20 Things You Didn't Know About Batman Returns

Danny DeVito's portrayal of the Penguin is arguably one of the best performances of his career. The walking legend has pulled off some absolute crackers over the years, but few have been as unforgettable or delightfully nauseating as his depiction of Oswald Cobblepot.

In fact, you could probably argue that DeVito never reached that same level of gag-inducing shock again until he emerged, doused in Vaseline and gasping, from a leather sofa as Frank Reynolds in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. But how did he hit such a home run in Batman Returns?

Who are we to surmise on the work of a genius, but it probably had something to do with the fact that he insisted on staying in character at all times, even in between takes.

That puritanical dedication to the role makes a whole lot more sense when you find out that DeVito had to spend two hours every single day in the makeup department just to be transformed into the vulgar Cobblepot.

With his beak-like noise, webbed hands, and blackened teeth, the aesthetic was a far cry from the actor’s usual look, and after spending so long in the chair at the crack of dawn every morning, you can’t really blame him for milking it for all it was worth.