The announcement came on Tuesday night from Rose themselves who, in a statement given to Collider, said that their decision to exit the series was a “difficult” one and that "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’s above statement was cryptic to say the least and the search for additional information has been hard going. Reportedly, many inside sources have cited the extremely long hours of filming a network series as being the driving force behind the departure, with Rose finding them very difficult compared to previous production experiences, including John Wick: Chapter Two (2017) and The Meg (2018).
Extreme fans criticised both the LGBTQ+ and feminist layering of the character and actor
First cast as part of 2018’s Elseworlds crossover event, Ruby Rose reprised their role as Batwoman in a leading manner for the 2019-20 crossover, Crisis on Infinite Earths, in addition to their own series. Rose has been held under fierce scrutiny since their casting by more extreme fans, who criticised both the LGBTQ+ and feminist layering of the character and actor (Rose identifies as both a lesbian and genderfluid). Another minority were upset that a Jewish actor wasn’t cast for the role, given the character’s heritage.
Rose has been open about the effects of this fierce criticism on their mental health and this is speculated to be another motive for their departure. Additionally, Rose had undergone spinal surgery in 2019 after getting herniated discs, caused by a stunt injury while performing for a film. The physicality of the Batwoman role, stacked with the long hours, could easily have made the job too physically demanding for a long-term commitment – as most CW shows are (looking at you Supernatural).
At any rate, the search for a new Batwoman rages on, with Stephanie Beatriz, who famously portrays Detective Rosa Diaz in the hit sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Executives at The CW have reinforced their own commitment to cast an LGBTQ actress for the role and that the current climate – i.e. a pandemic – has allowed them to conduct an extensive casting process before filming begins for Batwoman’s sophomore season.