‘Gotham’ Stars Dish On The Odd Coupling Of Penguin And Riddler


Even tonight’s episode of Gotham, “Mad City: Follow the White Rabbit,” lays out plans for the evolution of a relationship for Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) and Riddler, A.K.A. Nygma, (Cory Michael Smith), but fans are eager to see just how far things will advance. Currently, it seems the two Gotham characters are destined to bond as close friends, but even those scenes in which Penguin and Nygma find common ground, there is a chemistry that can’t be denied. As rumors gather steam about a Gotham same sex romance, the actors that play the two characters open up about what is to come and how they would like to see their Gotham characters evolve.

Gotham Star Robin Lord Taylor Loves That Penguin And Riddler Have Found Each Other

Yahoo News points to the way in which Robin Lord Taylor has really thrown himself into the Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin role. The Gotham actor has taken the DC Comics villain and made him a truly three-dimensional character, yet Penguin has always lacked in one area: a love interest. As Gotham gets deeper into the Mad City theme this season, there seems to be a mad love growing between Taylor’s character and the Riddler protégé, Edward Nygma, and Robin couldn’t be happier about it.

Neither Nygma nor Penguin really has anyone else in their lives. Penguin is especially alone and vulnerable since his mother was killed in an earlier Gotham episode. Now, the two Gotham villains come together and bond in ways that will keep them evolving individually, but also as a pair.

“They’re just two insane oddballs,” says Gotham star, Robin Lord Taylor. “But somehow they found each other. I just love that idea.”

Taylor adds that he loves the treatment Penguin gets from Gotham writers because as the character interacts with other Gotham characters, there’s more to be gleaned about Penguin’s nature.

“Every relationship illuminates parts of the characters that we wouldn’t necessarily have known,” says Taylor.

Cory Michael Smith Weighs In On The Love Of A Penguin/Nygma Pairing

At this point, there’s no telling where Gotham writers are intending to go with the blossoming friendship between Penguin and Nygma and, as Screen Rant shares, even the actors aren’t quite in the know regarding the endgame. At any rate, if Smith and Taylor do know, they aren’t saying. What Gotham actor Cory Michael Smith will say, however, is that he’s on board with whatever direction this new Gotham pairing takes in the future.

“‘Yes’ to them being an odd couple of ‘two demented people,'” says Smith.

Together with Taylor, Smith is excited to pursue the friendship and only seems that much more encouraged by fan theories and suggestions for a same sex Penguin/Nygma love affair. However Gotham handles this new relationship, Cory confesses he’s just happy for a chance to give Nygma greater development in Season 3, particularly after having done so much research into the Nygma/Riddler character.

“I read a lot of the comics and every time they got a new artist or a new writer, like the personality of the Riddler shifted. So… it claimed me. I was like okay, I can actually put my own twist on this, and like be forgiven,” explains the Gotham actor.

“So I kind of stole from this kid that I went to high school with. I mean I don’t think he is a psychopath, but he exhibited a lot of the social ineptitude that I put into Edward. I think I have more shoulder tension playing his awkwardness.”

Smith also confesses that he has ambitions for a greater Riddler development in coming seasons of Gotham. He refers to the DC comic books and Riddler’s companions Query and Echo in revealing his hope that Gotham writers will continue to explore the Riddler’s comic book mythology.

Gotham airs Monday nights on Fox.

[Featured Image by Fox]

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