If you’ve seen The Batman, you knew Colin Farrell’s makeup was going to look great even within a longer format, but the design for The Penguin is somehow even more striking.
During a press conference for the film, our question was answered by the man who made it possible. Asked by Dave Karger, the question was posed to the Prosthetics Makeup Designer, Mike Marino: “Can you speak to crafting this now iconic look for Colin Farrell’s Penguin? What inspired your take, and did Matt Reeves or Colin have any input in it?”
“Well, it first started with Matt Reeves, and the moment I spoke to him for the first time, I knew he was an artist. I knew he was very similar to me personality-wise, you know. We are very geeky, and we knew all about Batman, and we knew such fans of film and all of that,” says Marino.
“So, he was trying to describe the tone of the film and the character that he wanted Oz to be, which was a sympathetic person who wanted more out of his life. Similar to John Cazale’s character in The Godfather as Fredo. So, that was a major reference. And that was a talking point between us. And I had, he mentioned some gangsters and some ’30s gangsters, some ’50s gangsters, mob people, and I went along and had the idea of looking at birds, looking at penguins and how do I incorporate any of that type of information subliminally into this face.
“Because I always try to do those types of things. You know, even if it’s a very subtle aspect. So, I looked at all these birds. I found this penguin with this really powerful brow, very angled. And I took away his powerful brows that made him famous. So, I gave a little bit more of an intimidating gesture to the eyebrow and his nose, I gave this subliminal aspect of a beak and the shape of the nostril being like a bird’s mouth slightly. So, all of these things layered on top of one another created this strange new person that doesn’t exist.”
Then, when the director came into play, Marino says it all fell into place, “And when Matt saw it, he really thought it was more than he thought it would be, but loved it and said, can we test it? Can we try it? And we successfully did a makeup test, and Colin was in it for the first time and the voice came out, and the walk came out, and it was a very magical experience. And it’s rare to get to do that. But I think we have a show, an amazing show that Lauren wrote, and her team, and I think we’re now going to explore what he’s really like and who he is.”
What are your thoughts on The Penguin so far? Let us know on our socials @FlickeringMyth…
Taking place one week following the events of The Batman, the series explores the rise to power of Oswald “Oz” Cobb/Penguin in Gotham City’s criminal underworld.
Featuring in the cast of The Penguin are Colin Farrell (Oswald Cobb), Cristin Milioti (Sofia Falcone), Rhenzy Feliz (Victor Aguilar), Michael Kelly (Johnny Viti), Shohreh Aghdashloo (Nadia Maroni), Deirdre O’Connell (Francis Cobb), Clancy Brown (Salvatore Maroni), James Madio (Milos Grapa), Scott Cohen (Luca Falcone), Michael Zegen (Alberto Falcone), Carmen Ejogo (Eve Karlo), Theo Rossi (Dr. Julian Rush).
The Penguin is now streaming on Max.
