From 'The Batman' to 'The Penguin': Colin Farrell on playing Gotham's crime lord

Colin Farrell returns to the gritty streets of Gotham in the twisty series 'The Penguin', reprising his role as the ruthless crime lord Oz Cobb.

Known for his chilling portrayal in 'The Batman', Farrell delves deeper into the character, revealing the intricate layers of ambition, pain, and humanity that define Oz.

In a supplied interview, he shares insights about the project, his inspirations, and how the gripping series, now streaming on OSN+, expands on the mythology of Gotham while standing on its own.

“One of the priorities of the whole thing [was that] it should be able to work if you didn't know any of the mythology,” Farrell said.

It was crucial for him that the show connected with audiences unfamiliar with the larger universe.

“It should be able to exist just in and of itself, as a story that's strong... that pays enough attention to the minutia of human psychology and childhood trauma and ambition and greed and sorrow and loss, and all of those things that we all contend with in our own ways. It should stand alone.”

Reflecting on his time shooting The Batman, he reveals, “I think it was about two or three weeks into my part of the shoot that I sent Dylan a text... just because I knew there was so much more to explore about this character.”

He felt that there was so much to Oz, particularly given the character’s limited screen time in the film.

“To do all this, and only have six scenes, it seemed like such a waste… I just thought there could be so much more done with this character.”

What followed was a call from producer Dylan Clark, setting the wheels in motion for a deep dive into Oz’s world. Farrell was impressed by showrunner Lauren LeFranc's vision.

“Lauren wrote this Bible of a story in this relationship between a son and his mother and a very painful event that took place in her past," he shares.

Even while filming The Banshees of Inisherin in Ireland, the pitch resonated with him. “I just was like, ‘[Expletive], what Lauren has come up with is amazing; really powerful and heartbreaking and human.’

It seemed to veer well away from the fantastical, well away from the archetypical genre elements. It just felt very human.”

For Farrell, The Penguin isn’t just about building on the world of Gotham; it's about digging into real, human emotions and traumas. He describes the role as “one of those gifts that you don’t see coming,” likening his experience to animating a marionette created by someone else. “I've truly never felt less ownership of a character I played than I do with this, and I'm cool with sharing it because of what Mike gave me, and what I got to inhabit.”

When it came to finding inspiration for his portrayal of Oz, Farrell embraced various influences. “There’s no doubt that every gangster I’ve ever seen, whoever portrayed them, is in my consciousness. I wasn't intentionally drawing from The Sopranos or from The Untouchables, but there’s no doubt that those performances—Bobby D. [Robert De Niro] and Jimmy G. [James Gandolfini]—they're all floating around in my noggin. So bits of them all are gonna come through, and I don't resist that.”

Voice and physicality were also crucial in bringing Oz to life. Working closely with dialect coach Jessica Drake, Farrell focused on mastering the nuances of a New York accent. “We had two months, a few sessions every day to get in and drill and play around with different accents until I just got it to a place where it felt like everything was of a piece.”

Farrell's portrayal also incorporates Oz’s physical struggles, as the character’s mobility is impacted by a lifelong condition. “Sometimes it's more pronounced than other times. His foot would have been sorer at the end of a day... It's a painful thing, and he’s used to the pain, so he doesn't grimace every time he plants his right foot down,” Farrell explains, emphasizing the thought he put into how Oz would move. Initially considering a backstory involving polio, the team eventually decided on a different direction that added depth to the character.

Working alongside co-stars like Rhenzy Feliz and Cristin Milioti, Farrell found inspiration in their performances. He praises Feliz for his diligence and passion, noting, “I thought he was astonishing.” Reflecting on Milioti’s portrayal, he admires her journey, describing it as a “tour de force.”

While in character, Farrell found himself immersed in the world of Oz, even going so far as to leave messages for friends and family as the character during downtime on set. “I waddled around a lot... I spoke in character quite a good bit more than usual.” This deep immersion allowed him to explore the complexity of Oz’s life and relationships.

As Farrell puts it, The Penguin offers a fresh interpretation of the iconic world of Batman. “It’s just a reinvention. These characters are written with such depth and with such a human-leaning element of archetypical truth that they survived generations.”

In The Penguin, Farrell not only unearths the darker aspects of Oz Cobb but also explores the vulnerabilities that make him profoundly human. The series is keen to take viewers on a riveting journey through a Gotham unlike any seen before, blending crime, ambition, and emotional depth in a way that resonates deeply with its audience.

“I hope it justifies its existence by being engaging for people for the eight hours that we have.”

Don't Miss It!

'The Penguin' is streaming on OSN+ now