Diksha Sundriyal
In HBO’s ‘The Penguin,’ Colin Farrell takes on the role of one of the most iconic villains from the Batman universe. The actor inhabits the role of the character whose journey to becoming the criminal kingpin is charted incredibly well in the TV show. Set after the events of 2022’s ‘The Batman,’ the show’s main focus is on exploring Oz Cobb’s personal motivations and the lengths he is ready to go to get what he wants. All this while, he has to battle other criminal figures in Gotham, especially Sofia Falcone. It is quite a dark and gritty character, and having the make-up to go with it helped the actor get into the skin of the villain.
Prosthetics Artist Mike Marino Came Up With Colin Farrell’s Transformative Look
Anyone unaware of Farrell’s casting as the Penguin would never be able to guess that it is him buried under several layers of makeup. The credit for this transformation goes to Mike Marino and the incredible attention to detail he put in to come up with the look of the character. He was approached by Matt Reeves during the making of ‘The Batman,’ where the duo discussed in depth what they wanted from the Penguin’s look. ‘The Godfather’ popped up as one of the references, with John Cazale’s Fredo being a significant inspiration, with Reeves stating that he wanted “to have a little bit of that Fredo pathos” to Oz Cobb. Marino also referenced Al Capone and Scarface, along with other kingpins, while coming up with the look.
Another hint for the character’s look was in the name. Marino researched a lot of birds, epseucally aged birds with “broken beaks, chipped up and scarred.” He also wanted to add the penguin quality to Oz Cobb. He talked about an “interesting photograph” he found of a penguin with “really slanted eyebrows, and they were all black and white hairs.” Marino tried to bring that same form to Oz, adding minor details like white hair in his eyebrows to get that black-and-white contrast.
He eventually produced a version of the Penguin on a cast, which impressed the filmmakers, as they readily approved it. Following this, Marino had to figure out how to get different types of silicones to get the right texture for different parts of the face, like the nose, the cheek, and the neck. Knowing that the makeup would have to be applied and removed repeatedly throughout the filming process, he made a collapsible mold that couldn’t just be removed but also be moved around based on any modifications that would be needed on the day of the filming. Details like the brow piece and the wig (for which Farrell partially shaved his head) were added in the end.
Colin Farrell Had to go Through the Gruelling Makeup Process Every Day
With such detailed make-up created for the character, Farrell had to prepare himself to sit in the make-up chair for about 3-4 hours every day. In conversation with Fox5, Marino compared the application of makeup to performing “non-life-saving surgery every day.” The entire make-up felt like a part of the puzzle, with specific pieces needing to be glued a specific way so that they didn’t go off too far from what the character was supposed to look like. Even then, Farrell revealed, that Marino and the team would finesse the make-up every day, coming up with something new to keep it constantly evolving. The actor noted that he felt like a canvas, with the make-up being very slightly different every day, though not as significant as to be noticeable.
From Colin Farrell to Oz Cobb. #ThePenguin pic.twitter.com/5kzwboa0KY
— Max (@StreamOnMax) September 12, 2024
Understandably, sitting in a chair for several hours in a go can take a toll on a person, and Farrell confessed that by the end, he would start to feel a little agitated. He revealed that he would sometimes walk out, and Marino would have to follow him around to get the final touches. Despite the discomfort, Farrell admitted that being in make-up made getting into the character a bit easier. “Looking back at your reflection and it’s not what you have seen for 45 years, it’s really, really powerful. It’s confusing at first, but there’s a stirring inside you. It’s a little bit strange, but it’s really powerful. Just based on the writing and that makeup, you give yourself over to it,” he told The Star.
Between several hours of applying the makeup and more hours of keeping it on, when Farrell got to remove it at the end of the day, he found it incredibly relieving. He revealed that it took about 45 minutes to remove the entire thing, and in the end, it felt like “being reborn.” Still, he said he didn’t really have anything to complain about. Moreover, he said that the make-up wasn’t nearly as tiresome as the darkness of the character, which is what demanded more of him than the hours he spent on the make-up chair.
Colin Farrell Refused to Gain Weight Due to Health Concerns
Apart from the makeup, the character of the Penguin also required Farrell to put on some weight to get that characteristic penguin look. However, the actor refused to gain any weight for the role. Talking about his experience in the film, Farrell revealed that when he came to the set of ‘The Batman,’ he had some weight on from his previous role on the show called ‘The North Water.’ He had gained 50-60 pounds for the role of a whaler, and while he felt grateful for playing the role and being a part of the show, the actor revealed that his experience with weight gain wasn’t encouraging. He revealed that it gave him “heart palpitations, swollen feet, all f*** weird stuff,” which is why he decided never to do that again.
Reeves, however, had hoped that he could persuade Farrell to stay in the same weight range for a little longer. But the actor stood his ground and revealed that he would be losing all of that weight to get healthier. When this information was relayed to Mike Marino, he came up with a way to factor it in. This meant that Farrell would have to wear a body suit. Marino revealed that while it took him some time to get the suit right during the movie, things were much easier when they filmed for the TV show. Unlike during the film, Farrell’s weight didn’t fluctuate as much during the show, and the consistency worked well with the body suit. All of this worked out well, considering everything. However, Farrell said that by the end of the filming of the show, he was desperate to get out of the makeup and the bodysuit and would think twice before getting back in it.
Read More: Where is The Penguin Filmed?
