Alicia Silverstone has had a unique relationship with Batman & Robin. We all know the reputation it had upon release in 1997; and while there is no doubt more support behind Batman Forever, Batman & Robin certainly has its fanbase. And this is something Silverstone herself has come to embrace despite the part it played in tarnishing her career.
Silverstone recently reflected on Batman & Robin in Entertainment Weekly, where she acknowledged the initial reception of the movie and how the modern fans react compared to that. “When it came out, I don’t think people liked it very much. But later on, people told me it’s their favorite movie. It’s very camp.”
Silverstone was one of the it girls of Hollywood in 1997, but Batman & Robin froze her momentum. As she put it, “We’re all humans, so obviously there are things that can hurt your feelings here and there, but I really just got into activism and my desire to make the world a better place…I think that gave me something else to think about. I guess if [acting] was all I had, then perhaps I might be a bit more devastated.” That activism found her traveling to Africa and Peru where she helped in efforts for elephants and the rainforest.
Silverstone hasn’t only come to recognize Batman & Robin’s fandom but also the movie itself. A number of years ago, she even said that she would love to revisit Batgirl now that she has grown as an actress and a person. Her time filming the movie wasn’t all bad, either, particularly citing her scenes with Uma Thurman (Poison Ivy) and the late Michael Gough (Alfred Pennyworth).
Of all of the new cast members, Alicia Silverstone was one of the easiest to cast in Batman & Robin, as she was the only choice to play Barbara Wilson aka Batgirl. Chris O’Donnell and Gough were the key players who reprised their roles from Batman Forever, while Val Kilmer stepped away from Bruce Wayne so George Clooney could next be forever haunted by and taunted about playing Batman.
Where do you stand on Batman & Robin? Is it as bad as you remember or does it have enough redeeming qualities to warrant modern support?
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