The Penguin star Colin Farrell pays tribute to Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix's "extraordinary" comic book performances after winning Golden Globe

Colin Farrell wins Golden Globe for The Penguin
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Penguin actor Colin Farrell has become the third performer to win a Golden Globe for playing a comic book villain, and the first to do so with a TV show. The HBO series sees the Irish actor reprising his role as The Penguin (prosthetics and all) after his debut in 2022's The Batman.

Following his win, Farrell was asked in the awards' press room how it feels to join such a select list of winners, which includes Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix. Both actors were previously honored with a Golden Globe (and an Oscar) for playing the Joker in The Dark Knight and Joker, respectively.

"You mentioned two actors who are, I think, for my money, two of the most extraordinarily talented and gifted and just brilliant artists in films that I've ever had the fortune to observe and be affected by," he started (via Variety).

"What Heath did in Chris Nolan's Dark Knight was extraordinary, and will live on for future generations. And what [Phoenix] did with the Joker was as exemplified by all the awards that he won, in the Oscars. It was extraordinary.

"It was so special, both of them. So to have your name just uttered in the same sentence as those performances, honestly, it's lovely, but still I'm more of just a fan of it all! I don't feel like I'm part of that pantheon. Joaquin and Heath, just two extraordinary and honest great actors."

Now with a Golden Globe, Colin Farrell might be more inclined to come back for a second season of The Penguin. When asked by Total Film last September, he wasn't very sure.

"Don't get me wrong – I loved it – but it got in on me a little bit. By the end of it, I was bitching and moaning to anyone who would listen to me that I fucking wanted it to be finished. I tried to remind them that I had 'grumpy gratitude.' I was still grateful, and still honored," he said.

"Lauren [LeFranc, showrunner] said, 'Look, if I could find a way that makes sense, would you talk about it?' And I said, 'Absolutely.' And maybe in a year I would. But when I finished I was like, 'I never want to put that fucking suit and that fucking head on again.'"

At least we'll get to see Farrell's Penguin again on the big screen, as the actor has signed up for three Batman films including the upcoming The Batman 2.

The Batman 2 is set to arrive in 2027. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and shows for everything else that's in store.

Mireia Mullor
Contributing Writer

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.