Meet The Mad Hatter of ‘Gotham’: Benedict Samuel

Gotham is perhaps best-known for its ability for bringing Batman’s wild rogue’s gallery of villains to brand new technicolor life. Tonight, a new iconic villain comes to town. Benedict Samuel will be playing a new version of Jervis Tetch, aka the Mad Hatter. Some versions of the character are downright daffy and others use technology to aid with his penchant for hypnosis. How will Gotham depict its Mad Hatter?

We got a chance to chat with actor Benedict Samuel during a Gotham set visit this summer.  Meet the new Mad Hatter of Gotham: Benedict Samuel

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DECIDER: So, what was the first thing you did when you got the role to research?

BENEDICT SAMUEL: Hm, what was the first thing I did? I think I went out and had a drink first.

That’s a very good response.

I guess it’s really difficult to research this character because, like you said, you have your own excitement for the Mad Hatter. And, also, it’s drawing from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and that is such a staple of our fairytale or our dream lives. It’s kind of crept into our intellectual and literary awareness for a lot of people, “Down the Rabbit Hole,” all this type of business — The Matrix uses it, you know. And so, I kind of feel like my research is the feeling of being supported by all of this. And I would never want to take away how you experience the Mad Hatter and I think that people are going to bring their own experiences to what I do. So I’m not trying to carve out something completely different. I’m just using the support that this historical character has kind of allowed me to play.

So, what sort of role is he playing in the hierarchy of Gotham’s villainy right now? Is he a rogue agent?

I think he reminds people that this is a very uncertain town full of uncertainties and dark corners.

Is he more psychological? Does he use chemicals, is it technology?

Well, I mean he’s a talented hypnotist. And there’s a great line in one of the episodes where one of the characters asks him, “Can you make people do anything?” and he says, “Only things they want to do deep down.” And I find that very fascinating. I kind of hung onto that as a real springboard, because, deep down, what do you want? And if someone knew that and could kind of manipulate that it could be a very interesting world.

Do you have a hat that you wear? How fabulous is it?

You mean Benedict has a hat?

(Laughs) Does the character have a hat?

The Mad Hatter has probably the most beautiful hat I’ve ever seen. It’s gorgeous. The costumes that this guy wears are fabulous.

[Watch Season 3 of Gotham on Hulu]
[Watch Seasons 1 & 2 of Gotham on Netflix]