Warning: Spoilers for The Penguin Episode 4.The latest DC villain actor in Matt Reeves The Batman universe, Marié Botha, breaks down her role in The penguin Episode 4 and the possibility of returning to the DC Universe. Following The penguin Episode 3 ending, Oz Cobb may be in bigger trouble than ever in the DC TV drama. As time is ticking, time will tell how the iconic Batman enemy will work his way out of the complication he has put himself between the Falcones and Maronis.
in The penguin Episode 4, the primary focus was on Sofia Falcone/The Hangman and what exactly earned her the title, as the episode takes viewers back in time to explore the twisted journey of how she ended up in Arkham Asylum. However, during Sofia’s time in Arkham, the HBO drama featured the debut of Magpie in Reeves. The Batman Universe. However, as Magpie entered the franchise, her time in The penguin Episode 4 came to a very shocking end when she fell victim to Sofia.
Related
ScreenRant Recently interviewed Marié Botha, who shared her experience playing Magie The penguin Episode 4. Botha details her audition process, what she most relates to in Magpie while revealing her comic book studies, and whether audiences have seen the last of her after the events of The penguin TV show. Botha also added where she would love to take Magpie next in terms of exploring her deeper background.
Marié Botha on joining the Penguin TV show as DC’s Magpie
ScreenRant: What role did comic book superheroes play in your life before you booked the show?
Marié Botha: I think everyone has their own version of a superhero. Growing up, mine weren’t necessarily the ones in comic books but more so the fantastical characters in Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. I looked up at Gandalf, and Dumbledore. I’ve always been interested in the Batman films, all the way back to Tim Burton’s interpretation, and absolutely loved the Dark Knight series and of course Matt Reeves’ The Batman. When I got the part, I really started sinking my teeth into comic books for the first time. I ordered every one that featured Magpie on Ebay and I got to read and learn. It’s always nice to fall in love with something new as an adult, and that’s how I feel about comic books now. I have them on display on my coffee table, I’m proud to say.
How did the addition look like magpie? Did you know it was for this role that you auditioned, or was it sides with different names?
Marié Botha: I first got the audition while I was in South Africa visiting family. The breakdown was very sparse, and the names of the characters were changed. I had to play a little detective, and really dissect the scenes to get as much information about the character as I could, with what I was given. I can deduce it was set in a prison – Arkham made sense for obvious reasons – therefore, she must be a villain of some sort. I then set about piecing together what I knew of the world of Matt Reeves Arkham (Paul Dano’s Riddler, Barry Keoghan’s Joker), and further filled in some of the blanks with traits of my personal favorite villains of all time, Like Bellatrix Lestrange for example. .
When the callback came around, I was told who the character was. I was thrilled, and immediately started digging into Magpie’s history and who she is in the DC Universe. The recall was in progress with Episode 4’s director, Helen Shaver, as well as casting. Because I was in South Africa, six hours ahead in time difference, the audition was at midnight my time and 6pm New York time. I took a nap, drank a bunch of espresso and took a cold shower beforehand. I was lucky because it wouldn’t have been bad if I looked a little dirty. Having a dark circle under the eye and disheveled hair worked to my advantage. I worked with Helen for a while, we discussed our names of the character and then tried a few things. The next day I got the call, and I was on a plane back to New York for hair and makeup tests.
Research and find inspiration for Magpie in The Penguin Episode 4
“I had to build this previous journey emotionally and psychologically, and really live in it.”
What was the research process for Magpie?
Marié Botha: As mentioned above, I ordered every comic book featuring Magpie I could find on Ebay. I went through them and put together a comprehensive character study. We meet her after the whole journey as a villain, so I had to build the previous journey emotionally and psychologically and really live in it so that the layers would be there under it all and translate on the screen. I tried to incorporate as much as possible from the comics, especially the traits she is known for. She has a desire for shiny things, so I made Sophie a shiny thing for her. Sofia is famous, polished, rich, all things Magpie wants with all her heart, so crafting that desperation and longing in her attempts to free Sofia was a big part of the work I did.
I also drew from the greats, Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix, Joaquin as Arthur Fleck, Paul Dano as Riddler. And then I also invested the worlds of psychiatric institutions on film, by watching films like girl, interrupted. Magpie has a lot of childlike qualities, and I drew from Brittany Murphy’s Daisy, as well as Elisabeth Moss’ Penny. Magpie isn’t featured widely in the DCU, so that also gave me some room to play around and find my own version of what this beautiful, tortured creature is. She became very dear to me throughout the process.
While watching this episode, I felt an echo of Harley Quinn in Magpie’s voice, which was great. Can you talk about what inspirations you drew for you?
Marié Botha: That’s so flattering. I definitely planted some Harley in there. A key script direction mentions that Magpie has quite a high-pitched speaking voice, which I think comes from a lot of childhood trauma and bullying, and so she pretends to be as innocent and childish as possible to manipulate or protect herself. Another important element was that in episode 4 we watch Sophia’s spiral in Arkham, and the more uncomfortable I can make the sound of my voice for her to hear, the better. I also drew from Shirley Henderson’s Moaning Myrtle for her voice. The key was to find the bubble, bubble, musical voice and then punctuate it with a certain dissonance to create unease in anyone who hears it.
Magpie’s Arkham Fate & Potential DC Return after the Penguin Episode 4
“In the comics, Batman takes pity on her and treats her well, so she develops this obsession with him.”
Can you share the experience of working on the Arkham Asylum sets? What parts of it were on location, and what were built sets?
Marié Botha: The first scene between Magpie and Sofia in the cells was shot at SilverCup Studios. Arkham is recreated almost exactly as we see it in The Batman. When I went in there I had chills all over. It feels so real and almost claustrophobic in it. It really helped me get into Magpie right away because there wasn’t a single shiny thing in it for her to own, cue Sofia Falcone. The attention to detail is so fantastic throughout the show, and I was in awe most of the time I was on the Arkham set. The message hall scenes were shot on location in a church in Williamsburg. We shot in this beautiful hall with high, imposing ceilings and tall windows. I felt very small in that hall, which helped.
Given the nature of Arkham and its method of treating its inmates, what are the chances that Sophia “Murder” Magpie was just in her head, potentially leaving the door open for her to come back into this universe?
Marié Botha: Everything is possible. However, I think in this particular show, Sophia actually did kill Magpie. In the comics, Magpie is resurrected again later on the Black Night, but I’m more interested in her backstory and delving deeper into what that is. I was just playing it in my mind, I would love to see how it would look in the mind of Matt Reeves or Lauren LeFranc. What I do know is that there is a part of me that still doesn’t feel ready to say goodbye to Magpie.
Shooting the scene where Sophia seemingly kills Magpie, how much of that was you versus your stunt double, and what was the overall experience of filming the sequence?
Marié Botha: My stunt double, Samantha McIver, who is an absolute rockstar, does a lot of the heavy lifting and thank goodness for her, but there’s quite a bit of me in it. I was lucky I had such intensive stage combat training in Yale, so I knew how to make sure my body was in the right shape to handle what I was asked to do. There was a soft block on the mess hall table on which Christine smacked my head, but when you’re in it, sometimes you bring yourself down on the block a little harder than you intended to. And it’s all you, of course, so you have to sell it. Christine is just lightly gripping my hair, but I have to smack myself down and back and back. Once the bloodwork was involved, it was a whole other level. Blood got into my eyes, my hair, over my face. It felt pretty badass.
If magpie were somehow alive and could come back to The Batman Universe, what are things you would like to explore with you?
Marié Botha: I see a lot of myself in you. I was teased quite a bit at school and felt isolated for a long time as a child. I would love to explore and take a deep dive into her past, for sure. She has that scar on her cheek for a reason, where did it come from? Who was her stepmother, and what did she do with her?
In the comics, Batman takes pity on her and treats her well, so she develops an obsession with him, believing they are meant to be together. This can also be cool to explore. And then of course her epic journey as her villain herself. She started out as curator of the Gotham Museum of Antiquities and then was driven mad by all the expensive, shiny artifacts around her that she couldn’t own. In simple words, she only wants a bag from Judith Leiber, so she simply decides to steal it and replace it with an explosive knock-out bag from Judith Leiber. That’s pretty intense if you ask me. Let’s remove that too.
What’s next for Marié Botha after playing Magpie on the Penguin
What’s up for you next?
Marié Botha: I just wrapped production on an independent film produced by my dear friends Lauren Ebner and Nick Grau. I got to work opposite Mickey Sumner and Josh Hamilton, which was an absolute treat. I am also in the process of developing my own TV project of which I will be the writer/creator, so I am very excited about that.
More about The Penguin Season 1
The eight-episode DC Studios drama series, starring Colin Farrell as the Penguin, continues the Batman epic crime saga that filmmaker Matt Reeves began with Warner Bros. Pictures global blockbuster “The Batman,” and centers on the character played by Farrell in the film. The first look was revealed today exclusively during Warner Bros. Discovery’s unveiling of the Max streaming service at the Warner Bros. site in Los Angeles. The previously announced cast includes Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Deirdre O’Connell, with Clancy Brown and Michael Zegen recurring.
The series is executive produced by Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, Colin Farrell, Lauren LeFranc, who writes and serves as showrunner, Craig Zobel, who directed the first three episodes, and Bill Carraro. Based on characters created for DC by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, THE PENGUIN is produced by Reeves’ 6th & Idaho Productions and Dylan Clark Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, where Reeves and 6th & Idaho are under an overall deal. 6th & Idaho’s Daniel Pipski also serves as executive producer and Rafi Crohn is co-executive producer.
Click here to check out our others The penguin Interviews:
Upcoming DC movie releases