Zoë Kravitz is embracing the feline side of her role as Catwoman in The Batman, as the actor discussed how she looked to nature while preparing for the upcoming film.
In order to accurately convey the stealthy movements and crafty techniques of an expert cat-burglar, Kravtiz studied footage of felines in nature to best emulate the animals her character embodies. "We watched cats and lions and how they fight," Kravitz said in an interview with Empire, "and talked about what is actually possible when you’re my size, and Batman’s so much stronger than me. What is my skill? It’s being fast and tricky. So we did some really interesting floor work that incorporated different kinds of martial arts and capoeira and a kind of feline, dance-like movement."
Though Kravitz's interpretation of the character could be the most cat-like yet, the actor assures fans the human side of Catwoman has not been forgotten about. Kravitz went on to explain how The Batman stunt coordinator Rob Alonzo was aware of the character's mental state in any given scene and adjusts the action accordingly. "[Alonzo]'s not just trying to do a bunch of impressive backflips that wouldn’t be possible for that person to do," Kravitz said, "and he takes into account where we are in the story and where the characters are emotionally. So it was really fun to work from that place."
With director Matt Reeves taking a noir approach reminiscent of the iconic Batman: Year One comic, Kravitz went on to discuss how The Batman will not only show a pivotal time in the life of Catwoman and her alter ego, Selina Kyle, but also present the character as the film's femme fatale. "This is an origin story for Selina," Kravitz said. "So, it’s the beginning of her figuring out who she is, beyond just someone trying to survive. I think there’s a lot of space to grow and I think we are watching her become what I’m sure will be the femme fatale."
Fans were provided with several good looks at Catwoman's costume in The Batman over this past weekend. First appearing in illustrated form as a variant cover for Catwoman #41, the image offered a design directly inspired by the costume's appearance in the film. A live-action version of the maskless costume worn by Kravitz was then revealed several days later on the cover for an upcoming issue of Empire, offering a preview of the costume fans were only able to catch glimpses of The Batman's latest trailer.
The Batman hits theaters March 4, 2022.
Source: Empire