Catwoman has always been more than Gotham’s greatest fashionista crook. She’s a poster child for rebellion, power, seduction, and reinvention. Throughout the decades, this legendary antihero has crept across screens in countless guises, each live-action interpretation adding its own twist to the character. Some got the complexity and charm, some, well, not exactly. So, who owned the claws and whip? Let’s list the eight most memorable live-action Catwomen, ranging from forgettable to phenomenal.
8. Lee Meriwether – Batman: The Movie (1966)
Stepping up to the task for the feature-length spin-off of the original series, Lee Meriwether had a difficult task after Julie Newmar’s wildly popular turn. Though Meriwether was a good actress, the direction did not allow her to do much exploring—she was told to copy, not originate. Sure, she did have her moments (that Soviet journalist bit was a hoot), but in the end, her Catwoman was more placeholder than sensation.
7. Camren Bicondova & Lili Simmons – Gotham
“Gotham” was crazy in the best—and worst—possible ways, and Camren Bicondova’s youthful Selina Kyle was frequently a calm, centering presence among the chaos. She added a street-hardened toughness and emotional resonance to a younger, more fragile iteration of the character. Lili Simmons took up the mantle in the series finale, offering us a tantalizing brief glimpse at adult Selina. Both of the actresses performed well, but the sheer spontaneity of the show kept their Catwoman storylines from ever taking center stage.
6. Halle Berry – Catwoman (2004)
Let’s get real: the movie is a trainwreck, but Halle Berry’s acting? Sort of hypnotic. Portraying a new character called Patience Phillips instead of Selina Kyle, Berry went all in for the role—crawling, purring, and lapping milk out of bowls. The film might not have anything to do with the comics, but Berry accepted the silliness with aplomb. If anything, she’s the reason people even mention this film today.
5. Anne Hathaway – The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Christopher Nolan’s grounded Batman universe didn’t leave much room for the campy or seductive side of Catwoman, but Anne Hathaway pulled it off. Selina Kyle is smart, capable, and pragmatic. She is the right fit for Gotham’s crumbling social order. While dialing down the flirtation and mystery, she adds a sleek professionalism to the character that feels right at home in Nolan’s grim world. This is a restrained but memorable take.
4. Zoë Kravitz – The Batman (2022)
With a sensual edginess and vulnerable emotion, Zoë Kravitz injects a new intensity into Selina Kyle. Her take is an LGBTQ+-friendly one for the first time in a live-action movie, and exhibits a complex, morally ambiguous character struggling to make ends meet in a decayed city. She sizzles onscreen with Robert Pattinson’s Batman, and her sleek, high-tech costume looks practical yet emblematic. It is a brawny illustration that still holds the freedom of Catwoman within her.
3. Julie Newmar – Batman TV Series (1966–67)
Julie Newmar set the gold standard for Catwoman with her playful, sultry take in the original TV series. She pounced into the role with purrs, high kicks, and flirtatious banter that defined Catwoman for a generation. Newmar’s chemistry with Adam West’s Batman was electric, and her mix of charm and menace made her endlessly watchable. Campy? Absolutely. But in the best way.
2. Eartha Kitt – Batman TV Series (1967–68)
Eartha Kitt left all in her wake as she donned the costume—she was the first African American actress to portray Catwoman in a very unique way, defined by her rich growl and razor-sharp delivery. Every scene exuded confidence, beauty, and wrath, all three qualities that were uniquely hers. Her performance was iconic, but it is also historic because it marked the opening in superhero media to diverse casting. The impact of Kitt is still felt now.
1. Michelle Pfeiffer – Batman Returns (1992)
There has not been another Catwoman who has made an impression quite like Michelle Pfeiffer. Her acting in Batman Returns is seductive, unstable, powerful, and vulnerable all at the same time. Having suffered a fatal betrayal, Selina Kyle is reborn in vinyl and revenge, cracking her whip both literally and metaphorically. Pfeiffer doesn’t merely act Catwoman—she becomes her, giving a performance that’s haunting, amusing, and unforgettable. Licking Batman’s face to that line, “Life’s a bitch, now so am I,” nothing from previous Batman and Catwoman films could ever outdo her.
Beyond the Suit: Catwoman’s Lasting Legacy
Yet not only by her on-screen performances. Catwoman is a force in comics, video games, and even collectibles. In games like the Arkham series, she is a playable powerhouse; in pop culture, she has become a symbol of complexity and confidence. Eartha Kitt’s recent McFarlane Toys figure, praised by Batman News, is a testament to how these interpretations continue to resonate.
Much more, however, is her evolution: in tandem with and reflective of the greater cultural shifts that have unfolded in the character, from Eartha Kitt to Zoë Kravitz, opening doors for representation and reimagining what a female antihero might look like-super stylish, immensely dangerous, and deeply human. Whether prowling rooftops or stealing hearts, she always lands on her feet.