Following word that Ben McKenzie was signed on to play the lead role in Fox's planned Gotham series comes even more casting news for roles including the Penguin -- also known as Oswald Cobblepot -- Captain Eessen, Alfred Pennyworth, and Barbara Kean. What's even more exciting about the casting news is that it comes with some character descriptions that give us some new clues about this promising new series.
We know that Gotham is a prequel set a bit ahead of Batman's time (but not entirely ahead of Bruce Wayne's) and follows Ben McKenzie's character Detective James Gordon, the man who would go on to become Gotham City's police commissioner. We also know that this series would explore the origins of some of the villains that would go on to make Gotham famous. That brings us to this first bit of casting...
Robin Lord Taylor - playing Oswald Cobblepot - a.k.a. The Penguin
Oswald Cobblepot is described as a man with the brains of a chess grandmaster and the morals of a jackal. He's a low-level psychopath working for gangster Fish Mooney, who hide his sadistic lust for power behind an exquisitely polite demeanor. Fish. Penguin. I see what they did there. Taylor's credits include an episode of The Walking Dead, The Good Wife and Person of Interest. The younger version of such an iconic character and villain certainly has the potential for this to be his breakthrough role.
Zabryna Guevara - playing Captain Essen
Captain Essen is James Gordon's boss at the Gotham City Police Department Homicide Squad. She's said to balance the two worlds of police and politics with a Machiavellian skill that's as much corporate litigator as cop. It sounds like strength and confidence will be required traits, given that description, but we'll have to wait and see how Guevara plays it. Her cretis include the role of Ayn on Burn Notice, and an episode of Blue Bloods, Person of Interest and going back a bit further, The Sopranos.
Sean Pertwee - playing Alfred Pennyworth
Who's playing the confirmed young Bruce Wayne? We don't know yet, but we now know who's playing his caretaker. In Gotham, Alfred is described as a tough-as-nails ex-marine from East London. He's a loyal servant to the Wayne family who's now fiercely protective of young Bruce in the wake of the Waynes' tragic death. I like the sound of a tough Alfred, and I'll be interested to see how prominently he factors into the story in Gotham. Pertwee's credits include appearances in Elementary and the UK series Jo. He also voiced various roles in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.
Erin Richards - playing Barbara Kean
Barbara Kean is described as a sophisticated emergency room doctor and James Gordon's joyful fiancé, who also has an edge of vulnerability. She stands by James' side, but it's not always easy to do that in such a corrupt city. Richards played the role of Molly in Fox's Breaking In, and she recurred on the UK Being Human a couple of years ago. She also played the role of Eira in Merlin.
We'll be sure to keep you posted on other casting updates for Gotham. In the meantime, keep track of our coverage on the Fox series HERE.
