Top 15 Actors Perfect for the Role of Talon (William Cobb) in the DCU
Talon is a chilling presence who moves like a ghost and hits like a freight train. He needs an actor who can project old world menace with modern athleticism. William Cobb carries tragic weight under the mask, so the performer has to bring quiet sorrow as well as ruthless precision. The Court of Owls turns him into a living weapon, but the man inside still matters.
With that in mind, this list focuses on actors who can handle intense physical work and also sell a lifetime of secrets with a look. Each pick brings a different flavor, from icy elegance to bruiser grit to haunted resolve. Any of them could slip into the shadow of Gotham and make Talon feel like a legend the city whispers about at night.
Jensen Ackles
Jensen Ackles blends swagger with steel, which suits a top tier assassin who never loses his cool. He carries himself like someone who has seen everything and still keeps moving, which fits William Cobb and his long, secret life.
Audiences know he can flip from charm to threat in a heartbeat thanks to turns in ‘The Boys’ and ‘Supernatural’. He brings a grounded physical presence and a gravelly calm that would make every Talon entrance feel dangerous.
Jon Bernthal
Jon Bernthal radiates controlled fury and bone deep conviction. He can play a man of few words who lets his body language do the talking, which is perfect for a silent predator in an owl mask.
His work in ‘The Punisher’ and ‘Sicario’ shows a gift for close quarter combat that feels brutally real. Give him Talons blades and a nighttime rooftop and you instantly believe he is the problem no one wants to meet.
Boyd Holbrook
Boyd Holbrook has a sly, predatory quality that fits an elite tracker who never stops. He can be smooth one moment and feral the next, which maps cleanly to Talons mix of finesse and cruelty.
He brought both charm and chill to ‘Logan’, then sharpened the edge in ‘Narcos’ and ‘The Sandman’. That ability to haunt a scene without raising his voice would make Talon feel eerily unstoppable.
Dan Stevens
Dan Stevens plays haunted like few others, and Talon needs that ache beneath the mask. He can shift from elegance to sudden violence in a blink, which matches a court bred killer who moves like a whisper.
Watch him in ‘Legion’ for mind bending intensity and in ‘The Guest’ for razor clean action presence. He always looks like he knows something you do not, which is exactly the energy a Court of Owls enforcer should have.
Richard Armitage
Richard Armitage brings gravitas and a warrior stillness that suits an immortal assassin. He can suggest a century of secrets with a glance, which gives William Cobb the mythic weight fans expect.
He has carried dark heroics in ‘Castlevania’ and ruthless command in ‘Hannibal’ and ‘The Hobbit’. That mix of voice, poise, and physical commitment would make every Talon confrontation feel like a story from the oldest corners of Gotham.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau excels at conflicted men who are dangerous yet magnetic. He can layer honor, shame, and lethal skill into one measured stare, which fits a man bound to a sinister court.
He showed elegant sword work and complex pride in ‘Game of Thrones’ and a gritty prison born edge in ‘Shot Caller’. That range makes him a compelling choice for a Talon who is both hunter and tragic relic.
Scott Adkins
Scott Adkins is a world class screen fighter with sharp acting instincts. Talon demands explosive movement and precise blade work, and Adkins can deliver it with clarity and power.
His standout action in ‘Avengement’ and ‘Accident Man’ proves he can anchor bruising set pieces without losing character. Put that athleticism inside Talons gear and you get fights that feel swift, clean, and terrifying.
Antony Starr
Antony Starr can make a smile feel like a threat. Talon needs that unsettling calm, the sense that the polite voice is just a mask for the monster underneath.
He turned quiet menace into an art form in ‘The Boys’, then showed raw physical intensity in ‘Banshee’. With him behind the owl mask, every scene would feel like a storm waiting to break.
Logan Marshall-Green
Logan Marshall Green is great at playing men pushed past the edge who still move with purpose. Talon is a blade in human form and he sells that mix of despair and discipline.
He pairs crisp physical work with grounded emotion in ‘Upgrade’ and slow burn tension in ‘The Invitation’. That balance would make Cobb feel like a person first and a weapon second, which deepens the character.
Oliver Jackson-Cohen
Oliver Jackson Cohen brings haunted vulnerability wrapped in looming presence. He can fill a hallway with quiet dread, which is ideal for a stalker who owns the dark.
He showed aching sorrow in ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ and crafty intensity in ‘The Invisible Man’. Those qualities would let him shift Talon from ghost to avenger without ever raising his voice.
Ben Barnes
Ben Barnes has aristocratic poise with a wicked streak, a strong match for a court raised assassin. He can play seductive and sinister at once, which makes Talon both alluring and frightening.
He proved his darker range in ‘The Punisher’ and charmed with power in ‘Shadow and Bone’ and ‘Westworld’. That blend of elegance and edge would give the Court of Owls a face you cannot forget.
Joe Manganiello
Joe Manganiello brings size, speed, and a veteran toughness that makes every hit count. Talon benefits from a performer who looks like a lifelong fighter yet still moves with grace.
He showed ruthless charisma in ‘True Blood’ and physical confidence in ‘Magic Mike’ and ‘Justice League’. With his athletic build and tactical presence, he could sell Talon as the final word in Gotham enforcement.
Travis Fimmel
Travis Fimmel is excellent at playing wild hearts with ice in their eyes. Talon needs animal instinct shaped by old rules, and he can thread that needle.
He carried raw leadership in ‘Vikings’ and eerie focus in ‘Raised by Wolves’. His offbeat intensity would make Cobb feel unpredictable, which keeps the audience nervous in the best way.
Karl Urban
Karl Urban projects lethal competence and sardonic control, a great combo for an elite assassin. He can command a scene even when most of his face is hidden, which is a real asset for Talon.
He delivered brutal clarity in ‘Dredd’ and layered danger in ‘The Boys’ and ‘Star Trek’. Give him a cape and blades and you get a Talon who speaks softly and ends fights fast.
Alexander Skarsgård
Alexander Skarsgård can go from statuesque calm to berserker rage in a breath. Talon is a ritual killer with a tragic soul, and he can play both without ever losing the thread.
He showed savage physicality in ‘The Northman’ and cool menace in ‘Big Little Lies’. That range would turn every alley confrontation into a frightening dance that feels ancient and inevitable.
Share your top pick for Talon in the comments and tell us who you want to see chase Gotham through the night.
