If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

The Penguin star Colin Farrell may have revealed a major character origin story at New York Comic Con 2024

Colin Farrell was speaking at the HBO-presented Penguin panel at NYCC '24, where he revealed previously-unknown details about Francis Cobb, played by Deirdre O'Connell

HBO
Image credit: HBO

Don't miss New York Comic Con 2024, happening October 17 through 20. Popverse will be there all four days, immersing ourselves in the pop culture party full of vendors, events, and celebrities from the worlds of comics, movies, TV, gaming, and more. Buy tickets now!


This article contains potential spoilers for The Penguin.

Four episodes into HBO's The Penguin, it is readily apparent that there are far more characters of interest than just the titular Oz Cobb. We've learned the backstories of Victor Aguilar and Sofia Falcone, but so far, there's still one character shrouded in mystery. That is, Francis Cobb, Oz's mother, played by Deirdre O'Connell. However, at New York Comic Con 2024, fans may have gotten a window into Francis's backstory, courtesy of none other than star Colin Farrell himself.

Speaking at NYCC's Penguin panel, presented by HBO, Farrell spoke about how the show was not only focused on Oz, but that it acted as "an origin story" for characters like Victor, Sofia, and yes, Francis Cobb.

"Ma," Farrell said about the character. "She talks about when she was younger, and she used to work the books for the Falcones."

To catch you up on Francis so far: We've known that Oz's toxic mother, who may or may not be in the early stages of dementia, has a deep-seated hatred for the Falcone family. This is the first time, though, that we've heard where that hatred comes from. 

"[The show]," Farrell continued, "is about what happens to pain when it's not dealt with as it's experienced and it's allowed to fester. And the ugly ways in which that pain can certainly find its way out into the world."

Francis's pain, as we've seen so far, comes out at least in part in the form of her son, who she constantly pushes to make moves against his former bosses. Will we see Francis's time as the Falcones' bookkeeper in the same way that we got flashback scenes from both Victor and Sofia?

That is one thing that didn't come up at Comic Con. 

The Penguin episodes 1-4 are streaming now on Max.


 

About New York Comic Con

Welcome home, hero. This is your event where you can feel unafraid to geek out. Where you’re accepted and embraced for being yourself, regardless of your cultural background, physical ability, personal identity, or self-expression. Where you can experience the best in pop culture, be inspired, get star struck, treat yourself, and create all of those memories with the people you care about the most.

Dates

-

Location

Jacob Javits Convention Center
USA

Visit the event page
Grant DeArmitt

Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. As Popverse's Staff Writer, he criss-crosses the pop culture landscape bringing you the news and opinions about the big things (and the next big things). In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.

Comments

Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.

View Comments (0)

Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy