CRISTIN MILIOTI Interview: THE PENGUIN actress discusses Sofia's Hauntingly Dark Turn in Ep4 & more

I did not expect the reception. And it's been... You know, I try to really keep my expectations so, so low. And I've been... To say that I've been blown away is an understatement. I've been, like, profoundly moved. And, like, I can't believe it. I think I haven't maybe, like, fully even taken it in. Well, I can't talk about any of the ones coming up, but there was tons of memorable days on that. I mean, you know, definitely the Arkham stuff, like, as a lifelong Batman fan, like, putting that uniform on and being on that set felt, like, very, very cool, to say the least. And also, you know, all of my stuff with Colin, like, going toe-to-toe with each other. I just... I adored him. I just... I love acting with him. So, I don't know. It's kind of, like, even too many... I loved the yellow dress with the table scene with my family. It was, like, one of my favorites. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, my God! That's so beautiful! How old is your daughter now? Ten? Sixteen. Oh, my God! That's beautiful. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Short. Thank you. The script was so incredible. I mean, all of the scripts were incredible, but that episode in particular, like, there was so much in there, and then Helen Shaver, who was our director for that episode, is just extraordinary. I, like, can't sing her praises enough. And Hermie and Lauren, like, really dove in and just kind of... We shot that episode in ten days, which is, like, you know, not... Maybe Arkham was five days, and then the rest of it, all of those flashbacks, all of the... That's so fast. And we just, like, really dove in together. And, you know, in terms of, like, how I got there, that stuff I get, like... I like the magic trick of not sharing it. But I, like, get, like... Don't worry about it. Do you know what I mean? So I was just blessed to have incredible collaborators, and, like, even all the women in Arkham. Like, every one of those actors was so present and so invested and came in with, like, their own sort of, like, character. And that was incredible. And, you know, I had done stuff like this that no one saw. Like, not... I mean, nowhere near... Like, not the same story or anything, but, like, you know, even before once, I was doing theater for years and did certainly darker things that I think I just... that weren't seen by, like, a ton of people. So I was really excited to be given the opportunity to sort of, like, use that muscle again. And also to have such, like I said, such brilliance and direction and cast to, like, everyone around me. So incredible that, like, it just sort of... You just kind of get in there and do it. And, like, it was an incredible experience. Yeah. Thank you. Thanks. I mean, I have a real deep affinity for Batman Returns because that was one of the first things I ever saw in theaters. And I was seven when that movie came out. I don't know if I, like, should have seen that movie at seven. But, like, I went with my dad. I was so... Like, that movie, just in the ways that when you're that age and you see it, like, it's, like, in your, like, self. Like, I just... I've seen it so many times. I've been in it so many times. Like, I just... So that one has, like, extra special meaning. I was Catwoman for Halloween. I was, like, you know, obsessed with Michelle Pfeiffer. I also loved Batman Forever because that was, like, another one I saw in theaters, like, multiple, multiple times. Which I haven't revisited that one in a while. And I, of course, love the Christopher Nolan ones. And I love what Matt Reeves did. I mean, I thought Robert Pattinson is an extraordinary Batman. But probably, like, if you're talking, like, what... Like, Batman Returns is just, like, deep in my, like, brain history, you know? And is probably the one I've seen the most. So, I mean, I think that one. You know, I've stayed away from them because I was nervous. Like, I mean, obviously, like I said, I know them really well. But I didn't revisit any of them. But I think that those are the types of things that, like, live in you. Especially when you see them young. And so, like, they're probably there whether I revisit them or not. Like, it was not lost on me, you know, just, like, you know, how operatic all those performances are. And that, to me, is, like, the highest compliment, you know? And Colin and I would talk about a lot how this show sometimes felt like an opera. Just because it's, like, so alive and larger than life while still being, like, very real. But, um, yeah. So, I didn't draw on anyone specifically. But they're kind of, like, always with me. Because I, like, dreamt of doing something like this. You know? So, I'm sure they're all in there. I mean, it's been truly a lifelong dream. Like, that's not, I'm not saying that because, you know, we're, like, doing press for the show. Like, I've wanted to be a Batman villain since I was a kid. Like, it's what you play in your backyard, you know? And the fact that I got to do it was, um, it's, yeah. I keep saying that it's profound because I don't know what other word to use. But, like, if there's, like, a bigger word than that, I, yeah. I should look it up. Because that's, like, what it is. It just feels... It's crazy. It's very cool. No, because I filmed that in a complete blackout. Because I'd never been on a set. I was 19. I was, like, I mean, it was a great experience. But, like, I don't remember so much of it. Because I was so scared. I remember that Steve Buscemi was the director. He was unbelievably kind to me. I remember, like, getting my makeup done next to James Galifiani, but I'd never seen it. I didn't see it until two years ago. And, like, wow, it's the best show that's ever been made. Um, so, like, no, not necessarily. I think, you know, I got that audition. I had just dropped out of college and had gotten that part and it was, like, an amazing piece of luck. And so I remember, like, yeah, just being on that set and being like, okay, I think I can, like, I think I can try and do this for a living. Um, but I was overwhelmed the entire time. And, like, had no one to talk to and didn't know anyone and, like, was just, like, I'd never seen that many extras. I'd never seen sets like that. Like, it was crazy. Shooting on the streets of New York. I mean, it's, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What a great show. I'd say the best show of all time. Yeah. Yeah. It's the best one ever made. Yeah, I found that out. All right. Thanks, guys. Thank you. Thank you. Nice to meet you.