Cristin Milioti Knows Sofia Falcone is Failing to Break a Heartbreaking Cycle in ‘The Penguin’

There's a lot of changes in Sofia that we particularly get to see due to the flashback nature of the episode. What was it like discovering the different versions of Sofia as she lived through the years? Especially physically as her mannerisms particularly changed.

Cristin Milioti knows it would be easier to break the cycle. Her character in The Penguin, Sofia Falcone, is stuck in one created by the men in her life. With it came heartbreak, trauma, and ultimately the distraction of one of the biggest mob families in Gotham. And rising from the ashes is a new kind of Sofia. One who not only changes her name, but has now taken over to become the very monster that the cycle has turned her into. Instead of ending it all, though, Sofia makes a deliberate choice to let it all continue. And it's a moment that even viewers might not have noticed yet in their first watches, but is certainly something that Cristin still thinks about even now.

Cosmopolitan chatted with Cristin to talk all about the Sofia's big reveal in episode 4, figuring out the character's history, and how Sofia's big choice at the end actually forces the deadly cycle to continue in Gotham despite her wanting to make a change.

It's such a joy to get to do that. It's so rare to be given the opportunity that I was given on this show where you get to see this full spectrum. Her arc is incredible and you get to spend so much time with her and really see why and how she becomes what she becomes. She's so disregarded, so cast aside, and underestimated. Just to see her blossom into this creature was so much fun.

It was thrilling to get to explore the different ways that would manifest physically and in different spaces. Until the end of that fourth episode, she's not safe ever. Even back into her own home where everyone gaslit her. She's either in Arkham or she's with Oz, who she can't fully trust, so she's always on guard. Her one ally was her brother. And it's not really until the end of that episode that she can take a breath and relax. I definitely tried to track how that would affect the way someone would hold their body.

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One particular thing that I found interesting was how her accent changed.

She had a thicker accent when she was younger. I'm so glad you picked up on that because she would have been more in that world. She goes away for 10 years and she's not surrounded by her people anymore. She's not talking to many people. We did think, Oh, that would have faded a bit.

Was there anything in particular that surprised you as you were going through the script?

I truly pinched myself every day, because it's rare to get to do all of this within one season. There were definitely parts of her arc that surprised me, but they would always surprise me in such a thrilling way. Even the relationship with Dr Rush is so weird and something I'd never seen anything like that. It's never really defined, which I also really like.

Then also her relationship with that little girl. One of my favorite scenes of the entire series is when she goes to visit her and there's so much going on there. You clearly know what she does is questionable, but I found it so compelling and exciting to explore.

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It really interesting because, especially in the case of Sofia, she is stuck in this cycle that was created by the men her life. And not just her, but also many women throughout Gotham who has suffered or died due to their actions. While she couldn't protect the other women, it's almost like she decided to protect this one person who she could help out.

Then also, ironically, sentences this child to the same life. I also thought that was such a brilliant thing. Creator and showrunner Lauren LeFranc is just—I just adore her brain. Sofia thinks she's doing this child a huge service. She literally says, This is a gift.

But she's just repeating a pattern while also damaging these other women. I think that's what's so interesting about the scene with Eve. There's these moments where she does kind of keep repeating the pattern, even though she's also trying to break it. It's such a delightful onion.

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I feel like these are certain details and things that you wouldn't get if you didn't have a female showrunner and director.

Absolutely! I cannot sing the praises enough of Helen Shaver, who directed episodes 4 and 5. I feel like she really blew the lid off of that episode and it felt like we were so united and in the trenches together. She really pushed me in a way that was so incredibly freeing and empowering. I will be indebted to her and Lauren as collaborators forever. They definitely brought a whole new perspective and layer to it that I think just deepens it.

What do you think is her biggest driving force? Is it revenge? Justice? Power?

I think it's all of those, for sure and just like years of things building up and and feeling, even if it's in a sinister way, free for the first time maybe ever. I also think there's a real bottomlessness to her. I don't know she'll heal what happened. I think that that's something that we also see when people sort of pursue power with such vigor. Kind of asking, well, What are you? What do you think that's going to do for you?

That's also why I like this universe too. Everyone you know—Batman, his villains—are all in pursuit of healing something by gaining power and excreting their version of justice. It's interesting.

The Penguin airs new episodes on Sundays at 9 PM on HBO and Max.