The Fox prequel series ‘Gotham’ has just nabbed a big casting coup by signing Jada Pinkett Smith to play a big baddie.
This marks the return of Smith to the small screen since her TNT medical drama ‘Hawthorne’ was cancelled. While also known as the other half of the Mr. and Mrs. Smith team (she is married to Will Smith), she has also starred in ‘The Matrix Reloaded’, ‘The Matrix Revolutions’, ‘Ali’ and ‘Scream 2’. She was also a co-star in ‘The Cosby Show’ spin off ‘A Different World’. (Sidenote: She auditioned for the part of Will Smith’s girlfriend, Lisa, on his hit 90s series ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ but lost to Nia Long.)
Pinkett Smith has been cast to play Fish Mooney who is described as a sadistic gangster boss and nightclub owner who’s got the street smarts and almost extra-sensory abilities to read people like an open book. Imposing and hotheaded, she’s not one to be crossed.
If the character doesn’t seem familiar, that’s due to the fact that she is a villain that was created solely for the series and doesn’t appear in the comics. Mooney will be seen pulling the strings behind the crime empire that engulfs Gotham City and will prove to be a formidable foe to Det. James Gordon (played by Benjamin McKenzie). If you’ve been following our casting articles for this series, you’ll also recognize that this character also just happens to be the boss of Oswald Cobblepot (otherwise known as The Penguin – played by Robin Lord Taylor).
This is an ambitious project for DC and the Fox network which has already given it a series commitment so we’re guaranteed for at least one season of ‘Gotham’. It’s already been rumored that the pilot episode will deal with a famous double homicide that may introduce a very young multi-millionare!
Pinkett Smith will be joining Donal Logue (‘Copper’, ‘Sons of Anarchy’) as Gordon’s partner and mentor Harvey Bullock, Zabryna Guevara (‘Burn Notice’) as Captain Essen, Erin Richards (‘Merlin’, UK’s ‘Being Human’) as Gordon’s love interest Barbara Kean and Sean Pertwee (son of actor Jon Pertwee who played the Third Doctor in ‘Doctor Who’) as young Bruce Wayne’s trusty manservant Alfred. No word yet as to who will play the boy who would wear the cowl, but keep checking here because as soon as we know, we’ll let you know!
While there is no definite premiere date for ‘Gotham’, it is expected that the series will air on Fox in the Fall.
