Colin Farrell as The Penguin.Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
Colin Farrellhad to make a major compromise for his latest role.
The actor, 45, who plays Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin in the upcoming filmThe Batman, told YouTube seriesJake’s Takesthat he “fought valiantly,” but was unable to secure a cigar prop for his character.
Although The Penguin is depicted in DC comics with his signature cigarette, Farrell said in a Feb. 18 video interview that Warner Bros., the studio behind the film, would not allow smoking onscreen.
Colin Farrell.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
“Big studios make big decisions around such things as the presence of cigarettes in films,” he toldJakes Takes.
Farrell added, “I fought valiantly for a cigar. I even at one stage said, ‘I can have it unlit! Just let me have it unlit.’ They were like, ‘No.’ [As if] a bunch of 12-year-olds are going to start smoking Cuban cigars because [of The Penguin].”
Warner Bros. was the first film studio to set a tobacco policy, which they instated in 2005, according toIndieWire. The company’s policy states, in part: “Studios endeavor to reduce or eliminate the depiction of smokingand tobacco products/brands in their feature films, unless there is a compelling creative reason for such depictions.”
While Farrell’s request for a cigar to complete his character violated the studio’s tobacco policy, he still completely transformed into The Penguin, no smoke needed. The actor wears makeup and prosthetics to play the DC villain, and was so unrecognizable on set that he even confused his costars.
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“Colin walked on to set one day and I walked right passed him,” he said. “I was like, ‘Okay, hey dude what’s happening? Where’s Colin? Are we going to shoot?’ It was — it’s pretty remarkable.”
Farrell not only fooled his costars, but tricked the public, as well. In an interview withColliderpublished Wednesday, the actor said he ordered a drink at Starbucks in full makeup and prosthetics without being recognized.
“I went into Starbucks and ordered myself a very un-Oswald drink, an oat milk latte with two stevia sweeteners. I got a couple of stares but only because it’s such an imposing look,” he explained. “[Designer] Mike (Marino) did so much of the work for me on this, so much of the heavy lifting.”
The Batmanpremieres in theaters March 4.
source: people.com
