Ruby Rose, who played the lead role of Kate Kane in The CW's 2020 Batwoman series before deciding to step away (or was forced to, depending on who you believe) after the first season, dominated the news cycle late last year when she blamed Christy star Sydney Sweeney for the movie's dismal box office performance, and the John Wick actress made headlines back in April of this year for a far more serious reason.
In a series of Threads posts, Rose accused singer Katy Perry of sexually assaulting her in a Melbourne nightclub when she was in her twenties. The Complex Music account shared a post about Perry reacting to Justin Bieber’s headlining Coachella set, which prompted Rose to reply with the allegations.
“Katy Perry sexual assaulted me at spice market nightclub in Melbourne,” she wrote. “Who gives a shit what she thinks.”
“Before I open up about something incredibly raw and traumatic, I tell myself ‘it’s ok, you don’t need people to believe you, you just need to get it out of your poor body, before it gives you cancer,’” she continued. “But then I see this post and tears consume me, in a good way. Thank you.”
“I’m now 40,” she added. “It has taken almost 2 decades to say this publicly. Though I am so grateful to have made it long enough to find my voice, it just shows how much of an impact trauma and sexual assault takes. Thank you for seeing me.”
Rose then shared details of what she claims happened. Some may find the following triggering.
“She saw me ‘resting’ on my best friend's lap to avoid her and bent down, pulled her underwear to the side and rubbed her disgusting vagina on my face until my eyes snapped open and I projectile vomited on her.”
Rose says that she did speak about the incident shortly after, but turned it into a "funny little drunk story" because she was unsure of how to handle the situation. Apparently, Perry later helped Rose secure a U.S. visa, so she decided to keep the matter quiet.
Rose admitted that she won't be filing a report, but Perry is welcome to sue her because "it happened" in full view of several witnesses.
A representative for Perry reacted to the claim with the following statement (via Variety).
“The allegations being circulated on social media by Ruby Rose about Katy Perry are not only categorically false, they are dangerous reckless lies. Ms. Rose has a well-documented history of making serious public allegations on social media against various individuals, claims that have repeatedly been denied by those named.”
Rose is one of 15 contestants on season 5 of Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, and while she didn't address the Perry accusations directly, she did say the following.
“I am very, very good at seeing through people. After everything that has harmed me in the past, I might sit and go, ‘Oh, there’s something here I don’t trust.’”
“She’s got some s— going on in the news,” fellow Special Forces contestant Oliver Hudson told some of their co-stars after Rose left a group conversation. While his full comments are bleeped, he adds, “[With] Katy Perry.”
Rose did delve into the serious on-set injury that occurred while filming Batwoman in 2019 that very nearly left her with a severed spinal cord.
“I’ve always done all of my own stunts, so I could turn up as Ruby: the action star,” she told her castmates during the SFWTT premiere. “But I had an accident in 2019 on set of Batwoman and everything just sort of got bad from there.” “There was no bouncing back,” Rose added. “There was no part of me left. It was just the shell. Four years of my life — gone.”
We still don't know the full story behind Rose's Batwoman departure. The actress released a statement after parting ways with the show, but didn't specify why.
“I have made the very difficult decision to not return to Batwoman next season," said the actress. "This was not a decision I made lightly as I have the utmost respect for the cast, crew and everyone involved with the show in both Vancouver and in Los Angeles. I am beyond appreciative to Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Caroline Dries for not only giving me this incredible opportunity, but for welcoming me into the DC universe they have so beautifully created. Thank you Peter Roth and Mark Pedowitz and the teams at Warner Bros. and The CW who put so much into the show and always believed in me. Thank you to everyone who made season one a success — I am truly grateful.”
The CW, Warner Bros. TV and Berlanti Productions jointly added, "Warner Bros. Television, The CW and Berlanti Productions thank Ruby for her contributions to the success of our first season and wish her all the best. The studio and network are firmly committed to Batwoman’s second season and long-term future, and we — along with the show’s talented creative team — look forward to sharing its new direction, including the casting of a new lead actress and member of the LGBTQ community, in the coming months."
Rose faced a lot of backlash when she was first cast as Batwoman, and while her performance came in for some criticism at first, she did seem to grow into the role as the season progressed and won many detractors over.