Batwoman’s Wallis Day on Kate’s ‘painful’ return: ‘It’s gonna be hard to watch for the Kate Kane lovers’

Kate Kane is officially back on Batwoman! But as fans of The CW superhero series will quickly point out, there are some major differences from the version of the character who starred in the first season. 

First of all, she's now being played by Wallis Day (Krypton) — the part having been recast after Ruby Rose (SAS Red Notice) left the production last year due to health concerns and person reasons — and secondly, she doesn't remember who she is, having been brainwashed into thinking she's Black Mask's daughter, Circe. 

"Kate [is in] a very vulnerable position," Day told CBR about the character's return to the series. "[Fans are] gonna see Kate fighting for who she is. But she is overpowered by Enigma and Black Mask and that's going to take us down a very — I think it's actually going to be a very... I don't want to say painful, but I think it's gonna be hard to watch for the Kate Kane lovers, in the sense where obviously Kate goes through some trauma."

Of course, with Kate's current condition there's no news on whether Wallis' version of the character will ever don her own bat cowl again, seeing as the part of Batwoman is now being played by Javicia Leslie's Ryan Wilder, who has been going through her own journey after having picked up the mantle this season. 

However, despite Kate's current brainwashed "condition" on the series, Wallis still prepared to play the role as she'd initially been introduced, honing in what she felt her core qualities are. 

"Justice is what I will probably link to Kate," she said. "She is so much about fairness, but also about being so authentically herself. That's why I love her, because she does have this edgy grit about her and she's not afraid to be who she is, and that stood out for me as well. But I think, more than anything, it was the way that she just wants to look out for the people she loves and make the world better in such a dark place like Gotham."

Wallis actually auditioned for the role not long after Rose's departure from the show was announced. However, the actor says the producers changed their minds a few weeks into the process, stating they'd be heading in a different direction, which no doubt ended up being the creation of Leslie's character. 

"[Showrunner] Caroline [Dries] wrote me an email letter and just said, "Listen, we're going in a different direction, but if we do end up bringing Kate back, I'll give you a call," Wallis said of the process getting the part, having doubted whether it would ever happen. "In January, Caroline called, and I was like, "Yes, I do still want to play Kate! Let's do it!" And here we are."

The announcement of Day's casting came not too long after Rose herself expressed interest in returning to the role should the producers ever ask her to. 

Joining Leslie and Day on the cast are Rachel Skarsten (Alice), Meagan Tandy (Sophie Moore), Camrus Johnson (Luke Fox), Dougray Scott (Jacob Kane), and Nicole Kang (Mary Hamilton-Kane).

Batwoman airs on The CW on Sundays at  9 p.m. ET.