From the second she first emerges a soft-focus haze over Oz Cobb’s shoulder in HBO’s The Penguin collection premiere, Cristin Milioti‘s Sofia Falcone is a riveting, terrifying, live-wire presence; her opaque eyes by no means lacking a trick and aggressively promoting her extensively presumed instability — positive, I’m loopy, you wanna see how loopy?

For Milioti (How I Met Your Mom, Black Mirror), the character represents a longtime objective achieved: Touchdown a significant half in a superhero challenge. And since crime boss Carmine Falcone’s daughter had so little prior comedian ebook and filmic historical past, Milioti and showrunner Lauren LeFranc have been capable of create her character nearly solely from scratch, launching the uncommon DC universe so-called villain who feels solely new.

Whereas critics have been filled with early reward (with some already predicting an Emmy nod), and the present’s rankings have recommended the restricted collection is successful (its debut topped the newest season premieres of Succession and The White Lotus), followers truly haven’t seen something but. Milioti’s efficiency takes some intense turns alongside the way in which. Under, the actress discusses touchdown the function and the way she approached the character she calls “considered one of my favourite issues I’ve ever gotten to do in my complete life.”

So when The Penguin evaluations got here out, I’m positive you already form of knew you knocked it out of the park, however when everybody began saying that, it needed to really feel fairly good.

I didn’t really feel that approach. I don’t suppose I ever completely really feel that approach. I don’t learn evaluations. I’m an excessive amount of of a scaredy cat. However I heard a basic climate report that folks just like the present, and that was sufficient. Then, I caught my head again within the sand. It’s at all times very nerve-wracking to share your work with the world.

So what was your first response to listening to concerning the character Sofia Falcone?

I freaked out a bit in one of the simplest ways with pleasure. I’ve dreamed of attending to play somebody like this for a very long time. I’m additionally an enormous Batman fan and have dreamt of enjoying a villain within the Batman universe since I used to be somewhat child. I used to fake to be Batman villains in my yard when rising up. And so, when this primary got here my approach, I wished it in a approach that felt very deep. As soon as I signed onto it, and as soon as I learn increasingly scripts, I used to be blown away that I used to be going to have the ability to get to do that. It was very profound. I simply love her. It’s considered one of my favourite issues I’ve gotten to do in my complete life.

I heard you say in one other interview that you just’ve gone out for different superhero movie-related roles and received turned down. Did you begin to surprise, “Do I simply not match on this world?” Was there a specific challenge that felt just like the one which received away?

There have been a few them. I really like superhero movies, and I’ve examined for lots of it. If somebody my age was in it, I used to be most likely up for it at completely different ranges. Some I made to the ultimate spherical. And yeah, you do begin to suppose, “Oh, OK, I assume I’m simply not constructed for that.” After which with this, it felt like, “I actually get this character,” and it felt form of destiny. Whereas the others, I do perceive why I didn’t get these. For positive.

Like they weren’t constructed for you, however that is.

It simply was by no means the precise match. However this, I felt like I utterly understood her and was obsessed together with her from the start. And that’s additionally one of many nice issues about getting older, is that you just begin to really feel like no matter function you’re meant to seek out is supposed to seek out you, and it’s all good. All people’s on their very own path. I’m grateful that I didn’t get these jobs as a result of I wouldn’t have essentially received to play Sofia.

Sofia has such an imposing vibe and is so very current. There’s additionally this hardness to her, this wall. I do know this query will learn a bit like, “How does appearing work?” However how did you get into the mode?

I’ve my little preparations and processes that I do. A lot of it was additionally within the writing and a lot of it was that I felt like I understood this girl. I additionally labored with a motion coach, and that was very useful to seek out little issues right here and there. And I’ve a playlist — all of the issues actors speak about. However I actually wished to construct this individual, and as soon as I began constructing her, and as soon as I began to get in there, I may discover methods of locking in.

Did you examine the opposite types of Falcone actors? When watching considered one of your scenes, I abruptly flashed again to a scene in Batman Begins when Tom Wilkinson’s Carmine Falcone mocks Bruce Wayne by saying, “Your outdated man begged for mercy. Begged. Like a canine.” Sofia jogged my memory of his demeanor and supply.

Oh my God. Initially, huge praise. Large. I watched John Turturro [who played Carmine in The Batman] as a result of I wished to sound like him. First discovering that accent, however pondering of somebody who has disappeared for 10 years and what that does to an individual and the way that shapes them. However I watched a number of him and I, in fact, know Tom Wilkinson’s portrayal. They each have that ice-coldness that activates a dime. Then I used to be like, “OK, I received it, I’m now going to remain away [from watching anybody else].”

It’s a enjoyable dynamic within the present as a result of we are able to inform Oz is making an attempt to play Sofia, however she at all times is aware of he’s enjoying her, not less than to some extent. We simply have no idea to which diploma that she is aware of.

Proper, precisely. It’s a pleasant cat-and-mouse sport to play that can also be very enjoyable to modulate.

I’d suppose that Farrell’s make-up and prosthetics helped in some methods as a result of he turns into such a grotesquery of a determine to play in opposition to.

It was immensely useful. Oz Cobb feels extremely actual to me. I felt like I used to be actually with him. I do know that it’s Colin, clearly. And we’d be sitting there speaking [between takes] speaking about the way it’s going, such as you do at work. However it’s so unusual. I simply watched the primary 4 episodes a pair weeks in the past, and it was like seeing an outdated pal as a result of that’s who I spent eight months with. It’s a really surreal expertise that I don’t know I’ll ever have once more.

The Penguin releases new episodes Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO/Max.