The Penguin's Cristin Milioti tells us the fan response to Sofia Falcone is 'so beautiful'

DC's spinoff series The Penguin picks up a week after the events of The Batman, though the show has done a fantastic job setting itself apart as a standalone story. Following the titular villain played by Colin Farrell, the mobster-superhero drama has quickly become one of the best shows of the year, and halfway through the season, I have a feeling it's only going to get better from here.

I had the pleasure of speaking with the cast and showrunner of The Penguin at New York Comic Con on Thursday, Oct. 17, where they shared what they did to prepare for the series along with what they could tease about what's to come. I was especially excited to talk to Cristin Milioti, who plays Sofia Falcone, as she's giving a killer performance that really pleasantly surprised me. After the fourth episode, "Cent’anni," I've concluded that this is my favorite TV performance of 2024.

And I'm not alone in that feeling. Each week, social media is united on the response to Sofia Falcone, a flawed, complex, and empathetic character who steals every scene she's in. Showrunner Lauren LeFranc and her team of writers did a great job developing Sofia and giving her an engaging backstory and current storyline. The writing combined with Milioti's talent has been pure magic.

The Penguin's Cristin Milioti interview

When talking with Milioti at a press roundtable conversation, I asked her how the fan response has felt, and while she said she tries not to read what's said about her online, she was very appreciative:

"The fan response — and again, I’ve stayed pretty removed — is so beautiful. [At] one of the tables over there, we were talking about how I saw Batman Returns in theaters when I was seven and it’s burned into my cells because I was little and I was scared, but I was thrilled, and I was just so drawn to it. So if anyone is feeling an emotion at anything that you make, where they root for the character, or that they feel seen, or that they feel transported, or whatever, it’s a dream to be able to do that, you know? So that’s not been lost on me and it’s meant a lot to me."

I also mentioned to Milioti that fans are certain she's secured an Emmy Award nomination with her performance, though she did not comment specifically on that.

You can watch Milioti's response on Show Snob's sister site Winter is Coming's TikTok account.

The Penguin releases new episodes every Sunday night on HBO and Max. If you're not watching one of the best comic book adaptations we've gotten in a long time, what are you waiting for?