After a spectacular first transformation for the film The Batman, In 2022, actor Colin Farrell once again dons the heavy costume of Oz Cobb, for the spin-off series The Penguinon Max. Hours of preparation were necessary for this metamorphosis.
As soon as he appears, we are overcome with anxiety. With his limping gait, his scars dotting his face, his Machiavellian laugh and his imposing build, the Penguin had already burst onto the screen in the excellent film The Batmanin 2022, thanks to the remarkable performance of Colin Farrell (True Detective), absolutely unrecognizable.
To achieve such a transformation, and take on the features of this iconic DC Comics villain, hours of preparation were necessary, every day of filming. While Colin Farrell once again shows his talent in The Penguinthe spin-off series of The Batmanthe first episode of which is available for streaming on Max, here is the long metamorphosis he had to undergo to become this cult antagonist.
Everything about the Penguin is fake… even his penis
In an interview given to ScreenRantMike Marino, who designed the makeup and prosthetics for The Batman as well as The Penguinrevealed how long it took his team to transform the Irish actor. According to him, at the beginning of filming for the series, it took Colin Farrell 4 hours of preparation to get into the skin of the villain, with a body suit that covers him from head to ankles.
Over time, this time was gradually reduced to 2.5 hours, every morning, with several people dedicated specifically to the Penguin’s teeth, face, and even hair, as seen in a short video shared by the Max sur X platform (ex-Twitter).
A colossal duration, which should then allow Colin Farrell to shoot all day, in “hoping that nothing falls during this time”raconte Mike Marino. “Sometimes when he leans over or moves his costume, it can take off paint. Whatever we do at that time, when that happens, we then have to immediately address it and correct it.”
Colin Farrell also revealed to People that the only parts of his body that are actually his on screen are his hands, as well as his feet. Everything else is fake, including his ears, and even his penis, since a prosthesis was specially designed for a torture scene in episode 2… in which we ultimately do not see this improbable accessory.
“The most difficult challenge of my career”
Mike Marino recalls that during the filming of The Batmanthe Penguin’s makeup and prosthetics had to be adjusted three times. Indeed, after having gained a lot for another role, Colin Farrell then lost about 40 kilos during the production of the film. The props therefore had to be remade each time. A problem that did not arise for The Penguinsince the Irish comedian’s weight has remained stable this time.
The team still had to rethink all the makeup and prosthetics for the series, which Colin Farrell shot for nearly 85 days, because his character is central to the plot. In comparison, for The Batmanthe Penguin only had a supporting role, so the actor had to do “only” 35 days of shooting, for approximately 7 scenes of appearance on screen. Mike Marino believes that working on this look was a “extreme challenge, probably the most difficult and trying” of his career.
Colin Farrell doesn’t want “never wear that fucking suit again”
Mike Marino praised Colin Farrell’s performance, which he described as extremely « patient », especially since the costume can be awkward to wear. But he still believes that it can be liberating for the actor, “since he can completely forget himself and really become the character”.
The actor, however, does not seem to be on the same wavelength. It is so difficult to become the Penguin that Colin Farrell has already warned, with Total Film : he will not be returning for a season 2 of The Penguin. While he loved being part of the series, he also spoke about the difficult filming and said he doesn’t want to “never wear that fucking suit again.”
With over two hours of prep time each day, it’s hard to blame him. To see Colin Farrell’s on-screen transformation, you can follow the broadcast of The Penguin on Maxwith a new episode every Friday.
Source: www.numerama.com
