Why Gotham Recast Its Catwoman For The Series Finale
Recasting a character on a long-running television show is no easy feat, so it's done sparingly — but the cast of Fox's superhero drama "Gotham" got a shake-up when they brought in a new actor to play a pivotal character in the series finale for one key reason. Actress Camren Bicondova — who played the show's take on Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman, for all five seasons of its run — revealed that she opted not to return to the role for the final episode, as it made more sense to have an older actor take over for the character's final appearance.
"I wanted to give 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," she explained to fans via a statement on her social media accounts in April 2019. "Being part of a legacy means knowing when to pass the torch to someone else." Bicondova added, "I was blessed to be the vessel for Selina Kyle for her formative teen years."
Camren Bicondova helped her replacement shape Catwoman's character
"Gotham" star Camren Bicondova's final appearance in the role of Selina Kyle came in the show's penultimate episode, after which "Banshee" star, Lili Simmons, took over as an adult Catwoman for the finale. Bicondova expressed on X how much thought and care went into her decision to step back right before the ending, and shared a sense of respect for the character's storied legacy over many film and television adaptations.
The series finale featured a ten-year time jump, so there was always going to be focus on the character being older, whether Bicondova stayed in the role or not. That said, the actress was pleased with the casting of her successor. "She is perfect for this role, and she really wanted to do Selina right. We spoke about Selina Kyle for hours," Bicondova said of Simmons in her statement, adding, "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."