superman & Lois.

Will you miss seeing Ruby Rose as Batwoman? Are you looking forward to season 2? Let us know in the comments below!