Everyone has their favorite. For some, it’s the campy purr of the sixties. For others, it’s the gritty, leather-clad survivalist from the modern era. When you look at who played Catwoman, you aren't just looking at a list of actresses. You're looking at a cultural mirror. Selina Kyle has been a thief, a hero, a lover, and a political statement. She’s evolved more than almost any other comic book character on screen.
Honestly, the role is a bit of a poisoned chalice. It brings massive fame but also crushing scrutiny. If the suit is too shiny, people complain. If the performance is too grounded, fans miss the "feline" energy. It’s a tightrope walk in high-heeled boots.
The Sixties Trinity: Newmar, Meriwether, and Kitt
The 1966 Batman television series was a fever dream of primary colors and "Biff! Bam! Pow!" bubbles. Julie Newmar was the first to step into the gold-belted Lurex suit. She basically defined the archetype. She was tall, statuesque, and played Selina with a playful, almost bored sexuality that drove Adam West’s Batman crazy. Newmar didn't just play a villain; she played a woman who was clearly smarter than the men chasing her.
Then came the 1966 feature film. Newmar had a scheduling conflict, so Lee Meriwether stepped in. Meriwether is often the "forgotten" Catwoman, which is a shame. She had to play a double role, pretending to be a Soviet journalist named Miss Kitka to seduce Bruce Wayne. Her performance was more about the "moll" persona than the literal cat-like movements, but she held her own in a movie packed with heavy hitters like Burgess Meredith and Cesar Romero.
Then things got revolutionary.
When Newmar left the show for the third season, Eartha Kitt took over. This was 1967. A Black woman playing a romantic foil to a white lead was practically unheard of on mainstream TV. Kitt didn't try to copy Newmar. She brought a distinctive, rolling "R" to her growls and a sharp, predatory energy. She was smaller, faster, and arguably more dangerous. She didn't need the overt flirtation because she had presence.
Michelle Pfeiffer and the Birth of the Modern Anti-Hero
For an entire generation, when you ask who played Catwoman, the only answer is Michelle Pfeiffer. Tim Burton’s Batman Returns (1992) changed everything. This wasn't a glamorous thief. This was a woman who suffered a psychotic break after being pushed out of a window by her boss.
The suit was iconic. It was skin-tight latex held together by messy, white stitches. It looked like a scar.
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Pfeiffer’s performance was terrifying. She spent months training with a whip—and yes, that shot of her knocking the heads off mannequins in one take was real. No CGI. She also famously put a live bird in her mouth for a scene. That’s dedication. Or madness. Maybe both? Her Selina Kyle was a mess of neuroses and feminist rage. She wasn't looking for a boyfriend; she was looking for some kind of twisted justice in a city that had discarded her.
Critics at the time were actually a bit split. Some thought it was too dark for a "superhero" movie. Now? It’s widely considered the gold standard of the genre.
The Halle Berry Misstep and the Power of Bad Writing
We have to talk about 2004. We just have to.
Halle Berry is an Oscar winner. She’s incredibly talented. But the 2004 Catwoman film was a disaster that had almost nothing to do with the Batman mythos. They changed her name to Patience Phillips. They gave her "cat powers" because of a mystical Egyptian cat breathing on her. It was weird.
The suit was... controversial. It looked like a shredded biker outfit from a low-budget music video. Berry won a Razzie for the role and, in a legendary move, actually showed up to accept it in person, holding her Oscar in one hand and her Razzie in the other. She blamed the script, not the character. She was right. It’s a lesson in how even the best casting can’t save a project if the foundation is crumbling.
Anne Hathaway: The High-Stakes Heist
When Christopher Nolan announced Anne Hathaway for The Dark Knight Rises, the internet did what it does best: it complained. People thought she was too "Disney" or too "theatre kid" for the gritty world of Christian Bale’s Batman.
They were wrong.
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Hathaway played Selina Kyle as a world-class grifter. She was a minimalist. No "meows," no over-the-top hissing. She used her femininity as a weapon, pretending to be a helpless maid one second and breaking a man's arm the next. Her goggles flipped up to look like cat ears—a clever, grounded way to explain the costume's silhouette. It was a tactical performance. She was a survivor of the 1% economy, trying to wipe her slate clean.
Zoë Kravitz and the Year One Energy
Most recently, Zoë Kravitz took the mantle in Matt Reeves’ The Batman (2022). If Pfeiffer was the "psychotic break" Catwoman and Hathaway was the "heist" Catwoman, Kravitz is the "noir" Catwoman.
She felt real.
Living in a cramped apartment with a dozen stray cats, working at a seedy club to find out what happened to her friend—this was a street-level Selina. Her chemistry with Robert Pattinson was palpable because they both felt like damaged outcasts. Kravitz focused heavily on the movement, studying how cats fight—using their weight to stay low and strike fast. It wasn't about being sexy; it was about being efficient.
The Voice Behind the Mask
We can't ignore the animated world. For many, Adrienne Barbeau from Batman: The Animated Series is the definitive voice. She brought a smoky, sophisticated noir quality to the role that defined the character for a decade.
Then you have:
- Gina Gershon in The Batman (the 2004 series).
- Sanaa Lathan in the Harley Quinn show, playing a much more cynical, "done with everything" version.
- Naya Rivera in Batman: The Long Halloween.
- Selina Vigil in the Telltale video games, where players actually got to choose how her relationship with Bruce evolved.
Every one of these performers adds a layer to the legacy.
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Why the Character Persists
Why are we still obsessed with who played Catwoman?
It’s because she represents the grey area. Batman is black and white. He has a code. He’s rigid. Catwoman is fluid. She does the wrong things for the right reasons. She’s the ultimate "frenemy."
There’s also the fashion. Each actress reflects the era’s idea of a "dangerous woman." Newmar was the 60s vamp. Pfeiffer was the 90s alternative/grunge icon. Hathaway was the post-recession pragmatist. Kravitz is the modern, intersectional survivor.
The role requires a specific kind of magnetism. You have to be able to command a room while wearing something ridiculous. You have to make the audience root for a thief.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of these performances or start a collection, keep these points in mind:
- Watch the Evolution: To truly appreciate the character, watch Batman Returns and The Batman (2022) back-to-back. The contrast between the operatic tragedy of Pfeiffer and the grounded noir of Kravitz shows the incredible range of the source material.
- Comic Accuracy: If you want to see which actress stayed closest to the books, read Batman: Year One or Ed Brubaker’s run on Catwoman. You’ll see bits of Kravitz and Hathaway all over those pages.
- Identify the Era: Collectors often focus on specific eras. The "Mego" figures of the 70s capture the Newmar/Kitt vibe, while the high-end "Hot Toys" figures are the best way to see the intricate detail of the modern suits.
- Value the Voice: Don't sleep on the animated performances. If you haven't seen the Catwoman: Hunted anime, it’s a great example of how the character works when she’s the lead instead of just a sidekick.
The mantle of Catwoman is never truly settled. It’s a recurring role that will likely be recast every five to ten years as long as cinema exists. Each woman who puts on the mask leaves a bit of herself behind, ensuring that Selina Kyle remains the most complex, frustrating, and beloved woman in Gotham City.