Who Plays The Mayor Of Gotham City In The Batman?
"The Batman" is set to release in the United States on March 4, and it will be Robert Pattinson's first time donning the cape as the title character. It will also serve as the first solo "Batman" movie since Christopher Nolan's final film in his trilogy, "The Dark Knight Rises" in 2012. "The Batman" will focus on Batman's second year as a crime-fighting superhero and his hunt for the Riddler (Paul Dano), a serial killer who goes after the rich citizens of Gotham City.
Like previous films centered around the Dark Knight, "The Batman" features a stacked cast of A-listers including Pattinson, Dano, Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman), Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot (aka Penguin). However, "The Batman" has also employed a lot of familiar character actors that viewers may recognize but not be able to name. One of these actors is Rupert Penry-Jones, who steps into the role of Don Mitchell Jr., Gotham's mayor.
As it turns out, Penry-Jones has had a long, thriving career in movies — and especially television — in both leading and supporting roles that observant viewers may recognize him from.
Rupert Penry-Jones played a spy in MI-5
"MI-5," which aired on the BBC from 2002 to 2011 over 10 seasons and one feature-length movie, centered on a rotating cast of counter-terrorism agents working for MI5 in a location called The Grid. While the series has featured many actors taking on the lead role, Rupert Penry-Jones would take over as the lead of "MI5" during the 3rd season as Adam Carter. It's a role in the show that Penry-Jones would portray until the premiere of Season 7, which sees Carter killed off in a shocking car bomb explosion.
"MI-5" served as one of Carter's first major leading television roles and, considering the popularity of the show, is likely where most fans will recognize him from. Penry-Jones himself noted that while the character was not well-received at first, as taking over the lead role from another actor is never an easy feat in television, the role of Carter definitely raised his profile as an actor (per The Telegraph). It's clear that Penry-Jones considers his time on the show to be a pivotal moment in his career and one that led to future big roles.
Penry-Jones stepped into the shoes of a detective on Whitechapel
Following his profile-raising time on "MI-5," Rupert Penry-Jones' next project was yet another leading role on television. Instead of a secret agent, this time the actor stepped into the role of a detective in Joseph Chandler. "Whitechapel" had a unique premise in that it was set in modern times, albeit with Chandler investigating copycat murders inspired by very old, famous cases. The first season focused on a serial killer who was mimicking the Jack the Ripper murders, with Penry-Jones' Chandler character heading up the investigation. Future seasons would also pull from real-world murders to inform its stories.
"Whitechapel" aired for four seasons from 2009 to 2013 and consisted of 18 episodes. While his time on "MI-5" arguably helped him get more leading roles, "Whitechapel" proved that Penry-Jones could lead a show that didn't already have an established fanbase. "Whitechapel" also featured prominent actors like Phil Davis, Steve Pemberton, and Johnny Harris in both supporting and lead roles. Much like "MI-5," "Whitechapel" featured something of a revolving door of characters coming and going, though Penry-Jones was a staple of the show until its conclusion.
Rupert Penry-Jones played a half-vampire in The Strain
In 2014, Penry-Jones stepped away from British television and action/mystery shows to join the FX series "The Strain." A horror series focused on vampires and a group of people out to hunt and stop them from taking over the world, "The Strain" saw Penry-Jones become Mr. Quinlan, a half-vampire who joins with the human group to stop the lead vampire, the Master, due to a personal vendetta against the ancient vampire. Quinlan joins the show for Season 3 and remains a presence all the way to the series finale in Season 4.
While Penry-Jones definitely made a name for himself on British television, "The Strain" was the actor's first high-profile foray into American TV. It also served as something of a meatier role, as the character of Quinlan is the only half-vampire hybrid character to appear in "The Strain" and his connection to the main antagonist serves as a horrifying reminder of the Master's evil. Either way, Penry-Jones has definitely continued to expand his resume on the small screen throughout the years, and it would be hard to argue that such roles didn't lead to his casting in "The Batman."