Gotham is expanding in “The Penguin” and that means a lot of familiar names, but new faces. In some cases, it means new names too.
Premiering on HBO on Thursday, September 19, “The Penguin” takes place just a few weeks after the events of “The Batman,” but centers on crime boss Oz Cobb — better known as the Penguin. With Gotham effectively in ruins, it’s a race to see who can control the streets, and he thinks his time has come.
That becomes a bit harder, though, when Sofia Falcone, daughter of Carmine Falcone, unexpectedly returns from Arkham Asylum.
We won’t spoil anything, but here are the major players you’ll need to keep up with.
Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell)
He makes a total hair and makeup transformation for the role, but yes, that’s Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb, a.k.a The Penguin. The Oscar-nominated actor is best known for films including “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “In Bruges,” “The Lobster” and “S.W.A.T.,” and comes to the HBO series fresh off of starring in “Sugar” on Apple TV+.
Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti)
Sofia Falcone is Carmine’s daughter, fresh out of Arkham Asylum. She’s played by Cristin Milioti, who you’ll recognize from “Made for Love,” “Black Mirror,” “Palm Springs,” or perhaps as the mother on “How I Met Your Mother.”
Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz)
Victor is a teenager who put himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and as a result, got roped into working for Oz. He starred in “Runaways” and a few episodes of “Teen Wolf,” but you might also recognize him as the voice of Camilo from Disney’s “Encanto.”
Alberto Falcone (Michael Zegen)
Alberto doesn’t make it very far into “The Penguin,” getting killed off in episode one. But you definitely know his face; that’s none other than Michael Zegen, who played Joel Maisel in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”
Johnny Viti (Michael Kelly)
Johnny Viti is a higher-up for the Maroni family, but inevitably a bit slimy. He’s played by Michael Kelly, who starred alongside John Krasinski in “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan,” and played Doug Stamper in “House of Cards.”
Francis Cobb (Deirdre O’Connell)
Francis Cobb is Oz’s mother, who he loves possibly more than anyone in the world. Deirdre O’Connell brings her to life, known for films like “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “St. Vincent.” She also starred in series including “The Path” and “Outer Range.”
Eve Karlo (Carmen Ejogo)
Eve Karlo appears to be Oz’s girlfriend, though whether that’s willingly or for money remains a bit unclear. She’s played by Carmen Ejogo, who previously starred in series including “Your Honor,” “The Crowded Room” with Tom Holland and “I’m a Virgo.” She’s also been in films like “Selma” and “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.”
Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown)
Salvatore Maroni is one of the biggest crime lords in Gotham and here, he’s played by Clancy Brown. Brown is, of course, a legend, starring in films like “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Starship Troopers,” and providing the voice of Mr. Krabs in “SpongeBob SquarePants.”
Nadia Maroni (Shohreh Aghdashloo)
Nadia is Salvatore’s wife, and keeping the family running while he’s in Blackgate prison. She’s played by Shohreh Aghdashloo, who you might recognize from “24,” “The Expanse,” “Ms. Marvel” or “The Flight Attendant,” and who recently voiced the dragon in “Damsel.”
