Colin Farrell has undergone a significant transformation for his role in The Penguin, reprising his character Oz Cobb, who was first introduced as a villain in The Batman. At the New York premiere of the HBO series, Farrell shared insights about his vocal transition, humorously noting that the phrase “Gefilte fish” became a key anchor whenever his New York gangster accent began to waver.
During the event, Farrell explained the process behind nailing the accent, crediting his dialect coach, Jessica Drake, who has an extensive library of accents. He stated that they would listen to various recordings from the character’s region and narrow it down to find an energetic match. He recalled an older gentleman from the 1980s who spoke fondly about Gefilte fish, which became a go-to phrase that helped maintain his accent during filming.
The storyline of The Penguin unfolds after the events of the 2022 film The Batman, featuring Farrell’s character as he seeks to establish dominance in Gotham’s criminal underworld. Showrunner Lauren LeFranc mentioned that while there were discussions about including Robert Pattinson’s Batman, they ultimately decided against it to keep the focus on Farrell’s character. She emphasized the show isn’t merely a supervillain narrative, but rather a grounded character drama focusing on the complexities of human nature, where characters are depicted as flawed and multifaceted.
Dylan Clark, an executive producer, acknowledged the comparisons to iconic HBO series like The Sopranos, noting that the series aims to present a fresh take on gangster characters while being rooted in the world established by The Batman.
The Penguin, which also features Cristin Milioti, Michael Kelly, and Rhenzy Feliz, is set to premiere on Thursday on Max.