<\/p>\n
Gotham\u2019s underworld took center stage at HBO Max\u2019s recent FYC panel for The Penguin<\/em>, where the cast and creatives behind the Emmy-nominated limited series revealed shocking behind-the-scenes stories, emotional character arcs, and prosthetic wizardry that even left Colin Farrell<\/strong> stunned.<\/p>\n With 24 Emmy nominations, including Best Limited Series and acting nods for Farrell, Cristin Milioti<\/strong>, and Deirdre O’Connell<\/strong>, the panel delivered plenty of buzzworthy moments \u2014 including the reveal that Sophia\u2019s survival almost didn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n More from Gold Derby<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the biggest crowd-pleasers came when Farrell recounted the moment he first saw what prosthetic designer Mike Marino<\/strong> envisioned for Oz Cobb. \u201cMatt Reeves<\/strong> opened up his laptop \u2026 and it was Oz, the version in the show and the film,\u201d Farrell said. \u201cAnd I went, \u2018What the f–k is that?!\u2019 And he said, \u2018That\u2019s going to be you.\u2019 I said, \u2018Really?\u2019 And he said, \u2018Yeah, Marino said he can do it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Farrell admitted he was hesitant at first but ultimately embraced the transformation: \u201cIt was this justifiably glorified magic trick. I\u2019ve always loved practical things in cinema. \u2026 I struggle with CGI. I know there\u2019s a time and place, but I\u2019ve struggled with the saturation of CGI in certain films. This makeup gave me total freedom \u2014 emotional and psychological.\u201d<\/p>\n Marino said perfecting Farrell’s Penguin wasn’t easy \u2014 especially on the TV series, where viewers got closer looks than ever before. \u201cWe had to adapt everything for the show \u2014 we did it almost 90 times,\u201d the Emmy-nominated prosthetic designer revealed. \u201cSeeing Oz in daylight was brutal; that\u2019s where you see the seams. Colin even got rashes from the extreme glues, so we scheduled shooting around letting his skin rest. It was one of the hardest things I\u2019ve ever done in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the most surprising revelations came from series creator Lauren LeFranc<\/strong>, who admitted that Sophia\u2019s survival was far from guaranteed. \u201cI never wanted to kill Sophia,\u201d she confirmed. \u201cMy plan always was to have her go back to Arkham because I think it\u2019s a fate worse than death. Writers kept saying, \u2018She should die,\u2019 and I said, \u2018She\u2019s not going to die.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n For Milioti, who plays Sophia, inhabiting such a layered and unpredictable character was a dream role: \u201cI\u2019ve been a fan of this world my whole life,\u201d Milioti said. \u201cI love that no one has superpowers, that it\u2019s just their own rage and pain. Gotham is sort of New York-adjacent, grounded in reality but heightened and sometimes campy. I\u2019ve always loved it.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Connell shared an emotional story about filming one of the show\u2019s most haunting scenes, where Francis faces an icy shift in her relationship with Oz. \u201cHe came over to the bed and asked me how I was doing \u2026 and I felt Oz withdraw his love from Francis,\u201d O\u2019Connell said. \u201cHe just turned it off, and it took my breath away. A chill went over me. It was really scary.\u201d<\/p>\n Farrell agreed, recalling how even the crew felt the weight of the moment: \u201cJoey from props looked at the monitor and went, \u2018This is so f–ked up. We\u2019re all going to hell.\u2019 Everyone was just gutted by it.\u201d<\/p>\n Filming the series was an intense experience for the cast, and wrapping production left a lasting impact on each of them. Farrell admitted he needed a little cartoon therapy and time to decompress. \u201cAt the end of it, I was relieved to be finished, but I was also down,\u201d he said. \u201cYou feel kind of empty. There\u2019s just an immediate vacuum. \u2026 I watched Pixar movies to chill out.\u201d<\/p>\n For Milioti, there was no break at all: \u201cI went immediately into Black Mirror<\/em> 10 days later, and it kind of knocked me sideways,\u201d she said. \u201cMonths later I realized I was just \u2026 exhausted.\u201d<\/p>\n The Penguin<\/em> earned 24 Emmy nominations this year, including Best Limited Series. The 2025 Emmys will air Sept. 14 on CBS and stream live on Paramount+.<\/p>\n Best of Gold Derby<\/strong><\/p>\n Sign up for Gold Derby’s Newsletter<\/a>. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\nColin Farrell on becoming Oz: \u201cWhat the f–k is that?!\u201d<\/h3>\n
Keeping Sophia alive<\/h3>\n
Francis’ chilling moment<\/h3>\n
Life after The Penguin<\/em>: Pixar, Black Mirror<\/em>, and letting go<\/h3>\n