Actor Colin Farrell on his transformation into a penguin: My eyes were there, but…
Fans are excited to see Colin Farrell playing the Penguin in the upcoming HBO series on JioCinema Premium. The series, which premieres on September 20, delves into the complex psychology of the iconic Gotham villain.
With the upcoming release of The Penguin on JioCinema Premium on September 20, Colin Farrell’s portrayal of the iconic Gotham villain is garnering a lot of buzz. The eight-episode HBO series, which serves as a bridge between The Batman (2022) and its sequel, follows Oz Cobb, popularly known as the Penguin, as he rises from a down-and-out criminal to a powerful Gotham kingpin. The highly-anticipated series promises to unravel the complex psychology of one of Batman’s greatest adversaries.
Farrell, who plays the Penguin, recently spoke about the intense transformation process he went through to bring Oz Cobb to life, particularly highlighting the use of prosthetics to alter his appearance. Praising prosthetic designer Mike Marino for his work on The Batman, Farrell said, “I was so thrilled and highly impressed by the brilliance of the designs Mike Marino brought to the Penguin in The Batman. I’ve never been so fully immersed in this overhaul.”
The transformation was so complete that Farrell felt completely lost under the layers of prosthetics, a significant change from any previous role he had played. “When I looked in the mirror (as Oz), (there) wasn’t me looking back. My eyes were there, but everything else was just very different. Just different,” he revealed. “With that, I was nowhere to be found.”
Farrell’s experience with prosthetics for the role was an important part of shaping his approach to the character. Recalling the moment he first saw the 3D statue of his Penguin character, he said, “I freaked out. I said, ‘Wait a second. This is what I’m supposed to look like?’… This face had the whole history of a human being. There was a scar, there were some scars… There was a hardness to it and a sense of tragedy.”
This amazing physical transformation led to a creative breakthrough for Farrell. Although he initially struggled with his portrayal of the Penguin, seeing the elaborate prosthetics allowed him to fully embrace the character. “As soon as I saw it, this new wave of excitement came over me… a whole world of possibilities opened up that I wasn’t strong enough to imagine.”
Developed by showrunner Lauren LeFranc, Penguin also stars Cristin Milioti, Michael Kelly, and Shohreh Aghdashloo. Centering Farrell’s remarkable transformation, the series is set to offer a dark and gritty exploration of Gotham’s underworld, bringing the Penguin to life in a way never seen before.
The series will premiere on JioCinema Premium on September 20 and fans are eager to see Farrell’s creepy character.
