Lioness Star Michael Kelly Was In One Of The Best HBO Shows Of The Past Decade
Michael Kelly's main role these days is Byron Westfield on Lioness, but the Emmy-nominated actor also recently appeared in a 10/10 HBO series.
Before Michael Kelly became the CIA Deputy Director of Operations in HBO's "Lioness," he portrayed a Gotham City crime boss in "The Penguin," widely regarded as one of the best HBO shows of the past decade. Set after Matt Reeves' "The Batman," this Emmy-winning crime drama focused on the rise of Oswald Cobb (Colin Farrell) to power and his control of Gotham's criminal empire.
Kelly's character, Johnny Viti, was a high-ranking underboss in the Falcone crime family, responsible for the day-to-day operations following Carmine Falcone's death.
However, Viti's fate was not long-lasting, as he faced his demise halfway through the season. In a miniseries filled with dangerous power struggles, Viti's demise was inevitable. As Kelly revealed to CinemaBlend, he could sense the writing on the wall during his five-episode arc. His sister even texted him a prediction after watching the second episode. Kelly joked that he had seen himself die on screen multiple times, but lying in a pool of blood during filming was still an unusual experience.
Johnny Viti's death came at the hands of Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti). After torturing Viti in a freezing mausoleum, she spared his life but ultimately shot him upon his attempt to undermine her authority in front of rival gang leaders. Kelly praised Milioti's talent, noting their instant natural chemistry and comparing it favorably to his work with Rachel Brosnahan on "House of Cards."
Kelly was also impressed by Colin Farrell's transformation into Oz Cobb. He recalled Farrell's strategic use of a ski mask during a table read, which demonstrated Farrell's exceptional acting skills. When Kelly saw Farrell in full makeup on set, he was utterly stunned by the prosthetic makeup's realism. "The Penguin" received 24 Emmy nominations, winning nine awards, including Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup and Outstanding Contemporary Makeup.
Milioti received the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her powerful performance as Sofia Falcone.
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