Ruby Rose Reveals Coronavirus Quarantine Played Role in Her Decision to Leave Batwoman

The CW's Batwoman completely upended its status quo earlier this year, when it was announced that series star Ruby Rose would be leaving the series ahead of Season 2. Rose's exit was announced just days after the show's Season 1 finale, with the question of exactly why she left the series still somewhat unanswered -- until now. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Rose spoke about her decision to leave the series, saying that the decision was partially sparked by self-reflecting while in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"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," Rose explained. "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."

Rose also said the decision was partially inspired by the serious injury that she endured on Batwoman's set, which required her to have emergency surgery. As Rose put it, recovering from the surgery while still filming the show proved to be a challenge.

"Being the lead of a superhero show is tough. [Laughs] Being the lead in anything is tough," Rose revealed. "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."

"The challenge is sort of outweighed," Rose continued. "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."

Rose went on to say that she is very proud and honored to have been the first person to bring Batwoman into live-action.

"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," Rose continued. "I'm very honored to have been able to play her."

Batwoman - which will now star Javicia Leslie in the titular role - is scheduled to return with new episodes in January of 2021.