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Eartha Kitt had never seen Julie Newmar's portrayal of Catwoman before she agreed to play the character on Batman
"I'm approaching Catwoman in my own way," said the actor.
Stepping into another actor's shoes is one thing, but what do you do when asked to fill another actor's claws?
Such was the case with Eartha Kitt, who took on the role of Catwoman after Julie Newmar. Kitt, a well-known singer and actress, was no stranger to performing. But one can't help but wonder if she felt nervous taking on an existing role when audiences were so accustomed to seeing Newmar as the feline fiend on their television set.
The new role was no problem for Kitt; she didn't spend long nights stressing about it. Kitt said that she was careful to avoid anything related to Newmar's portrayal so she could come to play the character with new eyes and her take.
"I never saw Julie play the part," said Kitt during an interview with The Sioux City Journal. So, I'm not trying to be either like her or unlike her. I'm approaching Catwoman in my own way."
Luckily, while Kitt herself wasn't a villain in any sense of the word, she found that audiences had no problem accepting her as Catwoman due to her previous performances. "People have always associated me with a feline something-or-other because of the way I move while singing," said Kitt.
The actor's stage career served her well in the Batman role. "I began my career as a dancer, and I found I could utilize dance movement in this role," said Kitt. "Cats move in a tremendously slinky, rhythmic way. I didn't consciously set out to add cat mannerisms. They're just there, I guess. It's fun to talk with your body as well as with words. I've been having a marvelous time. In fact, you might say everything about Catwoman is right up my alley."
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