Batwoman recasts Ruby Rose's Kate Kane for season 2

Ruby Rose in Batwoman
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Ruby Rose will not return as Kate Kane in the second half of Batwoman season 2, in a surprising recasting announcement. 

Rose has been absent from season 2 so far after an on-set injury put her out of action and she quit the show – a new character, Ryan Wilder (played by Javicia Leslie), took over from Kate as Batwoman. Leslie is the first Black actor to play the role.

Now, it's been announced that Kate Kane will be back, but not played by Rose. Wallis Day will play a new, "altered" version of the character – but she won't be donning the cape again, with Ryan continuing her stint as the Caped Crusader. After the revelation in the show's most recent episode that Kate is still alive but injured beyond recognition after a plane crash, the second half of season 2 will reveal where she's been and what it'll mean for her character going forward.

Based on the character from the comic books, Kate Kane is the cousin of Bruce Wayne, who protects Gotham as Batwoman in his absence. Ryan, an ex-con and an original character, took over from Kate after finding the Batsuit in the wreck of the plane crash. The show is part of the Arrowverse, existing in the same universe as shows like Arrow, The Flash, and Superman & Lois.

Day's acting career began in the British soap opera Hollyoaks, but she recently finished filming the sci-fi thriller Infinite alongside Mark Wahlberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Dylan O'Brien.

While we wait to find out more about the new Kate Kane, check out our list of the best Netflix shows to watch right now.

Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism. 

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