Ruby Rose, the original actress to play the titular role on The CW’s Batwoman, has begun releasing emails to support her accusations of dangerous set conditions and toxic working environment during her time on the superhero show.
In a series of Instagram stories, Rose shared emails between herself and her talent manager Carol Bodie regarding how the former was “so close to being done” with Batwoman in February 2020. The string of screenshots started with the actress stating that she “won’t take crumbs” and demanding better from the industry.
Rose wrote that she “loved” the Batwoman crew, noting that they just couldn’t speak out about the show’s unhealthy working atmosphere because of “NDAs” (nondisclosure agreements). In an email she sent to showrunner Caroline Dries in December 2019, Rose recounted a “catastrophic” day on set, writing that “people were yelling at each other and walking off set.” To keep the “morale up” and prevent people on set from “losing their temper and getting aggressive,” Rose asked for a “no yelling” rule on set.
Though Dries noted in her reply that “yelling at crew is unnecessary,” she ultimately offloaded the “no-yelling” request to director Holly Dale, who ― as noted by Ruby ― was not involved in the episode where the behavior was experienced while shooting.
The next few Instagram stories shared by Rose revealed more details on the investigation into the injury she incurred while doing her own stunts on set, as well as on the Entertainment Weekly (EW) cover shoot she needed to do just days after her spinal surgery.
According to an exchange of emails between Rose and Bodie, the investigation into the former’s injury was scheduled during the filming of the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover ― a time when the actress was under slept and under immense pressure to do her job as Batwoman’s lead.
Since Rose didn’t want to be viewed as uncooperative, she “spent a week getting zero sleep, collecting all x-rays, emails, and professional opinions” only for her team to be told that they “have decided to end the investigation before the PI finalizes the report and will not share the outcome.”
As for the EW cover shoot, Rose wrote that they wanted her to shoot two covers for the magazine starting on June 24th 2019 ― just five days after her June 18th surgery. When she declined, they reportedly told her that the whole Arrowverse would be impacted because just like the year before, without her, “they would lose the whole cover for the show and cast.” The succeeding screenshots further revealed how Rose was treated poorly workload-wise following her major surgery.
In another Instagram story, Rose pointed out that she never was difficult to work with. The actress claimed that despite her busy schedule all while recovering from her surgery, she even did another favor for then Warner Bros. Television Group chairman Peter Roth: a congratulations video for someone’s Bar Mitzvah.
Rose’s final batch of Instagram stories shed light on an issue about the set’s atmospheric level and how it affected Rose’s health following her surgery. “Because of the incision/open wound through my throat to do spinal surgery,” the actress wrote. “Atmos/the chemicals and fog at the time would close my throat up entirely.” The very last post showed a message from Rose’s personal assistant Joel Parchomchuk, who revealed to Bodie that he had lied to Rose about the atmospheric levels on set.
Rose first opened up about the horrific working conditions she faced on Batwoman, days after last week’s DC FanDome, where the show’s third season was discussed. “Enough is enough,” she wrote at the start of a series of Instagram stories, calling out Dries, Roth, and Berlanti Productions’ Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter. “I’m going to tell the whole world what really happened on that set.”
Aside from revealing more details about the injury she sustained while filming, Rose also alleged that Jacob Kane actor Dougray Scott “hurt a female stunt double,” cited an incident where “a woman was left quadriplegic,” and discussed other unsafe set conditions and demands.
Soon after Rose’ initial allegations, Warner Bros. Television Group issued a statement saying, “Despite the revisionist history that Ruby Rose is now sharing online aimed at the producers, the cast and crew, the network, and the Studio, the truth is that Warner Bros. Television had decided not to exercise its option to engage Ruby for season 2 of Batwoman based on multiple complaints about workplace behavior that were extensively reviewed and handled privately out of respect for all concerned.” Scott also came out against Rose to refute the “defamatory and damaging claims” she made against him.
After leaving Batwoman after its first season, Rose was replaced by Krypton star Wallis Day in the role of Kate Kane in season 2. In the same season, Batwoman also introduced Javicia Leslie’s Ryan Wilder, a new character that eventually took on the titular role.
Batwoman season 3 currently airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.