‘Gotham’ star uses villain role to keep baby brother in line

NEW YORK (AP) -- Talk about a way to keep a young sibling in check.

Clare Foley, who plays Ivy Pepper in Fox's Batman prequel "Gotham," says she's got her baby brother convinced that she is the future Batman nemesis -- and she's using it to her advantage.

In an interview this week, the 13-year-old actress said she thinks "it's kind of funny" that 4-year-old Declan, the youngest of her four brothers, truly believes that she and the character she plays -- the orphan daughter of the man framed for the murders of Bruce Wayne's parents -- are one and the same.

Her mom says Declan was so frightened at one point that they had to assure him that his big sister was the "good Ivy."

As for her other brothers, Foley laments that she doesn't get the same respect. Also Batman fans, they think it's "very cool" she has the role but she says they realize that "I'm just their sister."

In "Gotham," which airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EST, Ivy becomes homeless after her dad is shot dead by police and her mother commits suicide. The actress says this sets the stage for the hatred the one-day villain develops for the Dark Knight.

"We are seeing the beginning of that relationship," says Foley.

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)