The Penguin standout Cristin Milioti, who plays crime boss Sofia Falcone (AKA The Hangman) on the HBO series, is earning some serious Bat-cred with her defense of the oft-criticized Batman movies from director Joel Schumacher.
"It's very campy," Milioti tells Rad Simonpillai about her thoughts on 1995's Batman Forever and its follow-up Batman & Robin. "I love the camp element of Batman."
Milioti adds, "You're dealing with a slight level of camp whenever you're talking about someone putting on a costume and taking into the night. That's been one of the things I've loved about it, and the style of Gotham."
Batman Forever and Batman and Robin sidestepped the gothic-like take of Tim Burton's 1989 classic and Batman Returns sequel in favor of a more camp, cartoonish portrayal of Batman and his rogues' gallery. While Batman Forever was a box office success, Batman and Robin struggled with audiences – but the pair of movies have since been re-appraised as outlandish cult classics.
The Sofia Falcone actor – who has also appeared in the likes of The Sopranos and Black Mirror – lasered in on Batman Forever, which starred Val Kilmer as Batman alongside Tommy Lee Jones' Two Face and Jim Carrey's Riddler, as a childhood favorite.
"Batman Forever hit when I was maybe 10. The [Tim Burton movies] were deeply seminal… but I was obsessed with Batman Forever", Milioti said. "I think I found it thrilling and exciting, and it was cartoony. It's larger-than-life and neon. Everyone's going for broke. Jim Carrey's Riddler is going for it. I know it's not one of the more celebrated ones – and I totally get it – but, for like a 10-year-old, I was so into it."
The Penguin is currently airing on HBO in the US and NOW TV/Sky in the UK. For the latest, check out The Penguin release schedule and The Penguin review – and find out more about the first episode's surprise QR code.
