Ruby Rose isn’t returning for the second season of Batwoman, the actor announced in a statement.
Rose, who played the superhero on Season 1 of the CW series, said she was the one who had “made the very difficult decision to not return.”
"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,” Rose said. “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.”
The CW, Warner Bros. Television, and Berlanti Productions also released a joint statement, thanking Rose for her time on the show and reassuring fans that Batwoman will continue to air.
“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,” they said. “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.”
When the network first announced Rose would play the role of Batwoman in August 2019, they described the character as “an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence.”
Rose, who identifies as gender-fluid, wrote an emotional Instagram caption last August about how thrilled she was to be taking on the role.
"The Bat is out of the bag and I am beyond thrilled and honored. I’m also an emotional wreck.. because this is a childhood dream," she wrote. "This is something I would have died to have seen on TV when I was a young member of the LGBT community who never felt represented on tv and felt alone and different. Thank you everyone. Thank you god."
Batwoman Season 1 first premiered in October 2019. It’s unclear whether Season 2 is currently in development yet, as most television productions have come to a halt due to the coronavirus.