Colin Farrell has already received accolades for his performance as The Penguin in 2022’s The Batman. Fans are eagerly anticipating his return in the upcoming series, The Penguin.
Nevertheless, even though Farrell feels privileged to play the character, he wasn’t entirely happy by the time filming for the MAX series wrapped up.
Farrell, the 48-year-old Irish actor starring in The Penguin, recently shared in an interview with TotalFilm that he’s uncertain about returning for a second season if the series gets renewed.
“I don’t know, man,” Farrell disclosed when questioned about a potential second season, “Don’t get me wrong – I loved it – but it got in on me a little bit.”
“By the end of it, I was b****ing and moaning to anyone who would listen to me that I f**king wanted it to be finished.”
The Max series, which is set to premiere on September 19, marks Farrell’s second appearance as Oz Cobblepot. Being a side character in the 2022 Batman film was likely less demanding compared to leading a series featuring eight 60-minute episodes.
Despite his frustrations, Farrell expressed his gratitude for the role, saying: “I tried to remind them that I had ‘grumpy gratitude’.”
“I was still grateful, and still honored – I grew up watching Burgess Meredith and then Danny DeVito was my Penguin.”
“Being a part of the lineage of that storytelling, I really did feel privileged.”
In the series, Farrell dons prosthetic makeup and a fatsuit to deliver an authentic portrayal of The Penguin, who is traditionally a heavy-set character.
These physical modifications are considered one reason filming was tough for Farrell. He mentioned, “When I finished I was like, ‘I never want to put that f***ing suit and that f***ing head on again.”
For those eager to see more of Farrell as The Penguin after the series concludes, he is slated to reprise his role in The Batman 2, which is expected in 2026. Moreover, Farrell isn’t entirely against the idea of a second season for the show.
“Lauren said, ‘Look, if I could find a way that makes sense, would you talk about it?’ And I said, ‘Absolutely.’ And maybe in a year I would,” Farrell added.