One of the most intriguing female supervillains in the DC Universe is Catwoman. She is a cunning, high-profile burglar who is quick-witted and impulsive. She also has espionage skills. On the big screen, several actresses have played Batman’s menacing foe from the comic books. Batman fans have been treated to many renditions of the femme fatale, from Michelle Pfeiffer’s defining portrayal in “Batman Returns” through Zoe Kravitz’s fully realised Selina Kyle in “The Batman.” Then there is Anne Hathaway, who gave a much-needed gravitas to the part in “The Dark Knight Rises” and portrayed the character with extraordinary intensity and grace.
Although she seems to be perfect in the character, Anne Hathaway’s interpretation of Selina Kyle doesn’t match the “Dark Knight” universe. Her first encounter with Christopher Nolan also didn’t go as planned. Hathaway had believed she was trying out for a completely different role.
Anne Hathaway dressed to impress
Anne Hathaway said she was well-prepared for her meeting with director Christopher Nolan of “The Dark Knight Rises” in a 2020 interview with BBC Radio 1. merely not for the right portion. The Oscar-winning actress dressed up in an attire that paid homage to the Joker and shoes that were strongly evoking the Clown Prince of Crime because she believed that Nolan wanted her to play Harley Quinn in the movie. She even mimicked some of Quinn’s characteristics during their encounter because she had no idea that she would be playing the renowned cat burglar from the DC Universe. She stated to BBC Radio 1:
That was our first meeting, and when I walked in, I was wearing a gorgeous Vivienne Westwood shirt with stripes running all over it, along with flat, somewhat Joker-like shoes, and I was just kind of trying to give Chris these insane little smiles.
The actor’s campaigning for the role became evident
Christopher Nolan seems to have realised that Anne Hathaway was vying for the role of Harley Quinn and later reiterated that she had been hired for the Catwoman role. Following up with BBC Radio 1:
“Then after the discussion has been going on for nearly an hour, he says, “Well, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this, but it’s Catwoman.” Shifting into a new gear right now, I thought. We’re slinking, I’m even more slinky, I despise my clothing, but not at this moment, and we’re slinking.”
Four years after her first appearance on the big screen, Margot Robbie played Harley Quinn in David Ayer’s “Suicide Squad.” Since then, the character has appeared in James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad,” a follow-up to David Ayer’s film, as well as a spinoff solo movie called “Birds of Prey.”
Because she can do anything, Anne Hathaway would have made a wonderful Harley Quinn, but she really shone as Catwoman and brought some of the character’s strongest traits to the big screen. This version was methodical in her approach. Catwoman’s sophistication and wickedness were expertly depicted by Hathaway. How many people can merely uttering “Oooops” own a character, please?
