Zoë Kravitz is getting rave reviews for her role as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Matt Reeves’ Batman, but the role wasn’t the actress’ first foray into the Caped Crusader universe on the big screen. Kravitz recently told The Observer that her attempt to audition for a role in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises was turned down after she was told she was too “urban” for the role. Kravitz did not say if the role was for Catwoman, who ended up being played by Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises.
“I don’t know if it came directly from Chris Nolan,” Kravitz said. “I think it was probably some casting director or casting director assistant… Being a woman of color and being an actor, I was told at the time that I couldn’t read because of the color of my skin, and the word” urban,” which was scattered like this, was really difficult at that moment.”
During an interview with Nylon in 2015, Kravitz said that the role she was looking for in The Dark Knight Rises was small and that she couldn’t get into the room because the film wasn’t “urban” for the role. At the time, the actor added, “It was like, ‘What does this have to do with anything?’ I have to play a role like, “Hey, how are you, Batman? What’s going on with you?'”
Kravitz had to wait a few more years before she was cast in the Batman movie as she officially landed the role of Catwoman in The Batman in October 2019. adding, “My phone has been blowing up more than any birthday I’ve ever had.”
In The Batman, Kravitz plays Selina Kyle long before she became known throughout Gotham as the infamous Catwoman Mugger. The actress took her own step into the role by interpreting this iteration of Selina Kyle as bisexual. During one of the Batman scenes, Selina enters her apartment looking for her friend Anika. Selina refers to Anika as her “baby”, a somewhat vague description that leaves open the possibility that their relationship is more than just platonic.
Asked by Pedestrian if the scene was meant to highlight Selina’s bisexuality, Kravitz replied, “I definitely interpreted it as if they were in some kind of romantic relationship.” She then said “I agree” after a reporter expressed his joy at the film, which finally portrayed Catwoman as bisexual.
The Batman recently topped the box office, grossing $128 million in its opening weekend. The film is currently in theaters across the country.
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