The ever-changing power dynamic on Fox's Gotham has left Selina Kyle in a precarious situation. Typically a loner, the young cat burglar played by Camren Bicondova has been forced to join the Sirens – Tabitha and Barbara Kean – in order to survive and thrive in the mercurial city. That alliance brought the trio into conflict with other villains, most notably against Oswald Cobblepot. However, in tonight’s midseason premiere, "Pieces of a Broken Mirror," Selina bumps into two friends, Bruce Wayne and Ivy Pepper, with shocking results.
Bicondova recently spoke with CBR and Selina cracking a whip, her strained relationship with Bruce, getting into trouble with Ivy, and what needs to happen before Selina can become Catwoman.
CBR: There are certain fundamental elements associated with Catwoman. How excited were you for Selina to crack that whip last season?
Camren Bicondova: I was super-excited. I was nervous because that is such an iconic part of that character and mythology. I didn’t even practice using the whip until the day I was supposed to shoot that scene. Production didn’t really think about the fact that I should look like I could do it naturally, and do it perfectly. So, I was going on YouTube and looking at tutorials on how to use a bullwhip, but it’s not really helpful unless you actually do it. Finally, I got to set, and I asked if there could be whips in my dressing room so I could practice. They had Turner [Smith], who is Ben McKenzie’s stunt double, for a total of 40 minutes. We practiced, and he taught me how to do it. Then, it was just going on set and getting the shot. It was exciting and nerve-racking all at once.
What has Selina learned about herself by spending time with the Sirens?
She’s definitely learned how to react to various situations differently. Selina has figured out that she doesn’t always have to be so tense. It’s a difficult question, because it’s not one thing that she’s realized. Selina has grown as a person in general. By seeing how Barbara reacts to different situations in very violent ways, whereas Tabitha is calmer and put together, Selina has learned you can’t act the same way around every person. You have to adapt to different personalities.
Selina has a run-in with Bruce. What does she make of this new, self-absorbed playboy billionaire?
Selina cannot stand him. She is so confused. She knows it’s not really him. Selina knows Bruce is putting on this front, but she doesn’t understand why. She is disheartened when she sees him. Selina is looking at him like he’s crazy, because he is.
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Selina calls out Bruce on his bad behavior, and her words seem to sting him. How much pull does she still have with him?
She will always have a significant pull on the way he thinks and the way that he does things; they have that connection. Even if he is stubborn, Selina always has a way of getting through to him. I think that’s what makes their relationship so special. She is the only one who can get through to him. Selina and Alfred can say the exact same thing, and Bruce will listen to her before he listens to Alfred. That will never change. That’s why their relationship is so iconic and has lived on for 75-plus years. They share this natural connection that they have that neither of them can explain. Selina will always be there for Bruce, even when he doesn’t think she is.
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An old ally gets reinvented in this episode. What can you preview about Selina’s reunion with an older Ivy?
It’s an interesting one. Selina is definitely confused because it’s a very weird thing to happen. You see your friend one day and then a few weeks later, they look like a completely different person with a different personality. It’s definitely not a platonic reunion.
Tabitha rubs Ivy the wrong way. In what ways does Selina’s association with Ivy put her at odds with the Sirens?
It definitely puts Selina in the middle, but not in any significant amount where she feels conflicted. We will see through the arc that Selina figures out that Ivy is not necessarily on the right side of the tracks when it comes to what she’s talking about. In this case, it doesn’t cause a rift because Selina is more mature than Ivy is, so she can see Ivy is in the wrong. Something happens that causes Selina to be in the middle, but it’s not with Ivy. It’s with a different character.
Who do you feel that Selina can trust at this point?
If you asked me that question last season, I would say she didn’t trust anyone. Now, the only person she feels she can trust completely is Tabitha. Her relationship with Barbara is more business because Selina knows she is crazy and doesn’t want to be friends with her. In a similar way that Selina can get through to Bruce no matter what, Tabitha can get through to Selina much easier than Barbara can.
What else can we expect to see from Selina in the back-end of the season?
You will see Selina dabbling into different pools of what’s right and what’s wrong. You will see her struggle with that. It’s not necessarily with herself regarding what is right or wrong, but with other people. In this case, Selina will be the one to try and bring everyone together and try to form a solution, where everyone can work together, and everyone can work as a team, no matter their differences. That’s exciting to me because a lot of the time, Selina is placed in a position where she can be the cause of a problem. For once, she’s the person trying to make things better and put ego aside and work together.
In your mind, what steps does Selina still have to take on her path to becoming Catwoman?
I think she has a long way to go. Catwoman is more than just a whip. She’s more than just a suit. She’s more than just the acrobatics. Selina has emotional progression to do. People have been asking me, “How does it feel to play Catwoman,” especially when she’s been using the whip more. People get excited and say, “Oh, my gosh, she’s Catwoman.” I don’t feel like Catwoman.
I feel like Selina. I think something will have to push Selina to her breaking point, basically to rock bottom, where she has nothing. At that point, she will say, “I’m not going to do this anymore,” and then make the choice to have an alter ego. I don’t think she’s at that point to have a reason for an alter ego. A lot of times, people have an alter-ego to escape and have a release. Right now, she doesn’t have a reason to do that. Something needs to happen for that to click.
Returning tonight at 8 ET/PT on Fox, Gotham stars Ben McKenzie as James Gordon, Donal Logue as Harvey Bullock, David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne, Robin Lord Taylor as Penguin, Cameron Bicondova as Selina Kyle, Erin Richards as Barbara Kean and Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth.