The Penguin is slowly becoming one of the most popular shows on Max. The story about Gotham's underworld gets more intriguing with every weekly episode. While fans praise Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti for their portrayals of Oz Cobb and Sophia Falcone on the show, the side actors also deserve a crowning moment of their own.
While The Penguin is central to its protagonist, Oz, who wants to climb the crime ladder and become a king of Gotham's underworld scene, the show gives every character equal attention.
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While Milioti was highly appreciated for her performance, especially in Episode 4, which showed Sophia's backstory, another side character has joined the series.
Deirdre O'Connell plays Francis Cobb, Oz's mother, on the show. Her portrayal of a mother who also serves as her son's biggest manipulator while teetering on the edge of dementia is portrayed beautifully by the actress. Here is everything we know about her character on The Penguin.
Who is Francis Cobb on The Penguin?
Francis Cobb is the mother of Oz on The Penguin. She is struggling with early signs of dementia. Her opening scene in Episode 6 is enough for anyone to deduce how she is someone who is struggling with the early onset of the disease.
We see sticky notes on every appliance in Francis's house. Viewers instantly pity her character, especially because of her lack of company. The gloomy atmosphere of the room, with nobody in sight, paints quite a pitiful picture.
Soon after this scene, Victor enters the room, who Francis mistakes for her son. Her sharp responses to him when she finally recognizes him display the fearful matriarch of an Italian gangster family she once was. While viewers sympathize with her, she instantly lashes out at her cunning side, wanting no pity.
Francis' cunning and witty responses to Vic hint at the powerful figure she once was before the disease of dementia started to take a toll on her body and mind.
Oz and Francis share a complicated relationship on The Penguin
While Oz slightly repents his mother for pushing him into his gangster life, like all children, deep down, he wants to win her affection and approval. However, Francis acts as his biggest manipulator while emotionally supporting him.
This is clear when she rejoices in thinking Oz killed the Falcones. Connell's body language in this scene is especially appreciative of a mother who is finally seeing the future she has envisioned for her child. Only here, the future entails a dangerous path for Oz.
In an interview with the actress at Comic-Con, she reveals having taken inspiration from late actress Geraldine Page's performance in the film The Pope of Greenwich Village. Connell was especially inspired by this dialogue from Page's character in the movie-
‘My son was as strong as a bar of steel and he didn’t get it from his father.’'
The love-hate relationship she shares with his son Oz is evident when she pushes him away after he tries to snuggle up to her in bed, like a child wanting cuddling from his mother. While Oz hides her from the world, he still wants his mother's approval, something which he rarely receives.
While we await seeing her story unfold in the remaining episodes of The Penguin, her performance proves her impact, despite being a side character.
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