Colin Farrell, Danny DeVito and 12 More Actors Who Have Played The Penguin

Mar. 15, 2025

Every hero needs a supervillain — and The Penguin has been one of Batman’s nemeses since 1941.

See all the actors who have assumed the mantle of The Penguin, all the way back to his on-screen debut in 1966.

01of 14Colin FarrellColin Farrell as The Penguin.Macall Polay/HBOColin Farrellunderwent a physical transformation to play Oz Cobb in the HBO seriesThe Penguin. Hetold PEOPLEthat he stepped into a bodysuit that covered every part of his body but his hands and feet. The costume took the makeup department three hours every day before production.“If it wasn’t for Mike’s design, I’m telling you now, if it was just me with a f—ing cigarette and a top hat and a bit of a limp and an umbrella that was a machine gun, we wouldn’t have had the HBO show,” Farrell joked.

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Colin Farrell

Colin Farrell as The Penguin.Macall Polay/HBO

Macall Polay/HBO

Colin Farrellunderwent a physical transformation to play Oz Cobb in the HBO seriesThe Penguin. Hetold PEOPLEthat he stepped into a bodysuit that covered every part of his body but his hands and feet. The costume took the makeup department three hours every day before production.

“If it wasn’t for Mike’s design, I’m telling you now, if it was just me with a f—ing cigarette and a top hat and a bit of a limp and an umbrella that was a machine gun, we wouldn’t have had the HBO show,” Farrell joked.

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Danny DeVito

Danny DeVito’s Penguin costume from 1992’sBatman Returnsis still haunting. OppositeMichael Keaton’s Batman andMichelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman, DeVito claimed the character as his own with an iconic performance in theTim Burton-directed film.

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Robin Lord Taylor

Robin Lord Tayloroffered a deeper insight into The Penguin’s lore in the Fox seriesGotham, which told the story of a young Batman after the murder of his parents. Throughout the series, viewers see Taylor’s Penguin develop an unhealthy relationship to food and his descent into villainy.

“His end game is to not be powerless anymore. He’s spent his whole life being picked on. His ambition is so much greater than anybody knows,” Taylor explained toEsquireafter the series premiere in 2014. “Through his mistakes in the pilot he learns how he’s going to play the game and learns his true lust for power. And he really will stop at nothing to achieve that.”

04of 14Burgess MeredithBurgess Meredith as The Penguin.John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via GettyThe first man to play The Penguin on-screen wasEmmywinner and two-time Oscar nominee Burgess Meredith. In the campy ABC seriesBatman, Meredith battledAdam West’s Batman in the character’s signature top hat and bow tie.

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Burgess Meredith

Burgess Meredith as The Penguin.John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty

John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty

The first man to play The Penguin on-screen wasEmmywinner and two-time Oscar nominee Burgess Meredith. In the campy ABC seriesBatman, Meredith battledAdam West’s Batman in the character’s signature top hat and bow tie.

05of 14Minnie DriverMinnie Driver.Mike Marsland/WireImageYes, there was a female version of The Penguin — andMinnie Drivernailed the role.The actress guest-starred as mob boss Oswalda Cobblepot inBatman: Caped Crusader, which reimagined Batman tales.“This was such a beautiful retelling of that villain. It was joyful. And, I mean, she’s dreadful,” Driver said during a panel after the San Diego Comic-Con screening, perVariety.

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Minnie Driver

Minnie Driver.Mike Marsland/WireImage

Mike Marsland/WireImage

Yes, there was a female version of The Penguin — andMinnie Drivernailed the role.

The actress guest-starred as mob boss Oswalda Cobblepot inBatman: Caped Crusader, which reimagined Batman tales.

“This was such a beautiful retelling of that villain. It was joyful. And, I mean, she’s dreadful,” Driver said during a panel after the San Diego Comic-Con screening, perVariety.

06of 14Paul WilliamsThe Penguin in ‘Batman: The Animated Series’.Warner Bros./courtesy Everett CollectionSinger-songwriter Paul Williams — famous for composing “The Rainbow Connection” fromThe Muppet Movieand writing the lyrics forA Star Is Born’s “Evergreen” withBarbra Streisand— was also an actor. In addition to appearances on shows likeCommunityandThe Bold and the Beautiful, Williams provided the voice for The Penguin inBatman: The Animated SeriesandThe New Batman Adventures.

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Paul Williams

The Penguin in ‘Batman: The Animated Series’.Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection

Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection

Singer-songwriter Paul Williams — famous for composing “The Rainbow Connection” fromThe Muppet Movieand writing the lyrics forA Star Is Born’s “Evergreen” withBarbra Streisand— was also an actor. In addition to appearances on shows likeCommunityandThe Bold and the Beautiful, Williams provided the voice for The Penguin inBatman: The Animated SeriesandThe New Batman Adventures.

07of 14Wayne KnightThe Penguin (right) in ‘Harley Quinn’.Universe/Courtesy Everett CollectionSeinfeldandJurassic Parkstar Wayne Knight also took on voice acting gigs throughout his 47 years in the industry — one of which was The Penguin in 2019’sHarley QuinnfeaturingKaley Cuocoin the title role.

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Wayne Knight

The Penguin (right) in ‘Harley Quinn’.Universe/Courtesy Everett Collection

Universe/Courtesy Everett Collection

SeinfeldandJurassic Parkstar Wayne Knight also took on voice acting gigs throughout his 47 years in the industry — one of which was The Penguin in 2019’sHarley QuinnfeaturingKaley Cuocoin the title role.

08of 14Steven BlumThe Penguin in ‘The Lego Batman Movie’.MaxSteven Blum, a voice actor known for his work in the animeCowboy Bebop, Nickelodeon seriesThe Legend of Korraand Cartoon Network’sBen 10, played Batman villains Bane and The Penguin in 2013’sLego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite.

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Steven Blum

The Penguin in ‘The Lego Batman Movie’.Max

Max

Steven Blum, a voice actor known for his work in the animeCowboy Bebop, Nickelodeon seriesThe Legend of Korraand Cartoon Network’sBen 10, played Batman villains Bane and The Penguin in 2013’sLego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite.

09of 14Stephen RootThe Penguin (left) in ‘Batman: The Brave and The Bold’.MaxEmmy-nominated actor Stephen Root voiced the Batman antagonist in four episodes of the Cartoon Network seriesBatman: The Brave and the Bold.

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Stephen Root

The Penguin (left) in ‘Batman: The Brave and The Bold’.Max

Emmy-nominated actor Stephen Root voiced the Batman antagonist in four episodes of the Cartoon Network seriesBatman: The Brave and the Bold.

10of 14Dana SnyderThe Penguin in ‘DC Super Friends’.Imaginext/YouTubeActor and comedian Dana Snyder voiced The Penguin across three different works between 2014 and 2016:DC Super Friends,Justice League ActionandBatman Unlimited: Animal Instincts.

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Dana Snyder

The Penguin in ‘DC Super Friends’.Imaginext/YouTube

Imaginext/YouTube

Actor and comedian Dana Snyder voiced The Penguin across three different works between 2014 and 2016:DC Super Friends,Justice League ActionandBatman Unlimited: Animal Instincts.

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Tom Kenny

Tom Kenny.Rich Polk/Variety via Getty

Rich Polk/Variety via Getty

12of 14Ted KnightTed Knight.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via GettyIn the first animated Batman series,The Adventures of Batman, comedic actor Ted Knight voiced the staple character.

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Ted Knight

Ted Knight.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

In the first animated Batman series,The Adventures of Batman, comedic actor Ted Knight voiced the staple character.

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Lennie Weinrib

Lennie Weinrib.ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

14of 14William SalyersWilliam Salyers.Aaron Davidson/WireImageRegular Showvoice actor William Salyers played the supervillain in the 2016 animated movieBatman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, 2017’sBatman vs. Two-Faceand 2023’sBatman: The Doom That Came to Gotham.

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William Salyers

William Salyers.Aaron Davidson/WireImage

Aaron Davidson/WireImage

Regular Showvoice actor William Salyers played the supervillain in the 2016 animated movieBatman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, 2017’sBatman vs. Two-Faceand 2023’sBatman: The Doom That Came to Gotham.

source: people.com