Update: "Batwoman" is Replacing Kate Kane w/ New Character

[JamesG]

Ruby Rose Exits The CW’s "Batwoman", DC Series to Recast Iconic Lead Role for Season 2
by Nellie Andreeva
May 19, 2020


This is a shocker: Ruby Rose, the star of The CW’s freshman drama series "Batwoman", is leaving the Warner Bros. TV/Berlanti Prods. drama after one season.

The series, which already has been renewed for a second season, will continue with the title role getting recast.




“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.”

Neither Rose, nor the "Batwoman" producers would speak to the reasons for the actress’ exit.

https://deadline.com/2020/05/ruby-ro...up-1202938863/

[TMC]

Why Ruby Rose left Batwoman: The breakup was reportedly a mutual decision

Batwoman marked Rose's first full-time TV series gig, and the actress "was distressed by the long hours demanded of a lead TV role and did not acclimate well to life in Vancouver (where the show shoots)," reports TVLine. A source close to the show tells TVLine: “It wasn’t 100-percent her decision. It was a breakup. She wasn’t happy working on the show, and did that make her fun to work with? No. So everyone decided it would be in the best interests of the show, and for all concerned, if they parted ways. It just wasn’t a good fit.” The CW and Warner Bros. TV declined to comment on the reason for Rose's departure.



From ONTD:

My friend works on the show. Here's some of the goss he's shared with me on her: Bscly she was a terror on set in every way. Constantly late (sometimes by over 3 hours, and often she was in her trailer, just didn't want to film), constantly complaining about everything, especially about hours and weather and production speed, making unreasonable demands, snarky and unfriendly to the crew (wouldn't voluntarily speak to them and if anyone but the DP/dept. head spoke to her she'd be extremely cold and act like they were wasting her time). She was a total diva about her stunts (refused to do jack ****, and then would lie to the media about how much she participated in stunt work- the majority of shots in costume that aren't close ups are not her, even when she's not doing stunts), and after she injured herself she was a million times worse, and was constantly citing her injury for being late, can't do this, can't do that, demanding things, refusing to work on certain days, even tho she had been medically cleared, and essentially majorly overplayed everything, including, again, what she told the media. There were several times the crew was left hanging for hours on night shoots outside in the rain because she flat out refused to come to set until weather cleared, and would sometimes just refuse altogether and leave. She wasted a HUGE amount of money for the studio on this ****, and majorly pissed off the crew who would be ready to go on time and left sitting in the cold and rain all night waiting for her (they had a much higher ratio of night shooting than most shows, for obv reasons). Not to mention the fact that she is a terrible actress and would need a high number of takes to get usable footage, something which also irritated her further and made her harder to work with because she was constantly impatient and defensive.

[Christopher]

I enjoyed Batwoman this season. It wasn't like I thought it was going to be. It was dark like the Batman movies which kept my interest. I don't know how well it'll be without Ruby now because she really grew into the role. I remember she received a lot of hate before the show even started about being cast as Batwoman. Hopefully the next actress doesn't get the same reception. I think it's ridiculous that because Batwoman is gay, they want a gay actress to play her. Imagine if Jim Parsons was denied the role of Sheldon on Big Bang because they wanted a straight guy to play him instead? I miss the days when performers were picked on talent and not because of a specific agenda.

[JamesG]

Ruby Rose Speaks Out on "Batwoman Exit": "It Wasn't an Easy Decision"
by Dave Nemetz
May 27, 2020


Ruby Rose has taken to social media to thank fans for their support… and to hint at why she and the show parted ways in the first place.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, accompanied by a fan-made video, Rose — who announced her split from The CW superhero drama last week — said:



“Thank you everyone for coming on this journey. If I mentioned everyone it would be 1000 tags… but Thank you to the cast, crew, producers and studio.”

She added that “it wasn’t an easy decision but those who know, know. I didn’t want to not acknowledge everyone involved and how big this was for TV and for our community. I have stayed silent because that’s my choice for now but know I adore you all. I’m sure next season will be amazing also.”

https://tvline.com/2020/05/27/ruby-r...lained-recast/

[TMC]

Originally Posted by JamesG

Ruby Rose Speaks Out on "Batwoman Exit": "It Wasn't an Easy Decision"
by Dave Nemetz
May 27, 2020


Ruby Rose has taken to social media to thank fans for their support… and to hint at why she and the show parted ways in the first place.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, accompanied by a fan-made video, Rose — who announced her split from The CW superhero drama last week — said:



“Thank you everyone for coming on this journey. If I mentioned everyone it would be 1000 tags… but Thank you to the cast, crew, producers and studio.”

She added that “it wasn’t an easy decision but those who know, know. I didn’t want to not acknowledge everyone involved and how big this was for TV and for our community. I have stayed silent because that’s my choice for now but know I adore you all. I’m sure next season will be amazing also.”

https://tvline.com/2020/05/27/ruby-r...lained-recast/

http://www.agcwebpages.com/BLINDITEMS/2020/MAY.html

ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 05/28 **4**
This foreign born alliterate actress has claimed she is sober. She isn't and that is one of the factors that led to a recent job loss. Her partying and a daily 12 hour schedule just doesn't work. Ruby Rose/"Batwoman" (Ruby Rose breaks silence on shocking ‘Batwoman’ exit after one season) (Ruby Rose claims bartender mocked her for being sober after reports she was kicked out of New Orleans restaurant)

ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 05/29 **8**
Behind The Screen: There is a popular, studio-supported narrative this foreign born alliterate actress quit because she accepted the role without understanding the hard work involved. That "don't understand the hard work and what it entails" narrative was present in the production during the 1st season, used to excuse extremely lax safety protocols and a cavalier attitude toward cast and crew safety. The show had its first catastrophic on-set safety incident involving hospitalization in its first week of shooting. Accidents, stunts gone wrong, special effects gone wrong, even injuries during location scouting occurred so reliably and regularly that "floating" crew were unofficially advised by local veterans not to take a call from anyone associated with the show. Our actress was injured on the set multiple times, requiring multiple hospital trips. For her major surgery production provided the shortest liability/legally permissible force major time off (6 shooting days). After the surgery the medical and safety restrictions on her activity were not respected, putting her in constant risk of injury and long-term or permanent disability. The pain from her cumulative injuries seemed substantial and was also not respected or accommodated. The last injury came just before forced shut down for COVID19 when a PA was hit in the head by a descending lift. They are facing possible permanent paralysis. The actress quit a show with a proven record of taking extreme and unnecessary risks, showing total disregard for safety of cast and crew, and blasting right past all protocols or procedures when that production culture resulted in multiple, potentially life-threatening, injuries. The timing of her stepping down coincides with the BC government announcing a fast track to bring back high-visibility film projects like this show with safety protocols almost entirely at the discretion of unions, productions, and parties of interest. With the show's safety record, and given that this record did not at any time provoke a production halt or a union-led stop work order, concern about work safety during COVID19 is well founded in general, especially so in BC, and extremely so for this show, a show on which injury, disease, dismemberment, and death are not possible, but matters of recorded fact. Ruby Rose/"Batwoman" (Ruby Rose drops more details about "really terrifying" on-set accident that led to major spine surgery) (‘Batwoman’ Production Assistant Paralyzed In On-Set Accident, Warner Bros. TV Cooperating With Investigation) (B.C.’s film and TV industry looks to safely return to work amid COVID-19)

[JamesG]

"Batwoman" is Replacing Ruby Rose's Kate Kane with a New Character
by Chancellor Agard
June 2, 2020


There won't just be a new face under the cowl when "Batwoman" returns next year — there will be an entirely new character.

EW has learned that "Batwoman" isn't simply going to recast Kate Kane, the role Ruby Rose left at the end of season 1. Instead, the CW drama is introducing a new character named Ryan Wilder to take up Batwoman's mantle.

According to a casting notice reposted on Reddit — which encourages LGBTQ performers to audition — Ryan Wilder is a female in her mid-late 20s and the complete opposite of Kate Kane.

https://ew.com/tv/batwoman-new-chara...lder-season-2/

[JamesG]

"Batwoman" Boss Considered 'Soap Opera' Recast for 'Hot Minute,' Instead Chose 'Reboot' with New Character
by Matt Webb Mitovich
June 6 2020


"Batwoman" showrunner Caroline Dries has shed some light on the decision to not recast the role of Kate Kane, in the wake of Ruby Rose abruptly parting ways with The CW series, but instead create “a whole new character” to slip into the cape and cowl for Season 2.

At ATX Festival At Home Q&A with fellow CW showrunner Julie Plec [Legacies], Dries addressed the decision to go with a new character. “To be honest with you, I did consider the ‘soap opera version’ [of recasting] for a hot minute, because selfishly we already had a couple episodes written, and transition-wise it would be seamless,” she told Plec.

“But upon further reflection — and I think [Arrowverse EP] Greg [Berlanti] helped me make this call — he’s like, ‘I think we should just reboot Batwoman as a different character.'”




In addition to paying “respect to everything that Ruby [Rose] put into the Kate Kane character” during Season 1, Dries said, “it also helps the audience, because we’re not asking them to address ‘the elephant in the room'” by accepting a new face as the same person.

Dries went on to affirm that “Ryan Wilder” is “a whole new character who in her past was inspired by Batwoman, so she is going to take on the mantle,” adding that the scrappy twentysomething who lives in a van, with her plant, “is maybe not the right person at the time to be doing it, so that’s what makes it fun.”

https://tvline.com/2020/06/06/why-ba...cter-season-2/

[TMC]

Batwoman boss: We'll write out Ruby Rose's Kate Kane -- not kill her off

Showrunner Caroline Dries wanted to reassure fans that, contrary to some rumors, Kate Kane will not be killed off when a new character will be introduced to succeed Rose as Batwoman in Season 2. “As a lesbian who’s been working as a writer for the past fifteen years, I’m well aware of the ‘Bury Your Gays’ trope and I have no interest in participating in it,” Dries said in a statement posted to Twitter. “That’s why it’s important to me as the showrunner to clarify any misinformation out there about Kate Kane and recasting Batwoman. Like you, I love Kate Kane – she’s the reason I wanted to do the show. We’ll never erase her. In fact, her disappearance will be one of the mysteries of season two. I don’t want to give away any of our surprises, but to all our devoted fans, please know that LGBTQ+ justice is at the very core of what Batwoman is and we have no intention of abandoning that.”

[TMC]

Ruby Rose says decision to leave Batwoman was due to her back surgery recovery and reevaluating her career while in quarantine

"Being the lead of a superhero show is tough," she tells EW with a laugh. "Being the lead in anything is tough." Rose, who underwent back surgery after an on-set accident in 2019 and didn't discover the full extent of her injuries until shooting the film The Doorman, also tells EW: "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." Rose adds: "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."