The Batman: Eiza Gonzalez Calls Losing Catwoman Role "Heartbreaking"

The Batman is currently in the middle of production (albeit with a brief hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic), bringing to life a whole new corner of the DC Films world. The film is expected to feature an ensemble of some major DC Comics characters, including Zoe Kravitz's take on Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Before Kravitz got the role, rumors swirled for months about who would potentially be playing the iconic character, and Baby Driver and Hobbs & Shaw actress Eiza Gonzalez was believed to be on that list. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gonzalez, who is currently starring in Bloodshot confirmed that she got "far down the line" in auditioning for Catwoman, and was heartbroken that it ultimately didn't work out.

"It's impossible not to [get your hopes up], especially when you get so far down the line," Gonzalez explained. "It's part of why you're so far down the line because you're living and dreaming the character. For my prep for every role, I'm kind of a weirdo, especially when I'm already at the camera test stage or really deep into it. I will live and breathe the character; I'm more traditional in that sense. It is heartbreaking; it is always hard. You have to envision yourself in the role in order to see the role. You can't have one foot in and one foot out. When I started my career, I was more like that, and I wouldn't get that far. In a sense, it didn't hurt as much, but I didn't give it the best version of what I thought I could do. So, now I do, and I just go through the heartbreak afterwards. I always explain it as this relationship that you work on. You fall in love, you go through all the stages — and it never really solidifies. So, it's this process that never has closure; it just goes away. So, it feels like a relationship that didn't result in anything."

Gonzalez has been an actress people have wanted to see as Catwoman for years now, in part because she took to social media as early as 2017 to advocate for playing the part. Even though Gonzalez might not be playing Catwoman in The Batman, she did hint that the ever-evolving nature of the industry could mean that she isn't shut out from a future project in the DC realm.

"It's always heartbreaking, but what I've learned with time, those relationships that you curate and the people that you meet don't go away," Gonzalez continued. "I've been in situations where they've seen me for different roles that didn't work out — but then they come around for something else. The beauty of our industry is it's never-ending; it's always evolving and transforming. I'm just lucky and grateful that I've had the chance to meet incredible directors and be part of incredible projects. Growing up in Mexico, I never would've thought I'd be doing these types of projects."

Are you sad that Eiza Gonzalez didn't end up playing Catwoman? Is there another DC role you'd love to see her play? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!