Ruby from Supernatural was first played by this Gossip Girl star before Genevieve Padalecki took over the part 

Before Genevieve Padalecki (née Cortese) stepped into the role during Season 4, the Supernatural character Ruby was portrayed by Katie Cassidy, then-rising CW talent. Cassidy was all about the rough, in-your-face persona of the character in her Season 3 stint, making an immediate presence known among fans everywhere. But when Season 4 premiered, Ruby had a new face, Padalecki’s.

The sudden switch left viewers with questions, especially considering Ruby was still a significant character in the show's ongoing story. Although both actresses were staples of The CW and were thus called superstars in their own right afterward, Cassidy's departure wasn't due to drama or conflict. The truth is more complicated.

Looper stated that, according to series creator Eric Kripke, budget issues were the reason for the switch. But Cassidy herself went on to state that the major reason was creative uncertainty. The writers supposedly did not have clear ideas for Ruby's future after Season 3, and Cassidy wanted to explore other options rather than be relegated to a character with no direction.

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Katie Cassidy as Ruby: A good beginning

Katie Cassidy portrayed Ruby in Season 3 of Supernatural, the show's first significant recurring role. While she would later become more popularly known for her roles on Gossip Girl and Arrow, her stint as Ruby was one of the first projects that she worked on for The CW. Her interpretation of the role set Ruby as a tough-talking, wisecracking demon walking a thin line between buddy and adversary, a figure hard to peg and harder to trust.

Katie Cassidy's Ruby contributed to fueling some of the major plot arcs regarding Sam Winchester's abilities and demon and hunter mythology. Nevertheless, even with the positive response to her take on the character, the role was recast for the following season.

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Creative uncertainty versus budget restraints

According to ScreenRant, Eric Kripke stated that Supernatural couldn't sustain the cost of rehiring Katie Cassidy due to rising costs and her increasing value as a CW star. Cassidy's account varies in emphasis. Budget was indeed a factor, she claimed, but the reason for her going was the lack of including Ruby with an actual arc. In essence, the show didn't write her out; her character just wasn't written forward.

According to TV Guide, Cassidy said,

"Warner Bros. wasn't exactly sure what they were going to be doing with my character, and I had the option to stay or leave. When Harper's Island came about, I was really into it, so I asked them to let me go. Luckily, they did."

This combination of creative shift and actor agency eventually resulted in a recast, one that not only changed the face of Ruby but also her entire attitude.

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Genevieve Padalecki: A new harp for a familiar strumpet

Genevieve Padalecki joined the show in Season 4 as the new Ruby. Her version brought more of a controlled, icy, and manipulative feel to the character because of Ruby's greater involvement with Sam Winchester from then on. Her Ruby was a less impulsive take than Cassidy's but more of an emotional manipulation and waiting game.

In-universe, the change was explained handily: Ruby had obtained a new human host, something that fell squarely within Supernatural's long-standing demon rules. Out-of-universe, the casting choice was practical and artistic. Padalecki's performance was meant to anchor Ruby further in Sam's internal struggle as he gradually moved deeper into darkness, eventually leading to her betrayal.

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The fan and critical response

The response of the fans to the Ruby makeover was divided. Some audience members initially liked Cassidy's brash, self-assured acting, finding it more appropriate to the introduction of the character. Others did not find Padalecki's acting equally full of energetic vitality. Over time, however, some fans did embrace the new Ruby, particularly as her plotline expanded in Supernatural Season 4 and became a main plot.

The critics were no different. Neither version was adored by all nor despised by all, but each was accepted as befitting the shift in tone of the show. Cassidy's Ruby brought energy to the fast-paced season packed with fresh villains, and Padalecki's Ruby served a more emotionally complex, slower-paced narrative in Season 4.

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Superstar careers beyond Supernatural

Both actresses moved on to have successful careers following Supernatural. Katie Cassidy created the character of Laurel Lance/Black Canary on Arrow and became one of the CW's Arrowverse's highest-profile stars. Her guest spots on Gossip Girl, Melrose Place, and other dramas turned her into a rising network star.

Genevieve Padalecki, while not as well-known on a range of programs, was still deeply involved in the Supernatural fandom. Her relationship with co-star Jared Padalecki (whom she later married) was her tie to the series and fandom. She appeared as a guest star on Walker, keeping her working relationship with Padalecki and remaining a part of the CW community.

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A character defined by two superstars

What's so fascinating about Ruby's tale in Supernatural is how the character shifted so drastically between two women. Both Cassidy and Padalecki, both CW stars individually, performed the identical role with varying energy. Cassidy's Ruby was a street-fighting, in-your-face female; Padalecki's was a calculated and emotionally manipulative version. Neither was definitive, but collectively, they made Ruby one of the richest recurring figures on the show.

This transformation wasn't merely a casting change; it was a test in narrative. With Ruby, Supernatural experimented with whether the power of a character hinges not only on who plays them but also on how they're developed. And for Ruby, the show's insistence on reforming her appearance and persona reflected the larger realignment of its narrative trajectory from Season 3 to 4.

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Ruby is one of the few Supernatural actors to have been so significantly recast, and her appearance by two CW stars has imprinted itself on fans. Katie Cassidy's acerbic version and Genevieve Padalecki's calculating attitude each brought depth to Ruby's complex character. Whether or not justification for recasting is present involves as much as cost and creative insecurity, but surely, Ruby's character was always meant to be dynamic.

Lastly, the transition from Katie Cassidy to Genevieve Padalecki showed how TV characters could be established by more than one actor. Ruby, as seen through the perspectives of two rival superstars, continues to be a study of how casting, writing, and character evolution blend together in long-running shows.

Also read: 10 plot twists in Supernatural that changed the entire show