Arts & Entertainment
‘Gotham’ star Robin Lord Taylor says growing up gay prepared him for The Penguin
(Screenshot via YouTube.)
Out actor Robin Lord Taylor plays The Penguin on Fox’s “Gotham”and while he is a “bad guy” the oddly charming villain has become a fan favorite for his multi-dimensional performance.
In an interview with Fuse, Taylor says he drew inspiration for the role by humanizing the character.
“With The Penguin specifically, we’re very fortunate in that we have about 70 years of mythology to draw upon and do research with and that’s what I did when I got the role of The Penguin,” Taylor, 38, says. “That’s when I learned he was bullied as a child, he was always treated as an outsider. That was my human link to the character. I learned that and I was like, ‘This is something I want to show and root him down to reality.’”
Taylor drew from his own experience as an outsider growing up to bring a more sympathetic version of The Penguin to life.
“Growing up overweight and gay in small-town Iowa as a kid in the ’80s and ’90s, it was much different than it is now, and I know exactly what that feels like,” Taylor says.
“Gotham” airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on Fox.
Watch the interview below.
The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at “The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia” at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
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