THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Star Anne Hathaway Thought She Was Auditioning for Harley Quinn, Not Catwoman
Anne Hathaway has shared a great story about her audition for The Dark Knight Rises that completely changes how you picture the casting process.
While promoting The Odyssey, Hathaway looked back on landing the role of Selina Kyle in Christopher Nolan's final Batman film, revealing that she walked into the audition convinced she was trying out for Harley Quinn instead of Catwoman.
When The Dark Knight Rises hit theaters in 2012, it brought Nolan's Batman trilogy to a close with Bruce Wayne facing off against Bane while forming an uneasy partnership with Selina Kyle.
Hathaway's take on Catwoman earned plenty of praise from fans, even if Michelle Pfeiffer's unforgettable performance in Batman Returns still casts a long shadow over the character. Since Nolan's trilogy wrapped up that story, Hathaway only got a single outing as Selina, but she certainly made it count.
Speaking with Josh Horowitz, Hathaway explained how she completely misread the role she was meeting Nolan about.
"Here's the thing that worked in my favor: she's a chameleon,. So, I knew I was auditioning for — I was meeting with Chris for the female role in the Batman trilogy, the next instalment.
“I thought that I'd gamed it out, because I was just like, 'It can't be Catwoman because Michelle Pfeiffer was so iconic... [Gasp] It's going to be Harley Quinn!'“
That assumption shaped everything she did leading up to the meeting. "So, I spent a week developing demonic Harley Quinn energy. I was wearing weird Jester flats and a striped top. And then, about two hours into our conversation, Chris is like, 'So, the part's Catwoman,' and I was like, 'Transform!'"
That's a pretty crazy pivot to make in the middle of an audition, but Hathaway instantly shifted gears and reinvented her performance on the spot.
"So, I just then decided that I was like, 'Well, this top is very sensual.' And I was going to be very... like a psychopath. I changed personalities like a psychopath," Hathaway added.
Of course, Harley Quinn never entered Nolan's Gotham. The character eventually made her live-action debut in 2016's Suicide Squad with Margot Robbie, who quickly became the definitive version of Harley for many fans.
Robbie returned for Birds of Prey in 2020 and The Suicide Squad in 2021, cementing the character as one of DC's biggest modern stars.
Lady Gaga also eventually stepped into the role, playing Lee Quinzel in 2024's Joker: Folie à Deux. While the sequel divided audiences and critics, many viewers agreed Gaga's performance was one of the film's strongest elements. At the moment, Harley Quinn hasn't yet resurfaced in James Gunn's DC Universe.
Interestingly, The Dark Knight Rises almost wasn't Hathaway's first comic book movie either. She was previously linked to Sam Raimi's canceled Spider-Man 4, where reports suggested she was being considered for either Black Cat or The Vulturess.
It's hard to imagine anyone else playing Hathaway's version of Selina Kyle now, but it's pretty entertaining to think there was a version of that audition where she walked in ready to go full on Harley Quinn. I’m curious to know how she planned to play Harley Quinn.