Ruby Rose | |
|---|---|
 Rose in 2012 | |
| Born | Ruby Rose Langenheim (1986-03-20)20 March 1986 (age 39) Melbourne, Australia |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1998–present |
| Relatives | Alec Campbell (great-grandfather) Ellen Bang (great-grandmother) |
Ruby Rose Langenheim (born 20 March 1986) is an Australian actress, television presenter, and model. She gained prominence for her role inseason three of theNetflix seriesOrange Is the New Black (2015–2016) and for portrayingKate Kane / Batwoman in theArrowverse television franchise, includingseason one of the seriesBatwoman (2019–2020).
As a presenter, Rose hostedMTV Australia (2007–2011), before taking on several high-profile modeling gigs, including working withMaybelline New York in Australia. She also co-hosted various television shows, such asAustralia's Next Top Model (2009) andThe Project (2009–2011).
She made her film debut with a small role inAround the Block (2013). She later appeared in action films such asResident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016),XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017), andJohn Wick: Chapter 2 (2017). Rose also co-starred in the musical comedyPitch Perfect 3 (2017) and the monster filmThe Meg (2018).
Ruby Rose Langenheim was born inMelbourne[1] on 20 March 1986,[2] the daughter of 20-year-old single mother Katia Langenheim.[3][4] She is the great-granddaughter of German actressEllen Bang (1906–1981) and Australian soldierAlec Campbell (1899–2002), who became known as the last Australian survivor of theBattle of Gallipoli and lived to the age of 103.[5] As a young child, she travelled frequently, living in ruralVictoria,Tasmania, andSurfers Paradise before finally settling back in Melbourne.[6] She attendedUniversity High School andFootscray City College.[7]
Rose first joined theGirlfriend model search in 2002, for which she came in second toCatherine McNeil.[5] In 2010, she collaborated with the Australian fashion label Milk and Honey to design a capsule fashion line. The collection, named Milk and Honey Designed by Ruby Rose,[8] includes washed jeans, leather jackets andT-shirts. The clothing line was available in selected retailers in Australia. Rose also released a collaboration collection with street footwear brand Gallaz.
In 2014, Rose began collaborating withPhoebe Dahl for their clothing range Faircloth Lane. She has featured predominantly within mainstream fashion titles, includingVogue Australia,InStyle Magazine,Marie Claire Magazine,Cleo,Cosmopolitan,Maxim,Nylon and New York'sInked Magazine. She's been the Australian ambassador for JVC, Australian clothes company JAG and luxury Danish labelGeorg Jensen. Rose is the face ofMaybelline New York in Australia.
Since March 2016, Rose has been the face ofUrban Decay Cosmetics.[9]
In March 2017, Rose starred inNike's latest campaign "Kiss My Airs" celebrating its Air Max Day.[10] In May, Rose was the face ofSwarovski 'Urban Fantasy' FW17 Collection launch.[11]
In order to land her job as an MTVVJ in Australia, Rose competed against 2000 other hopefuls in a three-week national search, as former VJLyndsey Rodrigues moved to the United States to co-hostTRL.[5] As part of the competition, she downed 100 shots of beer in 100 minutes againstJackass'sBam Margera, and kissed strangers on a busy Sydney street.[5] She stated, "Being a model there is always something they want to change. Whether they want someone a little bit skinnier, a little bit taller, a little bit prettier, but MTV wants you to be yourself... not censoring anything and not conforming to anything."[5]
In 2009, Rose won theASTRA Award for Favourite Female Personality.[12] She also travelled to Kenya to "highlight... [the] amazing work" done by Global Vision International.[6] She appeared in the episode "Media Virgins", ofAustralia's Next Top Model, acting as a guest judge,[13] and also worked as a correspondent for the finale of Australia's Next Top Model.[14]
In July 2009, Rose along withDave Hughes,Charlie Pickering,Carrie Bickmore andJames Mathison hostedThe 7pm Project, an Australian television news talk show produced byRoving Enterprises which airs weeknights onNetwork Ten.[15] She left the program to pursue her own hosting projects. In October 2009, it was announced that FOX8 had picked up the rights to UK formatUltimate School Musical,[16] which features ordinary teenagers from a school attempting to put on a music production to a professional standard in just six weeks. The Australian version was produced by FremantleMedia Australia with Rose as host,[17] and aired in 2010. Rose also hosted the Foxtel Mardi Gras for 3 consecutive years before becoming an official correspondent for Foxtel for the2010 Winter Olympics. In October 2015, Rose hosted the2015 MTV Europe Music Awards alongsideEd Sheeran in Milan.
Rose was selected in 2008 to act in the Australian comedy filmSuite for Fleur.[18][19] In 2009, she appeared on the first episode ofTalkin' 'Bout Your Generation, representingGeneration M alongside comedianJosh Thomas.[20] She also appeared alongsideChristina Ricci andJack Thompson in the 2013 filmAround the Block.
Rose credits her 2014short filmBreak Free, which she produced herself, for the success of her acting career. In an interview withVariety, she described how she was not able to get a manager, agent, or audition; so she decided to create short films "as a way of being able to give myself something to do and to study my craft." The film wentviral, getting millions of views in a short period of time.[21]
In 2015, Rose joined theOrange Is the New Black cast inseason 3. Rose played inmate Stella Carlin, "whose sarcastic sense of humour and captivating looks quickly draw the attention of some of Litchfield's inmates."[22][23] Rose's performance was generally well received by the public.[24] She was also cast in a guest role, as the servicerobot Wendy, in the science fiction seriesDark Matter.[25]
Rose andTom Felton lent their voices to the animated titleSheep & Wolves, with Rose as fiancé Bianca.[citation needed] In 2016 and 2017, Rose appeared in three action film sequels,XXX: Return of Xander Cage, alongsideVin Diesel,Resident Evil: The Final Chapter as Abigail, andJohn Wick: Chapter 2, alongsideKeanu Reeves; she also played a musical rival in the comedyPitch Perfect 3, which was released in December 2017.[26] Rose co-starred in the Warner Bros. filmThe Meg, a shark epic based on thenovel of the same name, alongsideJason Statham; the film was released on 10 August 2018.[27]
On 7 August 2018, it was reported that Rose had been cast asBatwoman in anArrowverse crossover.[28] Her role as Kate Kane has been noted as the first openlylesbian lead superhero in television.[29]Batwoman aired onThe CW on 6 October 2019.[30] Rose's casting as Batwoman was met by backlash and criticism on social media.[31][32]DC Comics, which owns the rights to the longtime comic book superheroine Batwoman, reintroduced the character in 2006 as a lesbian of Jewish descent. Some online commentators criticised Rose for not being Jewish, while the main focus of the scrutiny was the assertion that the fact she identifies asgenderfluid made her "not gay enough" for the role.[31] Rose quitTwitter and deactivated public commenting on herInstagram account following the backlash.[31] Prior to leaving Twitter, she released a tweet responding to the negative reaction, stating, "Where on earth did 'Ruby is not a lesbian therefore she can't be batwoman' come from — has to be the funniest most ridiculous thing I've ever read."[33] Rose called for unity between women and minorities, imploring women and theLGBT community to be kinder and more supportive of each other.[31][33]
InEntertainment Weekly's 2019 LGBTQ special issue, Rose additionally discussed the backlash to her casting as the title character of the television seriesBatwoman.[34] She said the opportunity to audition forOrange is the New Black came about because the show wanted to have agender-neutral character, but that she has also received criticism because of her genderfluid identity, adding, "when I got cast as a lesbian inBatwoman, I didn't know that being a gender-fluid woman meant that I couldn't be a lesbian because I'm not a woman - not considered lesbian enough." She said that while her initial response was dismissive, she later considered if there was a way to remedy the situation so that others would not be offended by her identity, and pondered making up a term that does not offend people and would indicate that she is "fluid in (her) gender, but also a lesbian."[34]
On 19 May 2020, Rose departedBatwoman after the first season, and initially gave no definitive reason behind her departure.[35] Her character was subsequently written out of the series and replaced with a new one namedRyan Wilder, portrayed byJavicia Leslie.[36] Rose later said she suffered an injury during the production of the first season.[37] In August 2020, she called being the lead of a series "taxing" and stated her back surgery following the injury was a contributing factor in deciding to leave.[38] In a March 2021 interview with ComicBookMovie.com, when asked if she would reprise Kate at some point, Rose said, "I would totally do it. I don't think it would serve the story because I think building the new Batwoman is more important than going back too far into Kate Kane, but of course I would." She added, "I've watched a couple of episodes, and I think how they're handling it is beautiful. I think it's [Ryan Wilder's] time to shine."[39] Later that same month, English actressWallis Day was cast as Kate Kane, as the show's story involved Kate receiving surgical alteration to her face after an airplane crash left her injured.[40] Rose, commenting on an Instagram tribute to her time in the role, said she was "stoked" about Day's casting.[41]
In July 2021, Rose said she was allergic to latex, which was another reason for leavingBatwoman as her character's mask was made of latex.[42] A few months later, in October, she began to publish allegations of an abusive and dangerous working environment on theBatwoman set, namingWarner Bros. executivePeter Roth, costarsDougray Scott and Camrus Johnson, and others on the production as responsible parties.[43][44][45] However, in response, Johnson stated that Rose had not quit but had beenfired fromBatwoman,[46] with Warner Bros. then releasing a statement responding to the accusations, saying that "Warner Bros Television had decided not to exercise its option to engage Ruby for season two" after "multiple complaints about her workplace behaviour".[47]
On 22 May 2020, Rose portrayedViola in a livestreamedtable-read ofTwelfth Night as part of a benefit to raise money forCOVID-19 pandemic relief.[48][a] She was also set to star in the action comedyThree Sisters.[49]
In November 2021, Rose took a sabbatical from Hollywood to return to her native Australia.[50]
In February 2012, Rose released her first single "Guilty Pleasure" withGary Go. In November 2016, she released and directedThe Veronicas' single "On Your Side".[51] She is a supporter of many charities, won a charity boxing match,[52] and has travelled to Laos and Africa to volunteer each year.
Issues of concern to Rose include animal welfare, campaigns for anti-bullying and youth mental health, where she works as an ambassador forHeadspace. Known for being extensivelytattooed, she showed off her tattoos in a photo spread forMaxim Australia andPETA, as part of the campaign "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur."[53][54]
In November 2025, Rose claimed that she was originally meant to star in theSydney Sweeney filmChristy (2025).[55]
Rosecame out as a lesbian at age 12.[56][57] She has said that she was bullied both verbally and physically by her male peers because of her sexuality andgender variance.[58][59] She has also stated that she wassexually abused as a child by a relative.[60] She experiencedsuicidal thoughts and attempted suicide at age 12.[56][58] She has struggled with mental health issues throughout her life, having attempted suicide multiple times, and has been diagnosed withcomplex post-traumatic stress disorder andclinical depression (initially misdiagnosed asbipolar disorder).[61]
Rose has said that she was convinced she was a boy while growing up, and that she was saving up money to physicallytransition from female to male.[59][62] She said, "It was in my mind as something I wanted to do and then I just... didn't. I guess I grew out of it. I even used to sleep on my front because I didn't want to get boobs ever, which I think worked actually."[62] She later said she is glad she did not undergogender-affirming surgery because she wants to have children one day.[57] She has said that modelling led her to discoverandrogyny and allowed her to model with differentgender expressions: "I remember being at ayum cha restaurant with my dad and the owner coming up and saying, 'Excuse me, we're trying to work out if you're a handsome boy or a beautiful girl.' It was a compliment and I was shocked, and when I thought about it I actually wanted to be a handsome boy."[63]
Rose said in 2015, "I am verygenderfluid and feel more like I wake up every day sort ofgender neutral."[64][65] This announcement came approximately a week after she releasedBreak Free, in which she visually transforms from a feminine-presenting woman to a heavilytattooed masculine-presenting person. She stated that she prefers to continue using feminine pronouns,[66] but also usesthey/them pronouns.[67] She said that if she had to choose a sex, she would choose to be male, but she does not feel like she should have been born with different body parts. Seeing the desire hertransgender friends had for transitioning, she asked herself if her need to transition matched theirs, and concluded that it did not: "I think at this stage I will stay a woman but ... who knows. I'm so comfortable right now I feel wonderful about it, but I also fluctuate a lot."[59]
Rose is avegan[68] and supports theGeelong Cats of theAustralian Football League.[69]
Rose datedThe Veronicas singerJessica Origliasso in 2008.[70] She was engaged to fashion designerPhoebe Dahl from 2014 until they ended their relationship in December 2015.[71][72] She rekindled her relationship with Origliasso from October 2016 to April 2018.[73]
In 2019, Rose underwent emergency spinal surgery to treat twoherniated discs caused by performing her own stunts on the set ofBatwoman and revealed she would have been at risk of paralysis without the surgery.[74]
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Various media outlets have commented on public fascination with Rose'sgender identity, gender expression, and physical appearance, including her tattoos and visual or behavioral similarities toAngelina Jolie,Justin Bieber, and a youngerLeonardo DiCaprio.[75][76][77] In 2008 and 2009, she was chosen as one of the "25 Most Influential Gay and Lesbian Australians" by SameSame, an Australian online gay and lesbian community.[78] The public and media attention increased following Rose's debut onOrange Is the New Black, significantly with regard to heterosexual women commenting on her physical appearance.[75][79] During 2015, she was the fifth-most-searched person onGoogle.[80]PETA named her one of three "Sexiest Vegans" of 2017.[81]
Emma Teitel ofMaclean's stated, "Rose... resembles an androgynous Angelina Jolie; she is a rare combination of angular and soft. She is a badass with a permanently arched brow and a Justin Bieber haircut. In other words, she is the lesbianJames Dean. And straight women are falling madly in love with her."[79] Alex Rees ofCosmopolitan said that everyone was enamored of Rose at the time of her season three appearance onOrange Is the New Black.[82][79]
Rose acknowledged the public discourse concerning her physical appearance and subsequent debate onsexual fluidity after heterosexual women said they would "go gay" for her,[79] commenting that while she thought it was brilliant and was neutral on the matter, some found the public affection toward her inappropriate because they believe it implied people can choose to be gay. Rose said she believes people are being complimentary when making such comments rather than trying to be derogatory or diminish the coming out process. She said today's society is more open about sexuality than in the past and that people should not nitpick who can or cannot identify as genderqueer, gender-neutral, bisexual or trans, or tell them how to live their lives, and that this is a message the LGBT community should be supporting.[82]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Around the Block | Hannah | |
| 2014 | Break Free | Herself | Short film |
| 2016 | Sheep and Wolves | Bianca | Voice English dub |
| Resident Evil: The Final Chapter | Abigail | ||
| 2017 | XXX: Return of Xander Cage | Adele Wolff | |
| John Wick: Chapter 2 | Ares | ||
| Pitch Perfect 3 | Calamity | ||
| 2018 | The Meg | Jaxx Herd | |
| 2020 | Cranston Academy: Monster Zone | Liz | Voice English dub |
| The Doorman | Alexandra 'Ali' Gorski | ||
| 2021 | SAS: Red Notice | Grace Lewis | |
| Vanquish | Victoria | ||
| 2022 | 1Up | Parker | |
| Stowaway | Bella Denton | ||
| Taurus | Bub | ||
| 2023 | The Collective | Daisy | |
| 2024 | Dirty Angels | Medic |
| Year | Title | Artist | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Boys like You" | 360 | Love interest | |
| 2012 | "Guilty Pleasure" | Herself andGary Go | Herself | |
| 2016 | "On Your Side" | The Veronicas | Love interest | Also writer and director |
| 2017 | "How A Heart Unbreaks" | Evermoist | Calamity | FromPitch Perfect 3 |
| 2020 | "Yo Visto Así" | Bad Bunny | Herself |
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | ASTRA Awards | Favourite Female Personality | Herself | Won | [84] | |
| 2015 | British LGBT Awards | Celebrity Rising Star | Nominated | [85] | ||
| GQ Australia | Woman of the Year | Won | [86] | |||
| 2016 | British LGBT Awards | Celebrity of the Year | Nominated | [87] | ||
| GLAAD Media Award | GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award | Won | [88] | Honoured at 27th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. | ||
| Glamour Awards | NEXT Breakthrough | Nominated | [89] | |||
| 2020 | Queerty Awards | TV Performance | Batwoman | Nominated | [90] | |
| 2022 | Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst Actress | Vanquish | Nominated | [91] |
... model/actor Ruby Rose in 1986 (age 34)
