Batwoman: Ruby Rose Cast as Lesbian Superhero for DC's Arrowverse

Just weeks after reports of a Batwoman series in development, The CW – the home of the Arrowverse – announced Monday that it had cast Ruby Rose in the role. Like the openly gay lead character, the 32-year-old Australian model, DJ, and actress identifies as lesbian herself.

Rose will make her debut as Kate Kane – the Jewish lesbian version of Batwoman since her reintroduction to comic pages in 2006 – in the annual DC Arrowverse crossover event in December, which is set to include Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl but not Legends of Tomorrow.

The success of her presence during the crossover event will decide the future of the standalone Batwoman series in development at The CW, from Caroline Dries (The Vampire Diaries) and Greg Berlanti, who oversees all DC Comics-based shows for the network. If the show is picked up, Batwoman will become the first live-action superhero series with an openly gay lead.

Here’s the official synopsis for the Batwoman series:

“Armed with a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind, Kate Kane soars onto the streets of Gotham as Batwoman, an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence. But don’t call her a hero yet. In a city desperate for a savoir, Kate must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham’s symbol of hope.”

Batwoman's entrance into the Arrowverse will also bring Gotham City to its TV universe, but there are no plans to bring an adult Batman to the small screen. (A younger version of Bruce Wayne is played by David Mazouz on the TV series Gotham.) "Batman already exists in the Arrow-verse," CW chief Mark Pedowitz said. “But there’s no plans at this point for the character to appear."

Rose rose to fame with Orange Is the New Black, appearing in the third and fourth season of the Netflix show. She has also had roles in John Wick: Chapter 2, Pitch Perfect 3, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, and xXx: The Return of Xander Cage.

New episodes of all Arrowverse shows air in India on the streaming service Hooq, which is partly owned by Warner Bros.