Catwoman who’s secret identity is Selina Kyle has always had a very complexed relationship with Batman, a real love-hate relationship. As a Gotham city burglar, her appearance in a tight one piece outfit with a bullwhip for a weapon. Her character originally was shown as a super villain but since the 1990s Catwoman became the anti-heroine, often doing wrong things for the right reasons.
Selina Kyle’s earliest appearances in comics made her character thrive and started to feature in many media adaptations related to Batman. Three actress alone introduced her character to a large audience in the 1960’s, but it’s the most recent young Selina Kyle played by Camren Bicondova in the television series of Gotham I would like to nominate for Octobers DC World Hall of Fame.
Young Selina Kyle is the first character that we see in the pilot episode of Gotham, running along the rooftops and managing to steal a pint of milk from a citizen so she can feed her friends which just happen to be stray ally cats. As a teenage orphan and living on the streets she also uses the alias Cat. Her interest in Master Bruce happened when she witnesses his parents being murdered. Season one of Gotham episode 2 was titled “Selina Kyle” this really showed how Selina is very cautious around strangers especially when they are giving out free food. Selina gets arrested stealing fur coats from a top boutique in Gotham, she will only talk to Detective Gordon as she has some information on the Wayne murder. With having seen the murderer Jim decides to put her into protective custody at Wayne Manor. Alfred is not best pleased as he is having trouble looking after one teenager. Bruce and Selina become good friends, Bruce is just as fascinated with Selina as Selina is of Bruce. Alfred soon realises after a few rocky patches when he catches them food fighting maybe Selina is good for Bruce.
Life on the streets Selina makes look easy, as well as looking out for herself she keeps an eye on young Ivy Pepper. After she finds Ivy shivering with the cold and having a slight fever Selina has an idea to take her to Barbara Keens empty apartment, as she knows she has left Gotham. With agreeing to help Bruce find the man that stabbed Alfred, they find Reginald and he was sent as spy from Wayne Enterprises. When he threatens Bruce, Selina pushes him out the window so that Wayne Enterprises don’t know Reginald confessed to be a spy for them. Towards the end of season 1 one when Fish Mooney returned to Gotham Selina joined her gang. Fish took a liking to Selina makes her an assistant with a new make over and outfit.
At the start of season 2 it is shown that Selina is working for Oswald Cobblepot, after James Gordon comments during a meeting. Penguin says he just likes having a pet cat around the house. Also in this season we get to meet another one of Selina’s friends from life on the streets, Bridget Pike. Selina witness how Bridget’s brothers verbally abuse her and she encourages Bridget to get out of town which unfortunately goes wrong. The coolest part for Selina was when she assisted Gordon, Bullock, Alfred and Penguin in rescuing Bruce from Theo Galavan and the Order of St.Dumas. She knew a way in, knocked out a guard so Selina could open a garage door to let them all in. Selina’s friendship with Bruce becomes strong again after he decides he wants to know how life on the streets work.
Selina encounters the Bruce doppelgänger in season 3, for a while she believes it’s the real Bruce until she starts a bar fight so she can sneak into the back office to steal the takings. She gets caught and Bruce doppelgänger comes in and beats them up. Selina sees that he wounded and she investigates even further seeing scars then realising its not the Bruce but a creation from Indian hill.
Selina starts dating Bruce and turns up really late for their dinner date at Wayne Manor while Bruce’s wants honesty Selina admits that’s it’s all pretty weird for her too. Selina agrees to help Bruce and Alfred gain access into a building because they would like to get an item that is protected by the Court of Owls. The scene between them is excellent it’s like a recreation from Indiana Jones and Mission Impossible. After this event while Alfred is fighting a Talon a stranger helps them out and which just happens to Selina’s mother Maria. Again Selina is let down by her Mother and Bruce discovers she came back after she finds out that her daughter is friends with the billionaire. Selina is angry at Bruce in his involvement in telling Maria to leave Gotham.
One of the best parts of young Selina becoming Catwoman is when she has an argument with Bruce Doppelgänger who has returned after being switched by the Court of Owls. Selina needs to warn Alfred but Bruce doppelgänger advises against this and pushes her out of the window. Selina lies there motionless, as lots of cats start swarming over her body. This scene was done so well the recreation of the famous Batman Returns scene . Ivy goes looking for Selina at the Sirens and Tabitha tells her to check the hospital. Selina is in a coma, but with Ivy’s plant skills she heals her. When Selina awake her first thought is she needs to kill someone. Bruce doppelgänger and Selina are fighting at Wayne manor when Alfred intervines, then sees himself its not the real Bruce. Selina refuses to help Alfred find Bruce and Alfred tells her to leave and never to return to Wayne Manor. By the end of this season Selina is lost she wants to be somebody, better herself. She goes to the Sirens to find Barbara but Tabitha is there on her own, Tabitha asks what does she want. Selina isn’t sure but she does know she is tired of surviving, she wants more, to move up. Tabitha is instantly interested and asks if she is hungry, but Selina eyes Tabithas bullwhip on the bar. Tabitha urges her to give it a go she picks it up and breaks the bottles first attmept, Tabitha can see Selina has talent and decides to mentor her. The growth of young Selina Kyle into our Catwoman has been absolutely fascinating her mature attitude is also very present in season 4, as the Sirens are forming.
Camren Bicondova is an impressive inspiring young lady now 18 years old, born in San Diego, California. Camren enrolled in her first dance class at 6 years old. She soon became an “Elite Protege” for the world- renowned PULSE Dance Conventation traveling the country. Camren’s first big break arrived at the age of 12, when her all girl dance group “8 Flavahz” became the youngest ever to compete on MTV’s Americas Best Dance Crew, finishing second place and becoming a fan favourite. All the hard work paid off when she landed the role as Selina Kyle becoming the first ever actress to portray the younger version. Camren portrayal earned her a Saturn Award Nomination for Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Television Series. Camren still finds time to actively support several charitable causes close to her heart, including SEAL Legacy foundation, North Shore Animal League and most recently Global Citizen. Camren is also very active on Instagram often giving the Gotham fans access to behind the scenes at Gotham and when she attends San Diego Comic Con.
