NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Actor Jeffrey Wright, who plays the legendary James Gordon character in the highly anticipated "The Batman," said he was inspired by New York City Mayor Eric Adams in his portrayal.
As iterations of Batman and the world of Gotham have progressed since its 1939 launch, Wright said Adams was "certainly a reference" in this latest installment which premieres Friday in theaters.
"Gotham was fashioned after New York City back in 1939. Jim Gordon is one of the first characters that appears in that number 27 DC Comics, and so he's evolved over time," he told 1010 WINS' Brigitte Quinn.
He continued, "1939 New York City was, of course, a very different place than 2022 New York. So we've updated the Batmobile in, you know, over that 80-year history [and] we've now updated Gordon."
The Golden Globe, Tony, and Emmy winner said he tried to justify in his "head" how he would play Gordon, the Gotham City Police Department lieutenant, to Adams, a former New York City Police Department captain whom he became aware of while living in Brooklyn.
"Adams came to my attention in the 90s, during the times of the Abner Louima case and the Amadou Diallo case, and I was really compelled by his voice, and he was that voice in blue, that was speaking on behalf of the concerns of the citizens of the city, and that seemed very Gordon-like to me as I look back," Wright said.
While Wright admitted to studying the comic books to better understand the nature of his relationship with Batman, he said Adams, whom he had eventually "gotten to know," was a "touchstone" that he wanted to acknowledge.
"Eric was whom I got to know when he was captain of the 88th precinct here in Brooklyn about 20 years ago, after I moved here," he added. "Because I sought him out because I was so interested in him, and we've gotten to know each other over time. So he was very much a touchstone for me with this Gordon."
Wright describes Robert Pattinson, who plays the titular character, as a "wonderful, nuanced [and] complex actor" who "brings something new to the iconic role."
"I think what he's done in terms of the distinct nature of his Bruce Wayne relative to his Batman is really exciting and something I don't think we've seen done before," he added.
The "Westworld" actor gives credit to writer-director Matt Reeves who he said allowed Pattinson "to explore the psychology of the Batman in a way that I think we perhaps not haven't touched on before."
"There's some really wonderfully wonderfully thoughtful, delicate and interesting emotions and psychological impulses behind this Batman," he added.
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