One of our personal favorite female characters, Catwoman, has been played by some of the most talented actresses at the peak of their careers. And recently, there's been a new addition. Fourteen-year-old Camren Bicondova will be taking on the role of Selina Kyle in Fox's new series, Gotham. In honor of the newest member to the Catwoman family, we thought we'd take a look back at some of our favorite portrayers throughout the years—and see who wore the kitten ears best.
Michelle Pfeiffer
Many critics think that Tim Burton's Catwoman, played by Pfeiffer in 1992's Batman Returns, was the most accurate portrayal in a live action film. Pfeiffer's version focused on manipulating men with her sexuality, rather than being a master criminal or fighter. An AMCtv.com poll revealed that she has a strong lead as the fan favorite, too, taking 43% of the votes.
Halle Berry
Unfortunately, Berry's role in the 2004 stand-alone Catwoman film has been dubbed the worst film to feature the heroine. While Berry's look made her an excellent choice for the character, the plot was executed poorly and earned only a 9% from RottenTomatoes.com critics.
Maggie Baird
Baird played Catwoman during the flashback sequences on Birds of Prey, a short-lived television series that ran only one season from 2002 to 2003. Baird also played a main character on the show, but it was easy to use her for both characters. The Catwoman character didn't have any speaking lines, and her face was hidden by the costume's mask.
Lee Meriwether
Meriwether stared as Catwoman in 1966's Batman, the first full-length theatrical adaptation of the Batman character. Winner of the 1955 Miss America pageant and a San Francisco City College graduate, Meriwether's beauty, grace, and wit made her a perfect choice for the sleek Selina.
Julie Newmar
Newmar starred as Catwoman for the first two season of the 1960s Batman series, but left before the third because of scheduling conflicts while filming for the movie, Mackenna's Gold. Newmar's costume was modified to have the belt at the hips, rather than the waist, in order to accentuate her hourglass figure. The costume now hangs in the Smithsonian.
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt took over for Julie Newmar during the third season of the 1960s Batman series. Unfortunately, after making some anti-war remarks at a White House luncheon with then president LBJ, Kitt was ostracized from the Hollywood community. This made her portrayal of Catwoman even more memorable, as it was one of her last performances for nearly two decades.
Julia Rose
Rose actually played Newmar (and therefore Catwoman) in Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt, a made-for-TV movie in 2003 that reunited the original cast of the 1960s series. She did an awesome job portraying both Newmar and the Catwoman character, although as IMDb.com points out, reviews for the special were somewhat mixed.
Aurora Snow
Snow played Catwoman in the adult parody Batgirl XXX.
Although she and her other cast members received several good reviews for their performance, we think Catwoman is a little better when she leaves her costume on... and when she isn't getting into certain situations with Batman and other Gotham characters.
Anne Hathaway
The most recent actress to play Catwoman on the big screen, Hathaway starred in the final installment of Christopher Nolan's turn at the Batman franchise, the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises. Hathaway's character was a lot more focused on crime and citizen uprising rather than her sexual prowess like Pfeiffer's character. She was an intelligent, ass-kicking gal to be reckoned with, rather than a seductress.
However, as Yahoo.com points out, Hathaway's fan base has been dwindling over the years. While she did a great job as Catwoman, many people still wish Nolan would have casted someone different to play the part, stating, "She doesn't have the sly, seductive subtlety that Catwoman should have."
Emily Blunt
Okay so this one might still be just rumors, but the story is currently running on every major new/entertainment site around. We can only assume this means that there's some truth behind all the talk about her playing Catwoman in the upcoming Batman vs. Superman.
Personally I think Blunt would make an amazing Catwoman. She was already up for a role in a Marvel Comics movie as Black Widow for Iron Man 2 and the role for Peggy Carter in Captain America, but she turned the roles down. She definitely has that 'it' factor needed to play a superhero, though.
As far as my personal favorite over the years, I'm going to have to wait until Blunt (fingers crossed) has her chance to play Selina before I make my choice.
Who's your favorite actress to don the cat costume?
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