When Gotham aired its series finale on April 25, 2019 and finally gave the public its version of David Mazouz as Batman, there was a familiar face missing from the lineup of main cast members. Although Selina Kyle did appear in the DC TV show’s last episode, titled “The Beginning…,” she was played by Lili Simmons rather than Camren Bicondova, who had been part of Gotham since it premiered in 2014. However, this recasting didn’t bother Bicondova in the slightest, and was actually something she welcomed.
Camren Bicondova was one of the many Gotham talents whom IGN spoke to as part of its oral history commemorating the 10th anniversary of the show’s debut. In the section covering the series finale, the actress started off explaining why she was ok with not playing Selina in the episode that took place 10 years after the series’ main events with these words:
I don't regret it at all. Early on in season five, I was told I wasn't going to be in it, and then I had made plans to move across the country. And then after those plans were made, the minds were changed, I really had to think and pray on it. I had given all of me to her at that point, and this chapter was closing, and I still don't regret it.
“The Beginning…” showed where Gotham’s principal players were at in their lives at the time that Bruce Wayne finally returned to Gotham City after a decade of traveling around the world. In Selina Kyle’s case, she was first seen stealing the Russifer Diamond from the Gotham Museum of Antiquities, although she soon realized someone was watching her and deduced it was Bruce. Selina later helped Barbara Kean apprehend Edward Nygma, a.k.a. The Riddler, and then she and Bruce finally had a brief reunion, though she didn’t look at him during their conversation.
Producer John Stephens mentioned in IGN’s oral history that Camren Bicondova “really didn’t feel comfortable playing herself as a 28 year old,” which he respected. Luckily for the Gotham team, Lili Simmons came onto their radar, with Stephens remembering her from Bone Tomahawk and immediately noticing how similar she looked to Bicondova. The two actresses eventually met to discuss playing the older Selina, with Bicondova saying:
Lili did a great job. The fact that I could even give that torch away, per se, and give someone else the opportunity to play her… Some people might not agree with it, but I don't regret it one bit. I was able to spend time with her. We spent hours in her hotel room. I shared journal entries that I wrote as Selena. I showed her scenes that were crucial for her, for her growth as Selena. Maybe Warner Brothers didn't even agree. I don't know, but I don't regret it. I think what happened was supposed to happen, and I have to stand by my choices and I'm grateful that I gave her my all. And because of that, I don't regret it, because I know that I gave everything.
While David Mazouz’s Bruce finally got to become Gotham City’s Dark Knight by the time all was said and done, this version of Selina Kyle never actually became Catwoman on the show, although there were certainly plenty of nods to her costumed persona over the years, including through her goggles and learning how to use a whip. However, given her defying Bruce’s instruction to return the Russifer Diamond, it’s safe to say she’s well on her way to embracing her costumed persona. However, this would merely be the next stage of their cat and mouse game rather than her becoming a straightforward villain, as Selina could presumably be counted on to help deal with other threats, like the return of Jeremiah Valeska, the show’s not-quite Joker.
Gotham can be streamed with a Max subscription, which is also what you can use to watch new episodes of The Penguin after they air on HBO. Looking ahead, The Batman: Part II comes out on October 2, 2026, and the DC Universe franchise will introduce its own Batman in the Andy Muschietti-directed The Brave and the Bold.
