Blade Runner Star Reflects on Her Failed Campaign to Play Catwoman in Batman Returns

Hot off the success of movies like Blade Runner and Dune, actor Sean Young scored the coveted role of Vicki Vale in Tim Burton’s Batman, only for an injury to cause her to leave the project, resulting in Kim Basinger taking on the part. After recuperating, Young attempted to secure the role of Catwoman for Batman Returns, with her passion for the role seeing her appear on The Joan Rivers Show in a Catwoman ensemble, first channeling the campy portrayal of the threat from the Batman TV series before the rest of the episode saw Young discussing the struggles she faced in Hollywood. The stunt caused mixed reactions from audiences and industry insiders and even sparked some controversy, though the actor recently looked back on the incident as something silly that was blown out of proportion.

“Honestly, I thought it was funny!” Young recently shared with The Spectator about the appearance. “I thought it was really, really funny, but these, these insecure dickheads at these studios, they just didn’t see the humor. They really didn’t. And I did not realize that that they were so humorless. I really didn’t. I thought it was absolutely f-cking hilarious. I love that video. Of course, I should play Catwoman, and if these guys had had any sense, any time from that point until now, they would have given me the part again because [the controversy], it was so perfect, but they’re not really good businessmen … They’re not very intelligent.”  

With this being the early ’90s, information had spread quite differently from how it does today, with there being a variety of reports about what really happened on Batman Returns. Some rumors claim that Young had successfully secured the role though was fired before filming began, while other rumors claim Young was never in the running for the part but, having initially been cast in Batman, thought she was owed the role. 

Due in large part to the contemporary culture of social media, nearly every day sees a different celebrity finding themselves in the crosshairs of public attention or controversy. Back in 1991, though, the stunt dominated the entertainment industry in an entirely different way, earning Young the sensational stigma of being “crazy” for her actions. Despite earning coveted roles in the ’80s, Young never earned the same opportunities in the wake of the Joan Rivers appearance.

Catwoman would be played by Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns, by Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises, and by Zoë Kravitz in The Batman.

What do you think of Young’s remarks? Let us know in the comments!