Where To Watch
Eartha Kitt's performance career helped prepare her to play Catwoman
"You might say everything about Catwoman is right up my alley," said the actor.
Eartha Kitt might not have realized it, but her musical performance career was preparing her to play the most iconic supervillain.
Kitt was best known as a singer, releasing multiple tunes as a single artist and performing on Broadway. In addition to her musical work, Kitt was also a talented actor, and in 1967, she won the role of a lifetime. Kitt was cast as Catwoman, a Batman villain that audiences adored.
During an interview with The Sioux City Journal, Kitt admitted that her time performing primed her to play the part.
“People have always associated me with a feline something-or-other because of the way I move while singing,” said Kitt. “I began my career as a dancer, and I found I could utilize dance movement in this role. Cats move in a tremendously slinky, rhythmic way. I didn’t consciously set out to add cat mannerisms. They’re just there, I guess. It’s fun to talk with your body as well as with words.”
Kitt admitted that she hadn’t watched her predecessor, Julie Newmar, portray the ferocious feline.
“I never saw Julie play the part,” said the actor. “So I’m not trying to be either like her or unlike her. I’m approaching Catwoman in my own way.”
Kitt’s interpretation was widely regarded as one of the most iconic villain portrayals in the popular superhero series. “I’ve been having a marvelous time,” said the actor. “In fact, you might say everything about Catwoman is right up my alley.”
Related
