While there have been several references to Batman in the Arrowverse, an entire canon series based around a member of the BatFamily (Batwoman), and a cameo by none other than Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne for the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event, The CW’s shared universe of DC TV shows has never produced a series about the Dark Knight himself. Well, that still has yet to change because, not only does Gotham Knights take place outside of the Arrowverse, but Bruce Wayne is dead from the get-go.
However, leading one of the latest Batman TV shows in his place is an ensemble of young heroes — some entirely new and some who will prove familiar to die-hard fans of DC Comics — who seek to bring justice to the crime-ridden city, as soon as they can clear their names in the billionaire vigilante’s murder. Let’s take a look at who are the characters doing the crime fighting in this new DC TV show, who in the Gotham Knights cast plays them, and where else you might know them from.
Oscar Morgan (Turner Hayes)
Bruce Wayne’s adoptive son, Turner Hayes — a character created specifically for Gotham Knights — is Oscar Morgan’s first role in a project made in North America. In fact, the English actor’s feature-length debut is a 2021 French movie called Peaceful, which he followed with a U.K. drama called Zero. The rest of his acting credits include British TV shows like the 2017 miniseries, The Miniaturist (his first screen acting gig), the family-friendly comedy, Millie Inbetween, the short-lived comedy, Warren, and an episode of the funny crime series, Death in Paradise, most recently.
Olivia Rose Keegan (Duela Doe)
Playing Duela Doe — a rebellious, self-reliant thief whose father is the Joker in the show and in the comics — is Olive Rose Keegan, who last appeared on a superhero series for an episode of The Thundermans, which was actually her second guest spot on a Nickelodeon TV show after Sam & Cat. Before then, she made her acting debut on a Disney Channel show (A.N.T. Farm) before landing guest spots on series like Modern Family, being cast as a main character on Days of Our Lives, starring in the second season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and appearing in the Daisy Jones & the Six cast for Amazon Prime. Keegan’s movies include Decoding Annie Parker and Ashley from 2013, and the 2015 holiday drama, Salvation Street.
Fallon Smythe (Harper Row)
As Harper Row — also known as Batman ally Bluebird in the comics — we have Fallon Smythe, who was crowned Miss Jr. Teen Nevada at 13 before making her acting debut on the family-friendly horror web series S.H.R.I.E.K. She then went on to appear in more coming-of-age series like Disney Channel’s I Didn’t Do It and Freeform’s Black-ish spin-off, Grown-ish. After playing the title role in a spooky 2019 short film called Rosalind Vile, Smythe made her feature-length debut the same year with Most Likely to Murder, and starred in another short from 2022 called Saturday Morning.
Tyler DiChiara (Cullen Row)
As Harper’s transgender brother, Cullen Row — who, in the comics, is a cisgender homosexual with a thing for Tim Drake — we have transgender actor Tyler DiChiara, who made his acting debut in the 2019 coming-of-age adventure dramedy, Relish. He went on to appear in an another teen drama called The Virgin of Highland Park, and a short comic thriller called Our Language Is Chaos in 2022.
Misha Collins (Harvey Dent)
Playing a version of Harvey Dent who has not become Two-Face (yet, at least) is Misha Collins — a CW veteran best known for starring in the Supernatural cast as the angel, Castiel. Before then, the Boston native appeared in 1999’s Oscar-winning drama, Girl, Interrupted, went on to land a recurring role on 24, had guest appearances in several other hits series like Monk and NCIS, and appeared in the 2008 supernatural rom-com, Over Her Dead Body. Following his Supernatural stint, he appeared in one of Riz Ahmed’s best movies — Amazon Prime’s 2021 alien invasion thriller, Encounter.
Anna Lore (Stephanie Brown)
Stephanie Brown — who has been both Robin and Batgirl in the comics — is only the latest role in a DC TV played by Anna Lore, having appeared on two episodes of Doom Patrol as one of Kay Challis’ alters, Penny Farthing, and her latest role on a CW show, having appeared on nine episodes of the hit teen drama, All American.
In 2014, she made her acting debut as the title role of the comedic web series, Frankenstein, MD, made her major motion debut with the 2015 body horror sequel, Contracted: Phase II, and both wrote and starred in a series of micro shorts called Katie in 2018. She more recently had a leading role in a Valentine’s Day-themed edition of Hulu’s anthology of feature-length horror stories, Into the Dark, and Peacock’s LGBTQ+ horror flick, They/Them, in 2022.
Navia Robinson (Carrie Kelley)
Carrie Kelley — another female Robin who originates from Frank Miller’s own DC Elseworlds universe — is only Navia Robinson’s latest role on a youth-focused superhero TV series after lending her voice to Disney Junior’s animated The Rocketeer series, and her latest role on a CW show, having appeared in an episode of The Vampire Diaries. She made her acting debut on BET’s Being Mary Jane before she was cast as Nia on Disney Channel’s continuation of That’s So Raven, Raven’s House, and the Netflix original series, Free Rein. Most recently, she joined the all-star cast of the Covid-era drama, We Are Gathered Here Today, in 2022.
Rahart Adams (Brody March)
As Turner's classmate, Brody March — another character created specifically for Gotham Knights — we have Rohart Adams, who got his start the same way many other Australian actors have, with a role on long-running soap opera, Neighbors, before landing a lead role on the coming-of-age horror series, Nowhere Boys, and its feature-length spin-off in 2016. He also had a lead role on a much lighter teen fantasy series, Nickelodeon’s Every Witch Way, and played a faux fantasy character in the network’s 2015 movie, Liar Liar Vampire. Adams also had a lead role in 2018’s Emo the Musical, but easily his biggest movie role to date was in the 2018 Pacific Rim sequel, Pacific Rim: Uprising, as Cadet Tahima.
Doug Bradley (Joe Chill)
Starring as the mugger who killed Bruce Wayne’s parents, Joe Chill, is Doug Bradley — a man known for killing it on the big screen for years as the original face of the Hellraiser movies, Pinhead. The Liverpudlian actor is known for many other great horror movies — such as a few other Clive Barker creations, namely Nightbreed and Book of Blood. However, Bradley has been known veer away from the genre that made him a legend, such as with 1999’s adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband and, of course, this very important role in Gotham Knights.
Sure, there may be no sign of Batman, but that is no reason that Batfans should not be curious to check out this new take on the BatFamily on Gotham Knights, when it premieres on The CW tonight at 9 p.m./8c.
