Posted in: Movies, Trailer, Warner Bros, WB Animation | Tagged: catwoman, Catwoman: Hunted, DC Animation, Elizabeth Gillies, stephanie beatriz, wb animation

Elizabeth Gillies is Purr-fect in Catwoman: Hunted

Everyone's favorite felonious feline takes time away from her comic book husband, Batman, to star in her own film in Catwoman: Hunted next year. Voiced by Elizabeth Gillies, Catwoman's attempt to steal a priceless jewel puts her squarely in the crosshairs of both a powerful consortium of villains and the ever-resourceful Interpol, not to mention Batwoman (Stephanie Beatriz). Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, the feature-length, anime-style Catwoman: Hunted arrives on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray, and Digital on February 8, 2022. Known for such roles as Jade West in Victorious and Fallon Carrington in Dynasty, Gillies is no stranger to fur-midable "Bad Girl" characters.  Now, just in time for the holidays, Gillies chats with Bleeding Cool about her purr-formance as the Feline Fatale, putting her stamp on the iconic anti-hero and teasing her relationship with Batwoman. 

Let's dive right into Catwoman: Hunted. Without giving any spoilers, can you tell me anything about the story of this movie? 

Elizabeth Gillies: Catwoman is after this priceless jewel, and what ensues is a massive adventure between her, Batwoman, and a bunch of villains and monsters. There are so many exciting cameos and Easter eggs for DC fans. There are so many amazing appearances. I don't want to spoil anything because there are so many cool surprises. It's like a heist movie mixed with- its own thing. It's anime style, which is so exciting and the most exciting is that it's her first animated feature all her own. I was honored to get to be a part of that. 

What's it like to put your stamp on such an iconic character that's top tier in DC? 

EG: It's a lot of pressure, but it is also an honor. I was very, very excited when they asked me to do it. I'm a big fan of Catwoman, and I adore Michelle Pfeiffer's version, so that was my jumping-off point. The script is so different, and it's so new that I wanted it to feel new as well. I found my own voice, and I put my own spin on it. I did want to, of course, pay tribute to the character that everyone loved. I hope I did a good job. No one seems pissed that I'm playing her, so that's a good start.

What aspects of Selina Kyle /Catwoman do you relate most to? 

EG: She has such a sense of self and strength when she's in public. She has a lot of bravado, and she's got this hardware and this wall that she puts up in this character. She plays with people. That is much more exaggerated than she really is. I was that way for a long time, and I tend to still be that way. In this movie, she shows much more vulnerability and acquires a side of herself when she is alone or with her cat Isis. I can relate to that. I can relate to being one way when I'm in public, a much bigger, bolder version of myself unbothered and unflappable, and then come home and hang with my dogs. I'm more reserved and quiet. In general, she's an aspirational character in the way that she's very cool and strong and unbothered. I think that a lot of young girls gravitate towards her because she's an anti-hero and a villain. 

In the past, you have played a couple of strong female characters, such as Jade West and Fallon Carrington. Does Selina Kyle compare to any of these characters?

EG: It was funny, I went into the animation booth, and I gave her the voice I felt was the strongest, most confident, most sexual version I could, and then it was pushed a thousand miles further. I think that she is on a whole other level. I mean, she's Catwoman. She is the supreme version of all of these girls. She's the most confident and the strongest and the quickest and the smartest. 

The trailer is filled with innuendo, and you mentioned the sexuality of the movie. Is there any romance between Batman Batwoman in this movie? 

EG: Yeah, there definitely is. There is a heavy flirtation, if not more, with Catwoman and Batwoman in this movie. That was something that was new, to look at their relationship in that way and delve a little deeper into their dynamics. I had a lot of fun with that, and Stephanie did a wonderful job once I saw it back and saw all those scenes, and to watch her back and forth was really fun. It's a really fresh take on their relationship, and I think the fans will really enjoy it. 

Can you talk a little bit about the importance of representation of the LBGTQ community in modern animation? 

EG: Well, you're seeing more and more now, particularly in the DC Universe. I think it's very exciting and important that they are delving further into these storylines and embracing them, elaborating on them, and exploring them. Their willingness to include all aspects of these characters and to delve a little deeper into who they are and what their relationships could be like beyond whatever kind of barriers they had before. To break them and allow them to kind of just run free. It's really exciting to get to be a part of this groundbreaking one with Batwoman and Catwoman. It's exciting that they're expanding in that way because inclusion is so important, especially in the DC space and in the Marvel space. All these places where it hasn't been featured before, to now share these stories is hugely important. I'm honored to get to be a part of one. 

Catwoman: Hunted arrives on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray, and Digital on February 8

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!