Why Wallis Day Replaced Ruby Rose As Batwoman In The Arrowverse

It’s rather astounding to think just how big the Arrowverse once was. It grew from a single show that turned Green Arrow into Batman, and then became an expansive connected universe that was doing on TV what the Marvel Cinematic Universe was doing on film — only with way more crossovers. 

Toward the end of the Arrowverse, we saw the launch of “Batwoman,” a great show that featured one of DC’s earliest lesbian superhero protagonists. The show followed Kate Kane, cousin of Bruce Wayne, who picks up the mantle of the Caped Crusader after Bruce’s disappearance. But that was the first season; after that, Kate was replaced as the protagonist and the show cast a new lead. Initially, it was reported that actor Ruby Rose had departed from the show of her own will, on friendly terms with the studio, just a week after the first season wrapped up. 

Then, a year later, the narrative changed. Rose took to social media and leveled some serious and disturbing allegations of workplace endangerment and toxic behavior — including that Warner Bros. TV pushed Rose to return to set just 10 days after surgery due to an on-set injury, or the whole crew and cast would be fired because of her. WBTV quickly responded with their own claims of workplace misconduct from Rose, alleging that they received “multiple complaints” about the actor, and making it clear that Rose did not quit, but was fired. It was an ugly fight between an actor and a studio that echoed a similar conflict between Cyborg actor Ray Fisher and the brass at Warner Bros. during the making of “Justice League.”

When the second season of “Batwoman” was released, it was virtually an entirely different show. Kate Kane was replaced with a scrappy ex-con named Ryan Wilder (Jacivia Leslie), who stumbles upon the hero’s suit and decides to become the new Batwoman. According to showrunner Caroline Dries, they wanted to avoid the “soap opera version” of the recast, in which shows just ignore the clear fact that the actor looks different, so instead they gave the show a new main character. Leslie starred as Wilder for the next two seasons of “Batwoman.”

And yet, “Batwoman” still did the soap opera version of the recast by bringing back Kate Kane late in season 2, with Wallis Day playing a version of Kate that was involved in a plane crash, taken captive, brainwashed, and had her face surgically altered — not at all like a telenovela. 

Replacing an actor, whether in a big or small role, is nothing new in the world of TV, and the Arrowverse had its fair share of recasts. But the way this particular recasting transpired, the allegations, and the fact that WBTV didn’t ignore Rose’s accusations but so firmly and publicly denied them while throwing their own accusations at Rose make this a rather ugly and unfortunate situation for fans, cast, and crew of “Batwoman.” 

We may never know the full truth of what happened, but at least Rose had no hard feelings towards her replacement. When Day was revealed as the new face of Kate Kane in “Batwoman” season 2, Rose wrote on Instagram that she was “stoked” for the actress and was sending her “nothing but good vibes.”