Three seasons into CW’s Batwoman, and the series has played host to several comic book villains, some from the title character’s own comic book history, and some from Batman’s. Season three is poised to introduce new versions of classic Batman villains as some of the”trophies” of his high-profile captures have been let loose from the Batcave and into Gotham. The series premiere already brought a new Mad Hatter to life, and more, like Killer Croc, are on the way.
The most anticipated, however, might be the CW’s version of Poison Ivy. Poison Ivy has had numerous adaptations in live-action and animation, but this time around, she’ll be played by TV veteran Bridget Regan. Regan was announced just before the third season premiered, so it’s not yet clear when her character will make her debut, especially since Batwoman already re-secured Poison Ivy’s super plant in the season three premiere. Whenever she debuts, it’s possible that this could be the best adapted live-action version of the DC comic book character yet.
The Previous Live-Action Poison Ivys Have Mixed Reviews
Poison Ivy first appeared in comics in the 1960s, but she went through a lot of changes before she made her way to television in the 90s, or even before she made her way to live-action for the first time in Batman & Robin. Initially a femme fatale, she’s become an ecoterrorist in comics, and an anti-hero. Her portrayals have been just as different.
Uma Thurman’s portrayal of the live-action character in Batman & Robin fit with the campy tone of the movie. The movie might not be the favorite of most Batman fans (it was a long time before a live-action Bane or a live-action Robin would appear again either), but the version of Poison Ivy, for a long time, was the only live-action version of the character. It wasn’t until FOX’s Gotham television series premiered that the character had another chance.
Gotham is praised for its origin stories for Penguin, Catwoman, and more classic Batman villains. Poison Ivy, however, is another story, as the series never quite seemed to figure out what to do with the character. Three actresses played the character over the run of the show: Clare Foley, Maggie Geha, and Peyton List. She went from childhood friend of Selina Kyle to an aged-up “villain” who struggled to find her place in a Gotham that was increasingly carved up by criminal organizations. All of the actresses gave great performances, but the character just didn’t land with the audience. Her story appeared in fits and starts instead of a steady narrative arc, leaving the audience a little dissatisfied.
Bridget Regan Knows How To Play A Sympathetic Villain
Gotham definitely made the character more serious than Thurman’s movie version, and though the Batwoman audience doesn’t yet know which direction the writers will take with the villain, she likely won’t be quite as outlandish. There is a question of whether or not she’ll be a villain the audience can empathize with, as she’s become in her comic book storylines.
In DC comics in the last few years, Ivy might have no qualms about ending people’s lives, and she might care more about plants than humans, but she has a soft spot for children and animals. She has a line she doesn’t cross, which is part of what has made her relationship with Harley Quinn so popular. Both women have been long-time villains, but they’re lately more like antiheroes readers aren’t afraid to root for as they team up and romance one another. Regan could easily gain the empathy of the audience in her portrayal.
One of Ivy’s comic book abilities is controlling men with her particular brand of toxins. Regan had her breakthrough role in Legend Of The Seeker, in which her character did nearly the same thing. There, Kahlan was one of the story’s heroes, and her control came via touch. She resented the ability because of how much control she had to maintain all of the time. While Kahlan and Ivy certainly wouldn’t have the same approach, the previous role allows Regan a layer of experience to play with in regards to the character. Kahlan was always well in tune with her emotions and conveyed her every feeling with a look. Regan’s portrayal might be able to call on Kahlan’s vulnerabilities with Ivy.
It also helps that she’s played quite a few popular villains in television recently as well. TV fans will know her as Rose in Jane The Virgin and Dottie in Agent Carter, both roles that also prepare her for Poison Ivy.
Regan Also Knows How To Go Campy
If Batwoman decides to take Ivy in a more campy direction, TV fans should look to Marvel’s Agent Carter to see what they might be in for with Regan. There, her Dottie Underwood character acted as a precursor to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Black Widow, someone who went through Red Room training long before it was ever called the Red Room. The conditioning and control exerted over Dottie in flashbacks is similar to what the audience sees with Yelena and Natasha in Black Widow.
Dottie developed an obsession with Peggy Carter while working undercover. She began to dress like her, wear her same shade of lipstick, and even insert herself into Peggy’s investigations. She also became a valuable asset who could actually help in investigations - after already having attempted to kill Peggy, of course. The sheer fun and controlled rage Regan played Dottie with could certainly be one side of Poison Ivy.
Of course, her role of Rose in Jane The Virgin also has quite a lot in common with the DC character. Rose is a woman who learned how to use her sexuality to get what she wanted. She used it to help herself build a criminal empire. She also managed to instill fear in people without them even knowing what she looked like - or that she was a woman. Underneath all of that, however, she also fell in love with a woman. The series told its story in the style of a telenovela, making Regan’s Rose one of the least dramatic in a sea of over-dramatic performances, allowing her to be understated while all of the drama swirled around her.
What roles like Kahlan, Dottie, and Rose boil down to is an impressive array of character traits and performances to draw from for Regan to walk a fine line with the new live-action Poison Ivy. Regan has all the tools to make Batwoman’s Poison Ivy the best adaptation of her.