Eiza Gonzalez on heartbreak of missing out on Catwoman role in The Batman

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Production on Matt Reeves' THE BATMAN was well underway when the coronavirus pandemic forced it to shutdown, and it's probably safe to say that the film remains one of the more anticipated comic-book movies out there; it certainly helps that it boasts a fantastic cast, which includes Robert Pattinson (THE LIGHTHOUSE) as the Dark Knight, Zoë Kravitz (Big Little Lies) as Catwoman, Paul Dano (SWISS ARMY MAN) as The Riddler, Jeffrey Wright (NO TIME TO DIE) as Commissioner Gordon, Andy Serkis (STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI) as Alfred Pennyworth, Colin Farrell (DUMBO) as Penguin, John Turturro (The Night Of) as Carmine Falcone, and Peter Sarsgaard (THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN) as DA Gil Colson.

When you're talking about roles as iconic as those included in THE BATMAN, it's only natural that many actors would be vying for the part, but there can be only one, which means those who don't get the part must deal with a little heartbreak. While speaking with THR, Eiza Gonzalez (BLOODSHOT), who was up for the role of Catwoman in THE BATMAN, confessed that she's not one of those actors who can tell themselves not to get their hopes up about a part. "Oh no, I suck at that," Gonzalez said, adding that it's also impossible not to imagine yourself on posters or as an action figure.

It’s impossible not to do that, especially when you get so far down the line. It’s part of why you’re so far down the line, because you’re living and dreaming the character. For my prep for every role, I’m kind of a weirdo, especially when I’m already at the camera test stage or really deep into it. I will live and breathe the character; I’m more traditional in that sense. It is heartbreaking; it is always hard. You have to envision yourself in the role in order to see the role. You can’t have one foot in and one foot out. When I started my career, I was more like that, and I wouldn’t get that far. In a sense, it didn’t hurt as much, but I didn’t give it the best version of what I thought I could do. So now I do, and I just go through the heartbreak afterwards. I always explain it as this relationship that you work on. You fall in love, you go through all the stages — and it never really solidifies. It’s this process that never has closure; it just goes away. So it feels like a relationship that didn’t result in anything.

"It’s always heartbreaking," Gonzalez continued, "but what I’ve learned with time, those relationships that you curate and the people that you meet don’t go away. I’ve been in situations where they’ve seen me for different roles that didn’t work out, but then they come around for something else. The beauty of our industry is it’s never-ending; it’s always evolving and transforming. I’m just lucky and grateful that I’ve had the chance to meet incredible directors and be part of incredible projects. Growing up in Mexico, I never would’ve thought I’d be doing these types of projects." While Gonzalez may have missed out on the Catwoman role, she has snagged roles in several recent blockbusters, including ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, HOBBS & SHAW, BLOODSHOT, and the upcoming GODZILLA VS. KONG, which is slated for a November 20, 2020 release.