The fifth and final season of Gotham has had fans in an emotional series of goodbyes. Behind the scenes, the cast and crew have been doing the same. The last episode will feature the highly anticipated debut of Batman when Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham city after 10 years. This isn’t the only shakeup for the series as Catwoman’s own, Camren Bicondova, will pass the torch of an older Selina Kyle to actress Lili Simmons (Westworld, The Purge).
Bicondova shared the news on her Twitter in a lengthy announcement.
“It’s important to me that I’m the one to tell you this because it was a choice that I made,” Bicondova wrote on Twitter. “I wanted to give (the character) Selina Kyle as much respect as possible. Some will say that giving her respect would include seeing the character through to the end of the show, which I understand. But, I firmly believe that part of leaving a legacy and being part of a legacy means knowing when to pass the torch to someone else. I was blessed to be the vessel for Selina Kyle for her formative teen years, and it only felt right to give someone else the torch for her adult self.”
Bicondova expresses her praise for Simmons as the perfect fit for Catwoman.
“The woman who will be playing the older Selina Kyle is the glorious Lili Simmons, who, when I met for the first time, made me cry tears of joy,” her statement continued. “She is perfect for this role, and she really wanted to do Selina right. We spoke about Selina Kyle for hours; I shared journal entries and scenes that were prime examples of Selina’s characteristics, and she shared thoughts of backstory for the 10 years that the audience didn’t see. I want to clearly express how much thought and care went into this decision, as well as how much respect for the character and legacy of Selina Kyle there is within it. I was blessed to be the seventh female actor to play Selina Kyle, the first to play her in Gotham‘s adaptation — and now, there will be an eighth woman part of DC Comics’ Catwoman legacy. That makes me proud.”
Watch the series finale of Gotham on Thursday, April 25 on Fox at 8/7c.