Thecitypost Insider Update English (UK)
TheCityPost.co.uk Thecitypost Insider Update
Blog Business Local Politics Tech World

Cast of the Penguin – Complete Guide to Every Actor and Character

Oliver Arthur Davies Cooper • 2026-06-04 • Reviewed by Ethan Collins

The Penguin Cast: Complete Guide to Every Actor and Character

The HBO/Max series The Penguin, which premiered in September 2024, brings a new corner of Gotham to the screen. Led by Colin Farrell reprising his role from The Batman, the show assembles a cast of familiar character actors and fresh faces. Below is a breakdown of the main cast, supporting players, younger flashback performers, and what is known about the series’ future.

Who Is in the Main Cast of The Penguin?

Main Lead
Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb / The Penguin
Primary Antagonist
Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone
Key Ally
Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar
The Mother
Deirdre O’Connell as Francis Cobb

Key insights about the main cast

  • Colin Farrell reprises his role from The Batman (2022) with extensive prosthetics and a distinct accent.
  • Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone is a major original character expanded from a minor comic role.
  • Rhenzy Feliz’s Victor Aguilar serves as Oz’s driver and confidant, providing a humanizing element.
  • The series introduces younger versions of Oz (young Oz) and his mother (young Francis) via flashback scenes.
  • Clancy Brown’s Salvatore Maroni and Shohreh Aghdashloo’s Nadia Maroni represent the rival crime family.
Fact Detail
Number of main cast members 6 (Farrell, Milioti, Feliz, O’Connell, Ejogo, Brown)
Total episodes 8 (miniseries, 2024)
Returning from The Batman Colin Farrell only
Based on comics character The Penguin (Oswald Cobblepot)
Showrunner Lauren LeFranc
Network HBO / Max

Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb / The Penguin

Farrell leads the series as Oz Cobb, the Gotham gangster first seen in The Batman. According to IMDb – The Penguin full cast, he is credited in every episode of the miniseries. The role requires extensive prosthetic makeup and a transformed physical presence.

Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone

Milioti plays the daughter of the late Carmine Falcone, a character who evolves into a primary antagonist. Multiple sources, including Wikipedia – The Penguin (TV series), refer to her later in the series as Sofia Gigante, signaling her rise in power.

Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar

Feliz portrays a young man from the Crown Point neighborhood who becomes Oz’s driver and right hand. The character does not appear in DC comics and was created for the show, according to TV Guide’s cast listing.

Deirdre O’Connell as Francis Cobb

O’Connell plays Oz’s mother, a role central to his backstory. Sources describe her as suffering from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia, as noted by TV Guide’s cast page and other outlets.

Carmen Ejogo as Eve Karlo

Ejogo appears as Eve Karlo, a character with ties to Oz’s personal life. Her role has been listed in both TV Guide and DirecTV insider reports.

Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni

Brown plays the veteran Gotham crime lord, a rival to the Falcone family and a direct threat to Oz’s ambitions. His casting was confirmed by DirecTV’s insider report and Sky’s official series page.

Michael Kelly and Shohreh Aghdashloo in Supporting Roles

Michael Kelly plays Johnny Viti, a senior figure in the Falcone organization, while Shohreh Aghdashloo portrays Nadia Maroni, wife of Salvatore Maroni. Both actors bring experience from House of Cards and The Expanse, respectively, adding weight to the crime-drama dynamic.

Who Plays Young Oz and Other Younger Versions of Key Characters?

Flashback casting confirmed

Ryder Allen is credited as Young Oswald Cobb / Young Oz Cobb in 2 episodes, and Emily Meade appears as Young Francis Cobb in 2 episodes. Their roles confirm that the series uses flashback scenes to explore Oz’s childhood and family history. Sources: IMDb, Wikipedia, Vague Visages.

The actor behind young Oz Cobb

Ryder Allen is the credited actor for Young Oswald Cobb / Young Oz Cobb. Both IMDb and the Fandom wiki for The Penguin list the role explicitly, making this the clearest confirmation available. Allen appears in 2 episodes according to IMDb’s full cast listing.

Young Francis Cobb casting details

Emily Meade plays the younger version of Francis Cobb, Oz’s mother. She is credited in 2 episodes, as noted by Rotten Tomatoes – The Penguin cast and crew and other sources. The dual casting of O’Connell and Meade allows the series to show Francis in her prime as well as in her present-day condition.

Flashback casting insights

The inclusion of both young Oz and young Francis indicates the series uses extended flashback sequences to establish Oz’s motivations. Other young characters, including Benny Cobb and Jack Cobb, are listed in the cast credits but have not been featured in promotional materials.

Who Are the Supporting Characters and Guest Stars in The Penguin?

Johnny Viti (played by Michael Kelly)

Kelly’s character, Johnny Viti, serves as a lieutenant in the Falcone crime family. His presence adds a layer of internal political tension to the organization.

Nadia Maroni (played by Shohreh Aghdashloo)

Aghdashloo plays the formidable Nadia Maroni, wife of Salvatore Maroni. The character is original to the series and represents a power center within the Maroni faction.

Francis Cobb as Oz’s mother

Deirdre O’Connell’s Francis Cobb is more than a supporting role: she is central to Oz’s psychological profile. According to Sky’s official cast page, her character suffers from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia, conditions that shape the caregiving dynamic between mother and son.

Other notable guest appearances

  • Theo Rossi as Dr. Julian Rush, a psychiatrist with connections to Sofia Falcone.
  • Mark Strong as Carmine Falcone, seen in flashbacks or archival appearances.
  • Michael Zegen as Alberto Falcone, the late son of Carmine.
  • Jared Abrahamson as Squid, a low-level criminal.
  • James Madio as Milos Grapa, an enforcer.
  • Craig Walker as Detective Marcus Wise, a Gotham police officer.
  • Rhys Coiro as Councilman Sebastian Hady, a political figure.

What Is the Connection Between The Penguin Cast and The Batman?

Reprised roles from The Batman

Colin Farrell is the only actor who reprises his role from The Batman. His character, Oz Cobb, was introduced in the 2022 film as a mid-level gangster. The series picks up shortly after the events of the movie, following the death of Carmine Falcone.

No Batman cameo confirmed

Despite some speculation, no source in the provided material confirms that Robert Pattinson or any other The Batman cast member appears in The Penguin. The series is described as a standalone story set in the same universe but without Batman as a character.

New characters introduced in The Penguin

The series introduces several characters original to this show, including Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz), Eve Karlo (Carmen Ejogo), and Dr. Julian Rush (Theo Rossi). These additions expand the Gotham underworld beyond what was shown in the film.

How the spin-off expands the Gotham universe

By focusing on the criminal power struggle between the Falcone and Maroni families, the series deepens the world established in The Batman. The casting of actors such as Clancy Brown, Mark Strong, and Shohreh Aghdashloo gives the organized crime element a level of prestige and narrative weight.

Will There Be a Season 2 and Who Might Be Cast?

Current renewal status of The Penguin

As of the available sources, The Penguin is identified as a 2024 TV mini-series. No official renewal or second-season order has been announced. The safest reading based on the provided material is that no season 2 is confirmed. Sources: IMDb, Wikipedia.

Likely returning main cast members

If a second season were to be produced, Colin Farrell would be expected to return as Oz Cobb. Cristin Milioti, Deirdre O’Connell, and Rhenzy Feliz would also be likely candidates to reprise their roles, given their centrality to the narrative.

What to watch for

For the most current updates, monitor HBO/Max official press releases and HBO Max official series page. Any renewal announcement would typically appear there first.

Potential new additions for Season 2

Without a confirmation, any casting for a second season remains speculative. If the show continues, it may introduce characters from the broader Batman rogues’ gallery or expand roles for actors who appeared briefly in season one, such as Scott Cohen’s Luca Falcone or Berto Colon’s Castillo.

When Were the Key Casting Announcements Made?

  1. The Batman is released; Colin Farrell’s Penguin is introduced.
  2. The Penguin series is greenlit; Colin Farrell confirmed to return.
  3. — Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, and Deirdre O’Connell are cast as series regulars.
  4. — Clancy Brown, Michael Kelly, and Shohreh Aghdashloo are added to the cast.
  5. — Filming wraps; post-production begins.
  6. — The series premieres on HBO and Max.

What Is Confirmed and What Remains Unclear About the Cast?

Established information Information that remains unclear
Colin Farrell is the lead actor as Oz Cobb. (IMDb, Wikipedia, HBO press releases) A second season has been ordered. (No official renewal announcement as of 2025)
Cristin Milioti plays Sofia Falcone. (Multiple official sources) Robert Pattinson (The Batman) will appear in The Penguin. (No official confirmation)
Young Oz is played by Ryder Allen. (IMDb credits) Full episode count for each supporting actor. (Not publicly detailed for all)
Young Francis Cobb is played by Emily Meade. (IMDb, Wikipedia) Whether the series will be renewed for a second season. (Not announced)
Francis Cobb suffers from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. (Multiple sources) The specific roles of certain minor cast members. (Limited press coverage)

Why Do the Casting Choices Matter for The Penguin?

Colin Farrell’s physical transformation under prosthetics signals a grounded, crime-drama approach to the Batman universe. The show’s creative team chose to focus on Oz as a character rather than a comic-book archetype, and Farrell’s performance carries that weight.

Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone is a departure from typical comic-book femme fatales, offering a complex antagonist who evolves throughout the season. Rhenzy Feliz’s Victor Aguilar provides emotional grounding and a surrogate-son dynamic with Oz, while Deirdre O’Connell’s Francis Cobb is critical to Oz’s origin story and psychological motivation.

Casting performers such as Clancy Brown and Shohreh Aghdashloo brings gravitas and ties the series to the larger Gotham underworld. Their characters, along with Michael Kelly’s Johnny Viti, establish the rival factions that drive the plot.

Where Can I Find Reliable Information About The Penguin Cast?

“The most authoritative full cast list for The Penguin is maintained on IMDb, which includes episode counts and character names for every credited performer.”

IMDb full cast listing

“Wikipedia provides comprehensive production and casting background, including details on character origins and the show’s development as a spin-off from The Batman.”

Wikipedia article on The Penguin

“The official HBO/Max press site and DC Comics – Penguin character profile offer background on the character’s comic-book origins and casting announcements.”

DC Comics official site

What Is the Final Overview of The Penguin Cast?

The cast of The Penguin combines one returning performer from The Batman with a strong ensemble of character actors, creating a distinct crime-drama tone within the wider DC universe. The series uses dual casting for its lead and his mother to explore backstory through flashbacks, while supporting players from the Falcone and Maroni families establish the power dynamics of Gotham’s underworld. For readers who enjoy TV cast guides, you may also find interest in the Cast of Manifest (TV Series) – Full Cast and Characters Guide and the Cast of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit – Full SVU Cast Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Penguin Cast

Who plays the mother of Oz Cobb in The Penguin?

Deirdre O’Connell plays Francis Cobb, Oz’s mother. She is a main character and appears in flashback scenes played by Emily Meade as the younger version.

Is Sofia Falcone the main villain in The Penguin?

Yes, Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone is the primary antagonist, vying with Oz for control of Gotham’s underworld.

Who plays Victor Aguilar’s girlfriend in The Penguin?

The character of Victor’s girlfriend has not been prominently featured or named in major cast lists. This may be a minor role.

What is the cast of The Penguin season 2?

As of 2025, no second season has been confirmed. If produced, Colin Farrell is expected to return, but the full cast is unannounced.

Does Batman appear in The Penguin?

No. The series is set after the events of The Batman but does not feature Batman as a character.

How many episodes is The Penguin?

The series consists of 8 episodes, airing in 2024 on HBO and Max.

Who plays Salvatore Maroni in The Penguin?

Clancy Brown portrays Salvatore Maroni, the veteran crime lord who opposes Oz and the Falcone family.

Who plays Carmine Falcone in The Penguin?

Mark Strong appears as Carmine Falcone, likely in flashback sequences given the character’s death in The Batman.

Is The Penguin a limited series?

Based on available sources, the show is listed as a TV mini-series. No renewal for a second season has been announced.

Oliver Arthur Davies Cooper

About the author

Oliver Arthur Davies Cooper

Coverage is updated through the day with transparent source checks.