Danny DeVito, Colin Farrell discuss depressing part of transforming into Penguin

Danny DeVito and Colin Farrell, are pals who have an antagonist character in common: The Penguin!

DeVito and Farrell sat down for a Variety’s Actors on Actors interview and discussed playing the Penguin, focusing most on the layers of prosthetics they had to don for the role.

Ferrell, who played Oz Cobb aka the Penguin in 2022’s The Batman and in the TV show The Penguin, asked DeVito if he liked playing the part.

“I did,” replied DeVito, who played a less grittier version of the character, Oswald Cobblepot in Tim Burton’s 1992 film Batman Returns.

“I was obsessed with that film” noted Farrell, before asking, “Did you have makeup tests and all that? Because that was as extreme a look as I had on mine. It was very different, but just as extreme and just as arduous in the mornings.”

“The first time I saw yours, I said, ‘Oh my.’ It was a total transformation,” remarked the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star.

“Burial,” cried the In Burges star.

The two actors then discussed how long they each sat in makeup chairs for the transformation to happen.

“The first makeup test was all in. We tested in the Warner Bros. lot about six months before we shot the film,” shared Farrell. “And that was seven or eight hours. That was the first time. Everyone was nervous, and they had a team of 15. They got it down to about three hours in the morning.”

DeVito said, “Same with Oswald. We started with a five- or six-hour makeup job, then they whittled it down. Every morning, I was in the chair for three and a half hours.”

Farrell asked, “Did you mind it? I didn’t mind it. You have a coffee; you play some music.”

DeVito replied, “My ritual was this: I get there in the morning, 4:30 or 5. I would dillydally, get my tea, and I’d go into the makeup room. The makeup artist would be standing there with …”

Farrell completed his sentence, saying, “The glue?”

“… the thing of glue,” said DeVito with dread.

Farrell: “That was a bit depressing, that first paintbrush touching your skin,” confessed The Banshees of Inisherin star.

DeVito chimed in, ‘She’d be there all ready with her weapon, the brush. And I’ll dillydally with my cup until the last minute. She went right on over the nose, because they had to put that big prosthetic on.”

“That was the anchor,”

“Once you got over that initial brush, and they stuck the prosthetic on, it was an easier slope,” noted DeVito.

Danny Devito will soon be seen in his long held role of Frank in the 17th season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.