In 2019, Ruby Rose underwent emergency surgery on two herniated discs after injuring herself doing stunts on the set of her CW series Batwoman. Earlier today, the actress posted a series of Instagram stories suggesting that her injury was not an isolated event on set and that she was made to return to work ten days after the surgery. Up until this point, the story of Rose’s departure after the show’s first season as reported by TVLine suggested that she left because of “the long hours demanded of a lead television role†and a dislike of living and working in Vancouver, the narrative framing her as a difficult actress. Now, Rose is definitively saying, “NOR DID I QUIT. I DO NOT QUIT,†and detailing the alleged unsafe conditions and “bullying tactics†she says she witnessed and was subjected to during the show’s production. Here is a breakdown of Rose’s allegations of misconduct by producers and an actor on the set of Batwoman:
Rose alleges that Peter Roth, who left his position as Warner Bros. Television Studios CEO in 2020, “couldn’t stop making young women steam your pants, around your crotch while you were still wearing set pants.â€
Rose posted a video of what appears to be a doctor detailing the injuries in her X-rays and a video of her surgery and claims she was told that if she did not return to work ten days after the surgery, “the whole crew and cast would be fired and I’d let everyone down … and I just lost the studio millions (by getting injured on [Roth’s] set).â€
Rose alleges that she witnessed a crew member get third-degree burns on set, “and then we were told we had to do a sex scene without a minute to process.†She also recounts that another unspecified accident allegedly left a production assistant “quadriplegic and they tried to blame it on her being on her phone, so much so CW didn’t even help her to start with because they needed to ‘investigate’ so she had to do a go fund me.†Rose writes that this unidentified PA “will never walk again.â€
Rose claims that Batwoman would not shut down production for COVID after fellow CW shows filming in Vancouver already had, and it took mandatory government closures for production to stop. Rose suggests that she fought with showrunner Caroline Dries over this by tagging her in the post.
Rose alleges that actor Dougray Scott, who played Jacob Kane on the series, “abused women†by yelling at them and “hurt a female stunt double.â€
After Rose’s departure, Batwoman wrote a new character, Ryan Wilder (Javicia Leslie), to take the Batwoman cowl and began airing its second season in January 2021.
Updated at 2:50 p.m.: In response to Vulture’s request for comment, a representative for Warner Bros. TV group called Rose’s allegations “revisionist history†in the following statement:
“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 two of Batwoman based on multiple complaints about workplace behavior that were extensively reviewed and handled privately out of respect for all concerned.â€
Updated at 4:18 p.m.: Dougray Scott has also responded to Rose’s claims against him, denying them outright. The actor told Vulture:
“As Warner Bros. Television has stated, they decided not to exercise the option to engage Ruby for season two of Batwoman based on multiple complaints about her workplace behaviour. I absolutely and completely refute the defamatory and damaging claims made against me by her; they are entirely made up and never happened.â€
Updated at 5:26 p.m.: A source familiar with the situation reached out to Vulture and called the accusations against Peter Roth “unfounded†and “slanderous.â€
Dries has not responded to Vulture’s request for comment.