Australian actor Ruby Rose is temporarily ditching Hollywood blockbusters for a paranormal play on an Australian stage.
This week, GWB Entertainment confirmed Rose had joined the cast of 2:22 A Ghost Story, which will run for four weeks at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre from July 25.
The supernatural thriller follows a spiralling dinner party between friends, where boundaries are pushed, secrets are spilled, and beliefs are tested.
Rose will bring to life Lauren, an old university chum of one-half of the couple who is hosting the dinner party.
She joins Neighbours alum Daniel MacPherson, who has the role of Lauren’s boyfriend Ben.
The actors for the two remaining roles have not yet been announced.
Although MacPherson has some theatre experience, Rose is a newcomer to the stage.
“I’m very excited,” she told Herald Sun.
“I’ve always wanted to do theatre, and this is my first play.
“I’m nervous … because the stage is unfamiliar territory in terms of where my career has gone so far.
“But I’m thrilled, and also really happy to be coming home to Melbourne.”
2:22 A Ghost Story premiered in London’s West End in 2021 and had a Los Angeles run in 2022, and the actors in previous adaptations included Lily Allen, Sophia Bush, Stephanie Beatriz, Tom Felton, Constance Wu and British singer Cheryl [Tweedie].
Hollywood success
Rose, who found fame as a model after placing second in the 2002 Girlfriend model search, is returning home after major successes in the US.
She initially transitioned from model to TV personality through an MTV Australia VJ role in 2007, and was part of the main cast of the original The 7pm Project alongside Carrie Bickmore and Dave Hughes in 2009.
But after struggling to get management or auditions as she attempted to break into acting, Rose took matters into her own hands by writing, producing and starring in hew own 2014 short film, Break Free.
The actor, who identifies as gender-fluid but seems to prefer she/her pronouns, credits the move with helping her land a breakout role in the hit Netflix series, Orange Is the New Black.
Since then, she has landed roles in massive franchises, including John Wick, XXX and Pitch Perfect.
Rose has also appeared as Batwoman in five DC TV shows, including her own Batwoman series in 2019; her character became the first openly lesbian superhero to lead a live-action US network TV series.
Professional and private troubles
Rose sensationally left Batwoman after the first season, and later alleged mistreatment and a toxic environment. She said she would never return to the role, even with a gun to her head.
Rose blamed a number of the production’s higher-ups in posts to Instagram; one of her allegations was that she was forced to return to work 10 days after suffering a spinal injury, despite needing weeks to heal.
She also alleged others suffered serious injuries on the Batwoman set, including a crew member who sustained third-degree burns to much of his body.
“We were given no therapy after witnessing his skin fall off his face,” she wrote.
“We lost two stunt doubles, I got cut in the face so close to my eye in a stunt I could have been blind. A woman was left quadriplegic.”
The relationship seems beyond repair, with Rose taking to Instagram in February vowing to expose how “horrific” the Origliasso sisters were to her in her upcoming memoir.
