Movies - TV
Kevin Conroy Had To Unlearn Adam West's Version Of Batman
By BJ COLANGELO
Many fans consider Kevin Conroy’s performance as Batman to be the definitive portrayal of Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight. Although he’s become synonymous with the superhero, providing the character’s voice for over 30 years, Conroy admitted he didn’t know much about the character when he auditioned for the role, with Adam West’s 1960s show being his only exposure.
Conroy shared, “When I went into the audition they asked me if I had any questions, and I said something about how I assumed they were doing the show like the 1960s Adam West ‘Batman’ series. Of course, the response was something like, ‘No, no! That’s not it at all!’” The actor explained how he had to learn about Batman and “the whole legacy behind the character.”
Conroy compared Batman to stage roles that he was familiar with, saying, “I let my imagination go and I just went to [in Batman voice] the darkest, most painful place in my voice, [returns to normal voice] and it just came out.” The actor later revealed his Batman inspiration came from personal pain, and voicing the hero helped him work through those feelings.