Michelle Gomez has become a staple for many different fandoms throughout the past couple of years. Having been acting for a long while, Gomez seemed to burst on the scene as the devilishly evil Missy on Doctor Who alongside Peter Capaldi. After her tenure on the space and time-traveling show, she went on to play a different type of evil as Madame Satan a.k.a. Ms. Wardwell on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix. Both roles were so distinct and allowed Gomez to show her acting chops in ways that gave me chills but also looked so fun to play. Now, she is flexing her acting skills in a different way on the upcoming season of Doom Patrol as Madame Rogue. Entertainment Weekly posted an exclusive first look at her character in two photos on their website.
The first photo showed Madame Rogue standing with her arms folded, as she throws a less than enthused look at Vic Stone/Cyborg (Joivan Wade) and Rita Farr (April Bowlby). Cyborg looks annoyed as he turns his head away from Madame Rogue while Rita appears to be talking. Perhaps explaining herself to the new member of the team. Madame rogue looks to have a classic look, with her hair and clothes reminding me of either the 1950s or 1960s. There doesn’t seem to be much to discern from this photo about what brings her to Nile’s house or why she’s throwing major shade at two of her main characters.
In the second photo, she appears in an outfit that looks like she is preparing to fly a plane, or she is going to work on someone mechanical. Again, the look feels classic in so many ways, like someone out of time. From her hair to her clothes and even her bright lipstick, it seems like she is someone longing for yesteryear. Which is a theme that continues throughout the show for many characters. In the photo she is holding something in her hands, which she may have picked up off the ground, explaining her squatting position.
Looking to the comics for inspiration for the character, EW points out that Madame Rogue is usually an adversary for the team, however, has romantic ties to Niles Caulder, the leader of the Doom Patrol. In the comics, she has a dual personality, one that is good and one that is evil. Showrunner Jeremy Carver spoke with EW and indicated that this is still at the core of who the character is in the series.
“When I was talking to her about the part, I was trying to explain to her that in our eyes the Madame Rouge of Doom Patrol is much like the other characters in that you can’t quite pin them as good or bad. They’ve all done things they’re ashamed of, but that doesn’t necessarily make them bad people. This wrestling with ‘Am I good or bad?’ is really at the heart of Michelle’s character arc this season, and she wrings more out of a line in terms of finding comedy or pathos than just about anybody. I think what she brings to the show is just thrilling.”
Sounds like her previous roles have been preparing her for this role, as the struggle between good and evil has also been at the core of Missy and Madame Satan in the before-mentioned other series Gomez had starred in. As well, this internal struggle has been a the heart of Doom Patrol for many of the main characters. She also has shape-shifting powers allowing her to be a master of disguises, which will eventually be seen in the show. Carver said this about Madame Rogue’s introduction in the series.
“It’s frankly a funny path of self-discovery because when she comes to be with the Doom Patrol, She’s completely forgotten who she is and what her powers are. So watching her rediscover what she can do is hopefully a lot of fun and a little silly. She’s just been nothing short of amazing for us this year.”
Sounds like Gomez will be a great addition to this already silly and exceptional cast as it makes its way into season three. Look for Doom Patrol season three to begin its run on September 23 exclusively on HBOmax.
Source: EW
Ava DuVernay Announces DC’s ‘Naomi’ Official Beginning of Filming
