Even ‘The Penguin’ Crew Hated Colin Farrell for That Shocking Finale Death

WARNING. The following contains spoilers for The Penguin Episode 8!

The Penguin‘s final episode upset the entire fan base for all the right reasons. After besting Sofia Gigante (née Falcone) and sending her back to Arkham Asylum, Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell) culled the last semblance of “weakness” from his life when he killed his closest friend, Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz). As it turns out, Farrell hated the scene as much as audiences did.

Speaking at a Q&A following a screening of The Penguin‘s final episode (via Variety), Colin Farrell and Rhenzy Feliz broke down shooting the heartbreaking scene. The shocking moment comes just after the pair have their most vulnerable and emotional interaction in the entire season. Feliz said Vic and Oz’s complicated masculinity meant neither could explicitly say “I love you” to the other, though the feeling is communicated when Vic likens Oz to family. But it all comes crashing down when Oz becomes The Penguin. “There was a dark energy that night,” Farrell said of filming the scene. According to the Irish actor, the entire crew loathed Oz for killing Vic during the scene. He explained:

“If you’re going to ask the audience to fall in love with the character, which I feel the audience has fallen in love with Rhenzy’s Vic, there’s a world that the crew are gonna fall in love with that character as well.”

Farrell then shared his own personal reaction to the scene. “It was really taking the last vestige of innocence,” he began. Despite having to portray the cold and calculating Oz Cobb, Farrell understood what was going through Vic’s eyes as the life drained out of his eyes during the plot twist. He continued:

“Somebody who had given so much of his life, who had suffered so much loss and had offered up so much loyalty, so much love…it was seeing that light get snuffed out by the person that he had offered all that to.”

Oz Cobb “Withdrew His Love” for His Mother

After Vic’s lights went out, there were still a few more shocking scenes for audiences to nervously sit through before the credits rolled in the final episode. The final scene in the finale saw Oz Cobb finally provide his mother, Frances (Deirdre O’Connell), with the penthouse he had once promised her. However, Frances was confined to a hospital bed in a persistent vegetative state, and forced to live with the son she lost her love for decades ago. The moment embodied Frances’ worst nightmare.

During the Q&A, O’Connell commented on the complex relationship between Oz and Frances, and how it culminated with his mother feeling completely powerless. “I don’t even know if he knew he was doing it and I don’t know how a human can do it, but he withdrew his love,” she said. Shooting the scene left O’Connell as shocked and uncomfortable as we all felt watching it. She continued:

“It was absolutely clear in the room that Oz withdrew his love and I felt it, and my blood ran cold. He gave me the tear.”

Season 2 of The Penguin hasn’t been announced by HBO or Warner Bros. yet. However, given the immense critical and commercial success of the show, it is highly likely Oz Cobb will return for a second season. In the meantime, Matt Reeves is hard at work on The Batman: Part II. Oz Cobb is confirmed to appear in the sequel, but it isn’t clear how large his role will be. All episodes of The Penguin are now streaming on Max. The Batman: Part II is scheduled to release on October 2, 2026.

Created by Lauren LeFranc, The Penguin is a crime-drama spin-off television series of 2022’s film The Batman. Set shortly after the events of The Batman, Oz Cobb, A.K.A. the Penguin, begins his rise in the underworld of Gotham City as he contends with the daughter of his late boss, Carmine Falcone, for control of the crime family’s empire.

Release Date

September 19, 2024

Cast

Colin Farrell , Cristin Milioti , Rhenzy Feliz , Michael Kelly , Shohreh Aghdashloo , Deirdre O’Connell , Clancy Brown , James Madio , Scott Cohen , Michael Zegen , Carmen Ejogo , Theo Rossi

Seasons

1