Few properties are as successful in the entertainment industry right now as anything related to superheroes. Whether it be a movie, TV show, or video game, Marvel, DC, and more have permeated every facet of pop culture. In the mid-’90s, however, comic book fans would take whatever they could get in the realm of live-action adaptations of their beloved comics, which is what led to the release of Batman & Robin.
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Many members of the cast and crew have been speaking about their experiences on set, with this summer being the film’s 20th anniversary. When speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, one actor with a small part recalled just how exciting the filming was, as all sorts of different celebrities were dropping by to get in on the film’s excitement.
Arnold Schwarzenegger starred as Mr. Freeze, securing the role at what might have been the peak of his career. Stogie Kenyatta, who played one of the villain’s thugs, recalled, “Jon Bon Jovi came by and he brought Cuban cigars for Arnold.”
He added, “Arnold had them color it white so he could smoke it in the scenes,” allowing the actor to embrace the role completely.
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Composer Elliot Goldenthal revealed that one of Schwarzenegger’s former co-stars also dropped by the set, explaining, “Jesse Ventura had a cameo as well.” He continued, “You can run government, you can have a dramatic career, but no one is too high and mighty to do just goofy comic characters.”
Ventura had starred with Schwarzenegger in the sci-fi/action thriller Predator, having served as the mayor of Brooklyn Park, MT in the years in between the films. Following his brief role in Batman & Robin, Ventura went on to become the governor of Minnesota in 1998. Interestingly, Schwarzenegger himself also went on to become a governor, taking the political role in California in 2003.
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For Schwarzenegger to pull off the look of Mr. Freeze, he had to sit in makeup for four hours, which severely cut into his 12-hour work limit. The cigars must have been a nice treat to cope with the stress of the makeup and probably wasn’t the worst tasting thing he experienced on set, according to his makeup artist Jeff Dawn.
To create an eerie glowing effect inside Mr. Freeze’s mouth, tiny LED light fixtures were placed in Schwarzenegger’s mouth, but Dawn revealed, “When you put it in Arnold’s mouth, Arnold’s saliva would creep into the seams of this thing and attack the batteries. The batteries would immediately start disintegrating and start putting out battery acid into Arnold’s mouth.”
