The man behind Batman

Sean Pertwee, as Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred Pennyworth in Gotham, has won many a fan’s heart. He speaks about what’s to come in season three

The much-awaited third season of Gotham arrived in India recently and fans were thrilled. Sean Pertwee who plays Bruce Wayne’s butler, Alfred Pennyworth, speaks about exploring the relationship between young Batman and his only confidant.

Where do we pick up with Alfred Pennyworth at the beginning of season three Bruce is listening to Alfred; it’s extraordinary. It’s a new experience for them. I think Alfred did a bit of reverse psychology by saying, “Do what you’ve got to do; just tell me what you’re doing.” I think Alfred is quite savvy and he realizes he can’t tell a teenager what not to do because they will go out and do it.

Does this mean their relationship is changing for the better You start to see them understanding and communicating better than they did in the first two seasons. You’ll see them start to build the rich tapestry of the man that later dons the cowl and becomes Batman.

What about the fighting I’ve been boxing, yes. They start to spar, so you see the training. Alfred is like a Swiss army knife; he’s got many different aspects. I think that has to be reflected in young master Bruce. What has been the most physically challenging aspect of playing this character in Gotham Getting old; that’s physically difficult. I don’t bounce like I used to — I splat now. We have the most amazing stunt team and they let me do as much as I possibly can. Not to detract from the brilliance of Game Of Thrones or Daredevil and other shows like that, but they get a great deal of time to shoot everything. We get very little time to do the fights and we’re so proud because they are so real and visceral.

Were you surprised by how physical the role of a butler would become I love doing it, but my body doesn’t. One of the hardest scenes was the fight with Tabitha (Galavan, played by Jessica Lucas) because I was wearing five layers of clothes and it was very hot. Being allowed to give Alfred physicality makes so much sense now because you suddenly realise who taught Batman to be Batman. It’s an honor to redefine the character slightly; to give him an edge.

What do you hope to see happen to Alfred in season three What I’m hoping is you’ll start to also see the relationship that existed between Thomas Wayne and Alfred. He was there not just as a confidant or a valet, but as a protector of Bruce; as the only person that Thomas Wayne trusted. If you’ve read the Earth One books, you’ll see that they fought together and Alfred saved his life on several occasions.

Will Alfred interact with other characters this season, apart from Bruce Wayne I’ve heard there might be a lady coming into the show for Alfred, but I don’t know. I know as much as you do!

(Gotham airs every Tuesday at 10 pm, on Zee Cafe)