The last time a penguin was this serious of an awards contender, it was tap dancing with happy feet . Now, HBO’s “The Penguin,” fleshing out the origin story of the waddling, tuxedo-clad “gentleman mobster” after more than 80 years as one of the Caped Crusader’s best-known adversaries, has earned a staggering 24 Emmy nominations. For her spinoff to 2022’s big-screen hit “The Batman,” creator Lauren LeFranc brought an unusual perspective, burrowing deeply into new histories of twisted, impassioned characters — and stars Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti and Deirdre O’Connell enthusiastically bought in.

“The people who’ve come before me, who’ve had the opportunity to tell a story about a gangster, they tended to be men,” said LeFranc. “Crime dramas, anything comic book-related, certain

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