When it comes to casting iconic comicbook characters, the process is often fraught with danger. Everyone has their own take on who would make the "best" Wolverine, or Captain America, or Jean Grey. With the advent of social media, those takes have only been amplified. Unfortunately, more often than not the discourse on the subject tends to degenerate into vitriol. Not that there weren't casting objections before Twitter. One need only look at the early reactions to Michael Keaton being cast as Batman to know that.
One of the best moves Matt Reeves' has made with his upcoming THE BATMAN centers largely around the casting. Some of the most talented people in the business are attached to this project, everyone from Paul Dano to Colin Farrell. Among them is arguably the female lead – Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. The L.A. native is currently fully immersed in shooting the project in the U.K. Despite her talent, plenty of people objected to Kravitz's casting for various reasons which I won't go into. In spite of the intense pressure, Kravitz believes her performance will place her stamp on the part while simultaneously pleasing fans and honoring the role. Speaking to Variety the MAD MAX: FURY ROAD vet stated:
"It was a little scary, but also whenever I get nervous about something, I feel it pushes me to a better place anyway, so I welcome the nerves. If you start focusing too much on what people are going to think you’re doing yourself a disservice, it’s almost like you’re putting your energy in the wrong place. Of course, I want to honor the fans and hope they like what I do with the role, but in order to do what I think I need to do with Catwoman I have to go internal and forget about the rest of the world."
Kravitz went on to say that she's been working very closely with Robert Pattinson and that he's been a joy to be around. "I’m excited to have him as my partner in crime and to be there to support each other, because it’s intense," Kravitz said.
Personally I think this is just the right attitude to take. It's clear Kravitz has tremendous respect for the character of Catwoman. She wants to make sure fans of the feline anti-hero are satisfied. At the same time Kravitz also recognizes the need to put your stamp on the role just like Michelle Pfeiffer did in BATMAN RETURNS. If you get too caught up in your own head about what other people are going to think about the role, the work is going to suffer.
So what do you guys think of Zoe Kravitz's words? Are you excited for her performance as Catwoman? Would you have cast someone else? Hit us up in the comments below!