Actress Zoe Kravitz, known for her role in HBO’s Big Little Lies, made her DC debut in Matt Reeves’ 2022, The Batman as Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. Kravitz is taking on the role after Camren Bicondova, who played Catwoman in Fox’s Gotham, which ran for five seasons. In the film, she is a drug dealer, cat burglar, and waitress at the Iceberg Lounge. She crosses paths with Robert Pattinson’s Batman when her roommate Anika goes missing. They bond over their need to help the vulnerable in Gotham’s messed-up society.
While other Catwomen actresses only appeared in one movie, Kravitz could be one of the first to appear in multiple movies, thanks to Reeves’ The Batman franchise. In the 2022 movie, fans only got a glimpse of who she could be, just a taste of her abilities, past, and motivations. With The Batman 2 currently in the works, her character could return for a detailed story arc in the trilogy. Here are the details about her portrayal of the iconic Selina Kyle and fans’ reaction to her performance.
Zoe Kravitz’s Interpretation of Catwoman’s Sexuality
During an interview with Pedestrian, Kravitz clarified that her interpretation of the character’s sexuality was bisexual. In The Batman, Kravitz plays a different version of the female anti-hero, Catwoman, and her portrayal on the big screen is as unique as it can get. She isn’t the usual Catwoman fans have seen in previous Batman movies. Anne Hathaway, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Halle Berry played this iconic character as being attracted to men, although fans could tell that she was always a ‘girl’s girl.’
In Reeves’ The Batman, it’s clear that Catwoman has a more intimate relationship with her roommate, who she calls ‘baby.’ While they did not clearly state that there was a romantic relationship between the two, Kravitz clarified that that’s how she interpreted the scene. Her portrayal of Catwoman’s sexuality aligns with the character’s comic book history, however, this is the first time she’s been portrayed as bisexual on screen. In Fox’s Gotham, Selina Kyle had close relationships with other women like Poison Ivy, but despite some jealousy, nothing ever became serious between the two characters.
While Reeves intended for Kyle’s relationship with Anika to be mother-daughter, he wasn’t against Kravitz’s interpretation because the movie is meant to stay true to the comics, and that’s what it does. He did agree that the two had a very intimate relationship that was more than just sexual. Catwoman tends to take in strays because she was one herself. So, she quickly latches on to other strays in hopes of helping them like Anika. Despite this, the relationship that was at the forefront of the 2022 movie was between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. They even share a passionate kiss towards the end of the movie.
Zoe Kravitz’s Performance in ‘The Batman’
Fans have been introduced to different versions of this femme fatale, but Kravitz’s portrayal of the character is unique from all the others. It could be because The Batman serves as her origin story, and fans get to see a different version of Kyle before she becomes Catwoman —when she’s still hustling in the dark streets of Gotham.
She is vulnerable despite her trying to pretend to be cold, heated, and uncaring. She wants Anika to be okay and is worried about her throughout the movie. Catwoman in this movie feels like an actual human being with emotions like love, worry, and fear. Some traits that she’s already learned to mask by the time she becomes Catwoman in several Batman films and TV shows. Her vulnerability blends well with Pattinson’s masculinity as Batman. They complement each other well while working together, and they end up caring deeply for each other.
Selina a damsel in distress either. Kravitz’s Selina is a skilled fighter even Batman wouldn’t want to mess with. In The Batman, she can handle herself against the thugs with guns at the train station. Kravitz moves with a certain grace and elegance that fits Catwoman very well. With the movie focusing more on Selina than Catwoman, Kravitz does a fantastic job of showing the human side of this beloved comic book character.
Public’s Reaction to Zoe Kravitz’s Portrayal of Catwoman
When the movie was released Batman fans had mixed reactions to Kravitz’s portrayal of Catwoman. Some fans thought she owned the role well, while others thought her portrayal was dull and gloomy. Former Catwoman actress Halle Berry told Kravitz to be courageous in her interpretation of the role, and that’s what she did. It must have worked because, almost a year after its release, fans agree that Kravitz is one of the best actresses to play Selina Kyle. Her scenes were some of the best moments of The Batman. More and more fans want her to reprise her role in the sequel and more movies in the future. She was one of the best things about the first movie, and fans can’t wait to see what she does in Batman 2.
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