15 Actors Perfect for the Role of Penguin in the DCU

Gotham’s infamous crime boss Oswald Cobblepot is a character with a distinct presence, sharp strategy, and a knack for staying three steps ahead of everyone in the room. Casting this role in the DCU calls for actors with proven skill in crime drama, political maneuvering, or offbeat menace, along with the ability to handle stylized dialogue and physical transformation.

The names below come with track records that show crime thriller experience, notable villain turns, or strong character work across film and television. Each has delivered performances that demonstrate command over accent work, scene control, and the kind of meticulous timing that suits a criminal mastermind in Gotham City.

Paul Giamatti

Paul Giamatti has anchored prestige television in ‘Billions’ and delivered character driven work across films like ‘Sideways’ and ‘Cinderella Man’. He has taken on comic book material in ‘The Amazing Spider Man 2’ and has extensive voice acting that shows control over cadence and tone. His background includes stage work that emphasizes precise diction and timing.

He has portrayed legal and financial power players on screen and has experience leading ensembles through long arcs. His collaborations with directors on dialogue heavy projects highlight a capacity to convey calculation and restraint that suits a strategist in Gotham’s underworld.

Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill has played high pressure operators in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ and arms dealing drama in ‘War Dogs’. He has worked on darkly comedic crime material and has navigated rapid fire dialogue with clarity. His credits span comedy and drama, and he has also directed and produced, which adds insight into story structure.

He has demonstrated significant physical and vocal transformation across roles and has trained under noted acting coaches for character work. His filmography shows familiarity with morally gray characters and with the rhythms of ensemble scenes where a character’s leverage changes quickly.

Josh Gad

Josh Gad has delivered high profile voice performances in ‘Frozen’ and live action roles in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Murder on the Orient Express’. He has handled stylized ensemble mysteries and has stage experience that emphasizes projection and rhythm. His television work adds long form character building to his resume.

He has collaborated with major studios on franchise projects and has experience carrying supporting roles that rely on specific verbal timing. His voice work demonstrates controlled shifts between charm and edge, a useful tool for scenes that swing from cordial conversation to intimidation.

Jason Alexander

Jason Alexander is known for ‘Seinfeld’ and for extensive Broadway credits, including musical theater that sharpens breath control and timing. He has taken on film roles like ‘Pretty Woman’ and voice led projects such as ‘Duckman’. His work spans satire and drama, with a consistent focus on character specificity.

He has directed episodes of television and has taught acting and directing workshops, which supports a methodical approach to character construction. His experience with rapid dialogue and simmering stress positions him well for scenes that require verbal sparring in tight quarters.

Toby Jones

Toby Jones has portrayed real figures like Truman Capote in ‘Infamous’ and sinister comic book science in ‘Captain America The First Avenger’. He has balanced subtle menace with meticulous line readings in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’. His voice as Dobby in ‘Harry Potter’ shows fine control over vocal color.

His filmography includes espionage, courtroom drama, and psychological thriller work, all of which rely on careful pacing and detail. He has collaborated with directors known for precise tonal control, which translates to consistent beats in interrogation rooms and backroom deals.

Stephen Graham

Stephen Graham played Al Capone in ‘Boardwalk Empire’ and appeared in organized crime stories like ‘The Irishman’ and ‘Snatch’. His roles often require sudden intensity inside quiet conversations. He has also led tense police drama in ‘Line of Duty’ with clipped delivery that carries authority.

He trains dialects with coaches for regional accuracy and has built characters who operate under pressure. His screen presence in confined spaces is a recurring note in his work, useful for the Penguin’s world of lounges, offices, and shadow filled corridors.

Andy Serkis

Andy Serkis has performed transformational roles using performance capture in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Planet of the Apes’. He has also played grounded villains like Ulysses Klaue in ‘Black Panther’ and served as Alfred in ‘The Batman’. His directing credits add an understanding of blocking and camera for physical shape making.

He brings technical discipline to facial and vocal nuance and has spent years calibrating character movement to read clearly in close up. His experience shifting between warmth and threat inside a single scene matches the social games often played in Gotham’s criminal circles.

Michael Stuhlbarg

Michael Stuhlbarg starred in ‘A Serious Man’ and brought measured power to ‘Boardwalk Empire’. He has appeared in ‘The Shape of Water’ and ‘Call Me by Your Name’, where precision and restraint drive character choices. His training includes classical stage work that focuses on text analysis.

He often plays professionals who mask intent behind courtesy, which maps well to negotiation heavy scenes. He is known for researching character background in depth to inform posture, speech pattern, and micro expressions that support layered storytelling.

Vincent D’Onofrio

Vincent D’Onofrio has portrayed the Kingpin in ‘Daredevil’ and delivered transformative performances in ‘Full Metal Jacket’ and ‘Men in Black’. He has also appeared in large scale studio projects like ‘Jurassic World’. His characters often combine physical stillness with sudden force.

He studies movement to define power without raising volume, and he has extensive experience building intimidation through silence and eye contact. His approach supports a character who rules a room without overt displays, which fits the style of a Gotham kingpin.

Richard Kind

Richard Kind has balanced empathy and edge in ‘A Serious Man’ and provided distinctive voice work in ‘Inside Out’. He is known for ensemble television like ‘Spin City’ and has a long stage history with dramatic and comedic scripts. His vocal delivery is clear and measured.

He is adept at playing figures who appear approachable while managing complex motives. His work in animation shows fine tuning over pace and emphasis, which helps shape loaded conversations where subtext matters as much as the spoken line.

Alessandro Nivola

Alessandro Nivola played a central role in ‘The Many Saints of Newark’ and has appeared in stylish crime ensembles like ‘American Hustle’. His credits include character driven thrillers and intimate dramas, and he has trained in classical techniques that emphasize control.

He prepares roles with research on social status signals in costume and posture, which can inform a character’s presence in elite Gotham settings. He is comfortable with scripts that alternate between family dynamics and criminal operations, a regular feature of Penguin stories.

Dan Fogler

Dan Fogler brought warmth and tension to ‘Fantastic Beasts’ and portrayed Francis Ford Coppola in ‘The Offer’. He appeared in ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘Fanboys’, which span genres from horror to comedy. His stage background includes a Tony Award, reflecting command of timing and voice.

He has experience with franchise schedules and ensemble world building, and he trains physical business for character specific habits. His credits show a swing between humor and volatility without breaking tone, a useful trait for power plays in club and office settings.

Paul Walter Hauser

Paul Walter Hauser delivered a breakout turn in ‘I Tonya’ and led ‘Richard Jewell’. He shifted to chilling darkness in ‘Black Bird’ and has worked in action comedy with ‘Cobra Kai’. He prepares roles with detailed backstory mapping that shapes speech and gesture.

He is adept at playing underestimated figures who control situations through observation. His recent television work displays careful modulation of tempo in dialogue, which supports scenes built on pressure rather than volume.

Ray Winstone

Ray Winstone has appeared in crime stories like ‘The Departed’ and carried underworld authority in multiple British dramas. He also entered comic book territory as Dreykov in ‘Black Widow’. His screen presence often relies on grounded delivery and minimal movement.

He brings decades of work in roles that involve negotiation, betrayal, and loyalty tests. His performances favor concise lines and weighted pauses, which can set the pace in meetings where leverage is the main weapon.

Bobby Cannavale

Bobby Cannavale featured in ‘Boardwalk Empire’ with an explosive arc and joined the superhero space in ‘Ant Man’ and ‘Ant Man and the Wasp’. He has starred in ‘Mr Robot’ and ‘The Watcher’ across television. His range covers suave charm and credible menace.

He often works with directors who emphasize character driven tension and subtext. His filmography includes law enforcement, organized crime, and corporate power, which provides a toolkit for a figure who runs clubs, fronts businesses, and moves money across Gotham.

Share your top Penguin picks in the comments and let everyone know who you think should run Gotham’s underworld in the DCU.