Uma Thurman Reflects on Her Iconic Role as Poison Ivy in Batman & Robin: Reveals Intriguing Behind-the-Scenes Details
Uma Thurman famously portrayed Poison Ivy in the 1997 action sci-fi film Batman & Robin. During her appearance on the Kelly Clarkson Show, the actress reminisced about her iconic role and discussed the campy tone of the film. When the host mentioned that her children enjoyed the original superhero movie, Thurman responded, “It’s the one that was actually made for children.” Ironically, the film was originally rated PG-13 before its release in 1997.
The Oscar-nominated actress also talked about her skin-tight Poison Ivy costume. “That costume was really challenging because it was all rubber,” she recalled. Comparing it to the most uncomfortable pair of airplane tension hoses, Thurman described the outfit as the “meanest kind of Spanx imaginable.”
Nevertheless, she had a great time filming the movie, “It was fun and creative. I got to put big weird horns on my head,” she added. Directed by Joel Schumacher, Batman & Robin followed the iconic DC heroes as they “struggled to keep their relationship intact while trying to stop Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy from freezing Gotham City,” as per the synopsis.
Although the movie became a symbol in pop culture for its extravagant looks and served as Halloween costume inspiration, it faced harsh criticism. The film, starring Thurman, George Clooney as Batman, Chris O’Donnell as Robin, and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, aimed to provide a lighter take on Tim Burton’s directed films but failed to impress viewers.
At the time, audiences ridiculed the costumes with “bat nipples” designed anatomically to resemble Greco-Roman statues. Despite Schumacher’s explanation that the hero outfits were meant to add a classical touch, viewers found them unnecessary and distracting. This misguided approach became symbolic in the larger context.
During the interview, the Pulp Fiction actress also shared a recent reunion with her Batman & Robin co-star Schwarzenegger. They bumped into each other accidentally, and their interaction turned out to be a “total joy.” Schwarzenegger posted a picture of the two on Instagram and wrote, “Freeze and Ivy, reunited. Watch out, Batman,” referencing their characters.
Thurman later shared the same picture on her Instagram, showing both of them smiling and looking directly at the camera. “Freeze and Ivy back together again – super tight and super cool in a warming world!” she captioned it.