Paul Dano has suggested that his idea for his performance as The Riddler in Matt Reeves’ The Batman was “a slightly regrettable choice.” Dano, who was cast as the primary antagonist in the latest big-screen reimagining of the Batman franchise, plays a decidedly darker take on the infamous villain once played by the likes of comedian Jim Carrey in 1995’s Batman Forever. Gone are the vibrant green suits and over the top antics of Carrey’s tenure, and in his place is a cunning and meticulous murderer heavily based on the real-life Zodiac Killer.
Even Dano’s Riddler costume, previously shown in trailers, was directly influenced by the infamous serial killer known for his cryptic cyphers when he was active during the late 1960s and early 1970s. While the Zodiac Killer was never caught or identified, one of his intended victims survived an attack on the shore of Lake Berryessa and was able to describe a man in a hood with glasses, and the Zodiac’s distinctive cross-circle symbol on his chest. Dano’s own hooded Ridder costume mimics drawings of the Zodiac Killer produced from this description, right down to the stylized Riddler question mark painted on his own chest.
Seemingly intent on taking his performance to the next level, Dano also went so far as to wrap his entire body in plastic wrap beneath the costume. In a recent interview with Good Morning America (via The Art of the Batman), the actor explained that this was a character-driven attempt to prevent any potential DNA evidence inadvertently being left behind at crime scenes. Dano also expressed the regret that later followed this decision, saying it caused a "throbbing" head, along with other issues. Read his comments below:
"The character doesn’t quite have the resources, maybe, to be like a really fancy vigilante. So, and he’s so meticulous about the details, and he’s quite brilliant, and as you’ll see he’s quite in control, and I couldn’t shave all the hair off my body, because I think part of this person’s job is they also have to probably walk around in the world, right? The way that Batman has Bruce Wayne, and has to be able to go out there, the Riddler has his Edward Nashton.
So I thought, well I’ll wrap myself in some cling film and see if that will cover up any DNA evidence, and I quickly learned that was a slightly regrettable choice. My head was throbbing and the sweat couldn’t escape from my body, but then we learned to work with it and I think it’s got a nice effect."
This is not the only story of Dano having problems coming to terms with his performance as the Riddler. The actor also recently revealed that he had difficulty sleeping after struggling to remove himself from his time playing the character. Dano is not alone in taking his Batman villain character to the next level, however, as Jared Leto has previously admitted giving his Suicide Squad co-stars strange joke gifts in a bid to get himself into character as The Joker. Similarly, Joaquin Phoenix also admitted “going mad” as a result of the rapid weight loss he undertook to prepare for his Academy Award-winning performance as Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime.
With the clear dedication and level of intensity Dano is bringing to his performance as the Riddler, perhaps The Batman will serve to elevate the character on a level of fan reverence typically reserved for portrayals of the Joker himself. In other Batman media, the Riddler has often struggled to present himself as the Dark Knight’s true nemesis and break free from the Joker’s enormous shadow, and now it seems that Dano’s Riddler may finally do just that. Fans will get a chance to see the results of Dano’s dedication to his role, and its real-life inspirations, when The Batman finally releases in theatres next month.
Source: Good Morning America (via The Art of the Batman)
