Senator and Batman Actor Dishes on the Dark Knight's Worst Outing
Patrick Leahy was the first Democrat elected to the United States Senate from the state of Vermont and is the most senior member of Congress, the last of the "Watergate Babies" from 1974. He also appeared in more Batman movies (5) than Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, or Christian Bale. He gave his opinion on the worst cinematic depiction of the Caped Crusader.
Leahy was always a fan of comic books, Batman in particular. In the early 1990s, he wrote forwards to a few comics and graphic novels, eventually invited to do an uncredited cameo in Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever as himself. He then appeared in Batman & Robin, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as well as a voice role in Batman: The Animated Series.
Leahy said that superstar George Clooney, who starred in 1997's Batman & Robin, was the worst Batman portrayal.
Clooney was receiving an award at the Kennedy Center Honors earlier this month when the 82-year-old senator roasted him, albeit in a good-natured demeanor. He proclaimed Clooney to be the worst, something Clooney himself has to admit.
Leahy said that Clooney returned the good-natured ribbing, telling Leahy's wife Marcelle, "You know that Batman movie Patrick was in? He almost ruined the franchise."
"It's all your fault," Clooney said to Leahy. "It would've gone great, except for you being in the movie."
Leahy responded that he was only on the screen for a tiny bit while Clooney played the title character in the poorest-received Batman film ever.
"We tease each other like that all the time," Leahy said, ensuring the press knew it was all in fun.
Clooney has always been realistic about his role as Batman. It's been reported that, at one point, he'd refund tickets from fans who said they'd seen the 25-year-old movie. He admitted to not wanting his wife, humanitarian Amal Clooney, to see the movie.
"I want my wife to have some respect for me."
He said that he's met millions of people from over a hundred countries, and each of them agree on only one thing: "[I] sucked as Batman!"
The Oscar-winning filmmaker and actor has since lightened up on his hate for his Batman film, acknowledging that – while it was terrible – the fame of the character skyrocketed his career.
Leahy will be retiring from his spot in the Senate this year, and it hasn't yet been reported if he'll make another Batman appearance.
All money Leahy makes from comics and film appearances goes to charities, including the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Vermont where he first fell in love with comics as a child.