Bat mitzva

Ruby Rose cast as Jewish lesbian superhero Batwoman

The lesbian actress says she is ‘thrilled and honored,’ but many fans criticize the fact she isn’t Jewish, say character’s narrative downplays her religious identity

Ruby Rose attends the LA Premiere of "The Meg" at TCL Chinese Theatre on August 6, 2018, in Los Angeles, United States. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Ruby Rose attends the LA Premiere of "The Meg" at TCL Chinese Theatre on August 6, 2018, in Los Angeles, United States. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Ruby Rose has made history by being cast as Batwoman, the first openly gay superhero to headline a TV series.

Batwoman, originally a love interest for Batman, was reintroduced in 2006 as a Jewish lesbian character.

Batwoman will be introduced in a December crossover event between the network’s other DC Comics shows, “Arrow,” “The Flash” and “Supergirl.”

A standalone series about Batwoman, whose real name is Kate Kane, is in development for the 2019-20 TV season. Kane is described as a highly trained street fighter with a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind.

Rose wrote Tuesday on Instagram that she’s “thrilled and honored” and “an emotional wreck” over the news. As a young, gay person, she never felt represented on TV, she said.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmL88D0h6Dt/?taken-by=rubyrose

The Australian actress gained stardom when she was cast in season three of Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black.” She also played in “Pitch Perfect 3” and “The Meg.”

But while many fans praised the casting decision for pushing LGBT representation on screen, others expressed several criticisms of it, NME reported.

Some lamented that a Jewish actress wasn’t cast for the role, charging that Batwoman’s Jewishness was being downplayed and even calling the casting choice “anti-Semitic.”

https://twitter.com/parneIaisley/status/1026946058843287553

The hashtag #KeepKateJewish has been trending on Twitter.

Others decried the lack of diversity in Hollywood’s lesbian roles and the fact that a lesser-known actress wasn’t cast. Rose, some claimed, was the “obvious choice,” with others saying they haven’t been convinced by her acting abilities.

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