Danny DeVito left an unquestionable mark on pop culture and the legacy of Oswald Cobblepott a.k.a. The Penguin when he starred in Tim Burton's Batman Returns. The sewer-dwelling, power hungry villain was a strange and rather disgusting adaptation of the character from the pages of DC comics, and the actor will long be remembered for his portrayal. But how does he feel about the new version of the Penguin that's currently in homes every week via Gotham? Apparently he's a pretty big fan.
To promote the upcoming season of FXX's It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Danny DeVito was on hand at Sunday's Television Critics Association Winter Tour, and it was while speaking with a reporter from Access Hollywood that he expressed his feelings about Robin Lord Taylor's portrayal of Penguin on Gotham. Asked if he had watched the show and had an opinion on Taylor's performance, DeVito said:
"I've watched the show. I think he's a very good young Penguin. He's a terrific actor."
It's interesting that DeVito would use the adjective "young," if not only because it actually will be fascinating to see the directions that Robin Lord Taylor's Penguin will go as the character progresses (presuming that we can expect many seasons of Gotham in the future. As things stand, Oswald Cobblepott is still only in the early days of actually becoming The Penguin, and one can imagine that he could undergo a bit more of a physical transformation as his status rises in the crime world. After all, Penguin has always been a rather rotund fellow in the comics, and it's hard not to wonder if Robin Lord Taylor will eventually go in that direction.
Beyond his opinion of just The Penguin, Danny DeVito was also asked if he would ever be interested in actually making a guest appearance on Gotham. His response, unfortunately, suggests that it may just never happen. Said the actor,
"I don't know about that. Again, it's all about the schedules and the parts and like how the thing is written and what it would be and there are so many particulars."
If it were to happen, and a deal could be struck, it would be interesting to see exactly what kind of role Gotham could get DeVito to play. It would probably make a good amount of sense to cast him as someone related to the Penguin, but there are really many options if you think bigger. Personally, I could definitely see him taking on the role of the Arnold Wesker a.k.a. Ventriloquist and also voicing Scarface.
Gotham has returned from its winter hiatus, and will be back for its second episode of the back half of the season tomorrow night on Fox. Danny DeVito, meanwhile, can now be seen weekly on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, which saw its 10th season premiere air last Wednesday.
