EXCLUSIVE: Gotham’s Robin Lord Taylor Reveals Season 2 Villain Team-Up with Edward Nygma

Robin Lord Taylor’s character of Oswald “The Penguin” Cobblepot was the breakout character of Gotham season one. The season wound up almost equally revolving around the trio of characters of Bruce Wayne, Jim Gordon, and and Penguin.

Now, he steps up in season 2 as a the new lord of the Gotham Underworld, but that’s not without its own complications.

“His confidence issues, at least outwordly with the other characters, was a tactic with them,” Taylor told ComicBook.com during an interview at New York Comic Con. “It was a way to protect himself. He can’t afford to do that now, he’s the king of Gotham. He has to put out an extra effort to get all of these disparate crime families to work together.”

His new status is also allowing him to play against other actors and characters, including Barbara Kean (Erin Richards), and Theo Galavan (James Frain). But this season will also see a classic bat-villain team-up, he revealed to us.

“I think I can also say that Nygma and Penguin will come back together in some major ways this season, and it’s really exciting.”

The actor also talked about feeling more comfortable and motivated in his role. “As I’m learning, the writers are also learning what I bring to it. So now I get the new scripts and they’re writing it for my voice.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Gotham interview without getting in a question about our favorite goofy theory that Barbara could become The Joker on the series, and Taylor weighed in.

“It’s nothing new for the DC Universe. It’s been around for 76 plus years, and when a new writer comes on, they do something different with it. I like that we can play and bring out new aspects, and create these characters in a way we’ve never seen before,” Taylor said.

So, could Richards pull off the role?

“Oh yeah!” he exclaimed. “She nicknamed herself ‘Stabby Babs,’ so if that’s not The Joker, I don’t know what is.”

Correction: An earlier version of this article said “Barbara Gordon” instead of “Barbara Kean.” They’re not married on the show (yet?).