With The Batman production underway, fans and detractors alike are preparing to dive into every aspect of the Dark Knight’s resurgence – but apparently none more so than Zoe Kravitz. The actress is set to play Selina Kyle alongside Robert Pattinson’s Bruce, and she recently had quite a bit to say about taking on the role.
While at a Television Critics Association panel for High Fidelity, in which she plays a gender-swapped version of John Cusack’s character from the cult classic, Zoe Kravitz answered a question about her preparation for The Batman. Perhaps gender roles were already on her mind, because she framed her response in terms of Catwoman’s inherent femininity.
Zoe Kravitz Breaks Down Selina’s Gentle Power
While the actress admitted that “I was never into a lot of comic books,” she also explained, “that world was always really intriguing to me.” But the really interesting part was her thoughts on the gender dichotomy as represented by Batman and Catwoman’s dynamic. “I think Catwoman/Selina Kyle represents really strong femininity, and I’m excited to dive into that,” she went on.
“Femininity means power and I think it’s a different kind of power than masculine power. That’s something I think is really interesting about Batman and Catwoman. I think Batman represents a very masculine power and Catwoman represents a very feminine power, slightly more complicated. And softer too. I like the idea that you can be soft, you can be gentle, and still be very powerful and so very dangerous.”
She’s certainly right about Selina’s conception. After all, who can forget her first appearance in Batman #1, when she disguises herself as a helpless old lady to make off with the jewels and still leaves Bruce smitten in the process. Catwoman is no stranger to “feminine wiles,” and she’s much more willing to coax her way into things than Batman is. It’ll be interesting to see how or if that changes in Matt Reeves’ interpretation, given the 80 years that have passed since then.
Are you looking forward to Zoe Kravitz’s take on Catwoman? Let us know your excitement level for The Batman in the comments below.
