‘The Batman’: Catwoman Actor Zoë Kravitz Reveals She’s Incorporating Martial Arts and Real Cat Fights Into the Villain
Batman has received so many adaptations that even actors playing side characters worry about differentiating their roles from past actors. And when Matt Reeves’ The Batman cast their Catwoman, Zoë Kravitz, fans became eager to see how she might portray the Batman villain. She opened up about it in an interview, revealing she would incorporate martial arts, capoeira, and real-life catfighting.
While working with stunt coordinator Rob Alonzo on Catwoman, Zoë Kravitz studied different fighting styles
Michelle Pfieffer and Halle Berry brought unique takes to the Batman villain. And for the Zoë Kravitz Catwoman, her stunt coordinator Rob Alonzo worked with her on various fighting styles.
“We watched cats and lions and how they fight, and talked about what is actually possible when you’re my size, and Batman’s so much stronger than me,” She told Empire Magazine (via Collider). “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.”
The first few The Batman trailers released by Warner Bros. and at DC FanDome gave glimpses at Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman. However, her fighting style will look like nothing fans have seen before by incorporating how cats and lions fight.
“[Rob]’s not just trying to do a bunch of impressive backflips that wouldn’t be possible for that person to do,” Kravitz continued. “And he takes into account where we are in the story and where the characters are emotionally. So it was really fun to work from that place.”
‘The Bat and The Cat’ trailer revealed just how prominent her role will be
While the first The Batman trailers hinted at the Zoë Kravitz Catwoman role, a new video dropped. “The Bat and the Cat” trailer hit the internet on December 27, 2021.
Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne and Kravitz’s Selina Kyle might share the most screentime in the movie.
“This is an origin story for Selina,” 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.”
While both Kravitz and Selina try to figure out their place in Gotham City, Reeves agrees that The Batman serves as an origin for more than just the Dark Knight.
Matt Reeves said Zoë Kravitz’s Selina Kyle becoming Catwoman is ‘part of the journey’
Reeves confirmed that The Batman takes place in Bruce Wayne’s second year at the Dark Knight. While he has some experience, the hero has only started battling supervillains.
During the DC FanDome panel via Collider, Reeves talked about how Zoë Kravitz’s path to becoming Catwoman is “part of the journey.”
“It’s actually in a weird way the origins of a lot of our Rogues Gallery characters. Selina isn’t Catwoman yet, that’s actually part of the journey. Oz is not yet the kingpin that he’s going to become, he’s The Penguin and, in fact, doesn’t like being called The Penguin.”
With new trailers and information on Bruce Wayne facing The Riddler, fans cannot wait to see Zoë Kravitz using those catfighting techniques as Catwoman.
