Zoe Kravitz Prepared For Catwoman Role In A Bizarre Way

Now, it’s the young Zoe Kravitz that will take on the role of the feisty feline for the upcoming film, The Batman.

By Erika Hanson | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

Zoe Kravitz

The world of Batman has plenty of distinguished characters. But none may be as tantalizing as the notorious Catwoman. As one of Gotham’s most sensual burglars, Selina Kyle has been clawing her way through the big screen for decades, with plenty of famous faces donning the leather suit. With memorable performances from actors like Julie Newmar, Michelle Pfeiffer, Halle Berry, and Anne Hathaway, new actresses in the role have some big shoes to fill. Now, it’s the young Zoe Kravitz that will take on the role of the feisty feline for the upcoming film, The Batman. While fans prep to see how well the actress will deliver on the famous burglar’s stealthy ways, Kravitz gives an in-depth look at the bizarre way she epitomized Catwoman for the film.

Speaking with Empire, Zoe Kravitz went over the special training process she undertook to make her Catwoman a standout among the ranks of Hollywood adaptations. According to Kravitz, part of that process included working with stunt coordinator Rob Alonzo to enhance her physical training. In doing so, the 33-year-old actress found a unique way to pin down Catwoman’s feline movements. Quite peculiar, that process included poring over clips of nature footage to better understand feline movement patterns, particularly when fighting. “We watched cats and lions and how they fight,” revealed Zoe Kravitz. “And talked about what is actually possible when you’re my size, and Batman’s so much stronger than me. What is my skill? It’s being fast and tricky. So we did some really interesting floor work that incorporated different kinds of martial arts and capoeira and a kind of feline, dance-like movement.”

Bizarre training practices are nothing new to Hollywood. Zoe Kravitz watching big cat videos and adding that type of moment to her role as Catwoman may mean audiences are in for a surprising performance. Plenty of renowned actors are remembered for the interesting ways they trained for roles. Even in the Batman franchise, actors like the late Heath Ledger went to extreme measures. When prepping for his famous role as the Joker, Ledger honed in on the darkness of his character, often staying in complete isolation. With Heath Ledger’s take on the Joker easily being the best performance of the Jester of Genocide, we can’t help but be hopeful that Zoe Kravitz’s dedication to Catwoman will pay off in similar ways.

zoe kravitz catwoman the batman

News broke that the Big Little Lies star would portray Catwoman for the upcoming film back in 2019. From director Matt Reeves, The Batman is set to take a darker, noir twist to the famous franchise. Zoe Kravitz, the daughter of celebrities Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet, has already proven her worth in the industry from roles in hits like Fantastic Beasts and her lead role in the HBO drama, Big Little Lies. The series earned Kravitz plenty of acclaim for her take on her character, Bonnie Howard Carlson, and even earned her a screen actors guild nomination. While her prime time in cinema seems to just be taken off, her commitment to Catwoman teases at a long prestigious run in Hollywood.

Zoe Kravitz will be joined by an impressive cast including Robert Pattinson as Batman, Colin Farrell as the Penguin, Paul Dano as the Riddler, and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth. While the film will be jam-packed with plenty of returning well-known characters from Gotham, the movie will act as an origin story for Selina Kyle, according to Kravitz. Kravitz said, “So, it’s the beginning of her figuring out who she is, beyond just someone trying to survive. I think there’s a lot of space to grow and I think we are watching her become what I’m sure will be the femme fatale.” As it seems The Batman will set the stage for a much longer story arch for the antihero, all signs point to Kravitz getting her own feature film as the feline prowler. Our trusted sources confirmed plans over the summer for the studio to develop a standalone film centered around Selina Kyle. Hopefully, all those nature videos pay off and Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman will embody everything fans of the Catburglar love most.