Jared Abrahamson Profile: Background, Mma Past, Batman Universe Roles, and New Thrillers
By Chloe Bennett
When director Matt Reeves and showrunner Lauren LeFranc mapped out The Penguin for HBO/Max, they committed to an uncompromising, grounded crime aesthetic inspired by mid-century mafia thrillers. They needed performers who looked and moved like individuals who had survived actual street warfare, not runway models playing dress-up.
Abrahamson joined the production in the recurring role of Squid, a street-level operator attempting to carve out territory amidst the power vacuum left by Carmine Falcone's demise. Acting in scenes opposite Colin Farrell’s unrecognizable Oz Cobb and Cristin Milioti’s volatile Sofia Falcone, Abrahamson made Squid an emblem of Gotham’s opportunistic, desperate middle management.
Squid operates with a mix of street savvy and raw bravado, confronting young Victor Aguilar and attempting to force his way into the lucrative "Bliss" narcotics operation. The role demonstrated Abrahamson’s facility with menacing dialogue and rapid character sketches. He took what could have been a generic street thug in lesser hands and turned the character into a tragic study of Gotham's predatory ecosystem.
Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.
