Over 20 years ago, filming on Batman Begins was in full swing, and, per Gary Oldman, it was a strenuous process. The film launched director Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, a darker, more realistic portrayal of Batman. In addition to Oldman, it starred Christian Bale, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Liam Neeson, and Michael Caine.

In a recent interview, Oldman reflected on his time spent filming the series. The actor was splitting his time between his family and the production, which put a lot of pressure on him. He explained: “I think I ended up doing 27 round trips on the first Batman… So I’d go home for two days, see the kids, fly back, work three days, go home, be home for three days, I’d fly to London and do one sH๏τ, and then get on the plane the next morning and come back.”

Instead of being discouraged by this tiring schedule, Oldman turned it into inspiration. Jim Gordon is a somewhat jaded, worn-out character, which is even more true in a more realistic Gotham. As such, Oldman leaned into how he was actually feeling to bring authenticity to the character. The actor stated: “I’m being silly, but there’s a world-weariness to him, so I embraced the feeling that you have when you’re going back and forth or you’ve been on a long flight. I just thought, ‘I can actually use this to my advantage.“

What Gary Oldman’s Batman Begins Comments Mean

Ironically, Oldman’s predicament while filming Batman Begins mirrors Gordon’s character. Both were family men torn between work and familial duties. The actor’s choice to bring this atтιтude to his performance allowed his supporting role to feel lived in, even beyond what the script established.

This inspired decision is all the more interesting when factoring in that Oldman was not originally eyed for the role of Gordon. Rather, Nolan wanted Oldman as a Batman villain. It was never specified whether the part was Scarecrow or Ra’s Al Ghul, but Oldman’s manager suggested he play Gordon instead and the rest is history.

Our Take On Gary Oldman’s Batman Begins Comments

While Oldman is widely known for his villainous portrayals, casting him in a supporting protagonist role was an inspired decision. Throughout the Dark Knight trilogy, he brought a depth to Gordon that had yet to be explored in a live-action film adaptation. A huge part of that is the nuance that Oldman brought to the role—something apparently brought on by Batman Begins filming so far from his home.