Catwoman is a pivotal part of the Batman mythos, and as such, has taken center sage in multiple live-action adaptations throughout the Dark Knight's storied cinematic career. She was played by Lee Meriwether in 1966's Batman, Michelle Pfeiffer in 1992's Batman Returns, Halle Berry in 2004's Catwoman, Anne Hathaway in 2021's The Dark Knight Rises, and Zoë Kravitz in 2022's The Batman.
Among such a long list of talented performances, it's difficult to stand out, but Kravitz did just that in Matt Reeves' crime thriller. The actress made the role of Selina Kyle her own, delivering a take that arguably feels the closest to comic book Catwoman in live-action we've had so far. Prior to and during the press tour for the movie, the actress discussed how she dedicated herself to the physicality of the role. Now, a new picture shows just how much she embodied the complex antihero.
Over on X, a Zoë Kravitz fan account posted a rarely seen picture of the actress, in costume as Catwoman, displaying her athleticism by doing a full split:
There's something so fun and exciting about seeing a superhero actor embody the physicality of their role. Catwoman is one of the few comic book characters we've seen in live-action whose abilities don't typically require special effects. Selina's powers are her nimbleness and athleticism. Portraying that takes quite a bit of dedication.
Many superhero actors get in impressive shape, of course, and they dedicate a great amount of time to look like their characters from the comics. However, it's rare to see them performing complex feats of athleticism like the one Kravitz does in the picture.
As mentioned, the actresss has previously discussed the grueling routine she endured to get into Catwoman shape. During an appearance on The Ellen Show in January 2020, Kravitz said: "[I've] been training a ton, too, which has been great and hard. [...] [It's] very physical. I come home just limping every day. It's very... it's actually kind of pathetic."
Then, on the Questlove Supreme podcast, Kravitz was asked how "grueling" her training was, to which she replied: "It's pretty intense. We just started shooting a couple weeks ago, but before that, I was in London for two months, just getting in shape, training, learning fights."
Furthermore, in May 2022, shortly after The Batman came out in theaters, Warner Bros. released a featurette focused on Kravitz's Catwoman transformation, which showed part of her impressive training regimen.
It was rumored in August 2025 that Kravitz would not return as Catwoman for The Batman Part II. Given her incredible performance in the first film, she will hopefully reprise the part for the sequel, especially because it's now been so long since we've seen her as the heroic cat burglar.
What do you think about this new picture of Zoë Kravtiz's Catwoman? Who's been your favorite live-action Selina Kyle so far? Drop your thoughts in the comments!