Why so serious? These actors took their performances as Mr. J to a whole new level of dedication

 

 

He’s Batman’s worst nightmare … and everyone’s favorite Halloween costume.

Since his debut in Batman’s first issue in 1940, the Joker has been one of the most well-recognized comic book villains out there. Appearing in many live-action Batman films, the Joker is essential to the DC superhero’s mythos, with his unpredictable and multifaceted nature making him an ever-intriguing case study and a coveted role for many actors.

“When we were prepping for [Joker], I felt very frustrated because I couldn’t lock on anything that felt like a foundation for the character.” Joaquin Phoenix — who played the villain in Todd Phillips’ psychological thriller — told USA Today in October 2019. “And at some point, I realized that was the point. He was unstable.”

He continued, “It’s shaky ground as an actor. I enjoy not knowing precisely what a character may do, but you want to have like a couple moments that you feel solid about…. We just became very comfortable with not knowing.”

From Phoenix’s and Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning performances to Jack Nicholson’s fan-favorite rendition, here is a guide of the actors who’ve worn the bleached face and creepy smile of the Clown Prince of Crime.

 

 

Joaquin Phoenix in Joker (2019) and Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)

Joaquin Phoenix attends the ‘Napoleon’ premiere in Madrid Spain, on Nov. 20, 2023; Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Joker,’ 2019.

CARLOS ALVAREZ/GETTY; WARNER BROS/MOVIESTORE/SHUTTERSTOCK

Walk the Line actor Joaquin Phoenix took on the role of Batman’s infamous supervillain in the 2019 film that’s quite different from its predecessors, as it serves as the origin story of the killer clown.

Titled Joker, the plot chronicles the evolution of outcast Arthur Fleck and his slow descent into a mad murderer — transforming into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.

It’s no surprise Phoenix took home a variety of awards (including the 2020 Best Actor Oscar) for his portrayal of the character due to the work he put in to prepare. Like Jared Leto’s Joker approach, Phoenix transformed physically and mentally with his method technique — losing 52 pounds for the role!

“It turns out, that affects your psychology. You start to go mad when you lose that amount of weight in that amount of time,” the actor said at the 2019 Venice Film Festival.

Following the original film’s success, Phoenix signed on to reprise his role as Arthur Fleck in the sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, which premieres on Oct. 4, 2024. This time, he will be joined by Lady Gaga, who plays Harley Quinn.

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Barry Keoghan in The Batman (2022)

Barry Keoghan in ‘The Batman,’ 2022; Barry Keoghan attends the 2024 EE BAFTA Film Awards in London.

JEFF SPICER/GETTY; YOUTUBE

Originally more than three hours long, the final cut of Matt Reeves’ The Batman includes a closing scene where Paul Dano’s Riddler speaks to an anonymous character (credited as “Unseen Arkham Prisoner” on the film’s IMDb page) in the Arkham Asylum.

However, a five-minute deleted scene revealed that same character to be Barry Keoghan’s menacing portrayal of the Joker — hidden behind security glass, with his horrific red smile and clownish green hair jumping out. The cut scene shows Robert Pattinson’s Batman trying to probe the Joker about the Riddler’s master plans.

Unleashing the villain’s signature maniacal laugh, Keoghan’s unsettling performance left fans wanting more, as they eagerly wait for his possible return in Reeves’ upcoming sequel (a prospect he seemingly confirmed in a 2024 Vanity Fair interview).

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Nick Creegan on Batwoman

Nick Creegan on ‘Batwoman’; Nick Creegan attends City Harvest Presents the 40th Anniversary Gala: House of Harvest in N.Y.C. on April 25, 2023.

DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY; COLIN BENTLEY / THE CW / COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION

On the CW’s Batwoman, Nick Creegan made history as the first Black actor to portray the Joker — playing Ryan Wilder’s (Javicia Leslie, also the first Black actress to play the titular role) half-brother and Jeturian Industries’ executive vice president, Maquis Jet. As a child, Marquis was attacked by the Joker and his electric joy buzzer, ultimately growing up idolizing the supervillain and eventually becoming his successor.

Creegan aimed to recreate the notorious character with an empathetic approach. “For me, I wanted to humanize him,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in March 2022. “I used my own life experience with bouts of anxiety and depression in the past. I was able to get my own mental clarity through therapy and things of that nature to help myself. I was lucky — and Marquis wasn’t.”

He also expressed pride in being part of a show that champions diverse representation. “When I was growing up, there were no Black superheroes on TV. There were no LGBTQ superheroes on TV,” he said. “So to see that from afar was really awesome. But to be in it and experience what it is like to be on set with these amazing humans, it’s a whole other level.”

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Zach Galifianakis in The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)

Zach Galifianakis on the red carpet; Zach Galifianakis voicing the Joker in ‘The LEGO Batman Movie,’ 2017′. ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAGES; WARNER BROS

That’s right — the actor who played the best-loved character in The Hangover film series voiced the Clown Prince of Crime himself in the animated comedy spinoff, The LEGO Batman Movie (2017).

Zack Galifianakis starred in the follow-up to 2014’s The LEGO Movie, a timely revival of DC fans’ spirits following the negative reception of Suicide Squad the previous year. Featuring a collection of non-stop action, Batsongs, jokes about previous films and comically self-aware characters, the movie received a significant 90 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, breaking more than $300 million at the box office.

Though there were initial plans for a sequel, director Chris McKay revealed to Uproxx in 2023 that the film was scrapped.

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Jared Leto in Suicide Squad (2016) and Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

Jared Leto on the red carpet; Jared Leto as the Joker in ‘Suicide Squad,’ 2016. J. MERRITT/GETTY IMAGES; MOVIESTORE/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

In 2016, Academy Award-winning actor Jared Leto took a stab at DC’s esteemed supervillain, the first major on-screen debut since Heath Ledger’s performance in 2008’s The Dark Knight — an act critics agreed was tough to follow.

Despite its overall negative reception, Suicide Squad (2016) — starring actors like Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Viola Davis — defied its reviews to become a box office smash.

According to MTV News, the actor’s commitment to the part pervaded his off-screen behavior, “gifting” the cast and crew a plethora of vulgar items like used condoms, a dead pig or a live rat.

Though he did not return for the 2021 sequel The Suicide Squad, Leto reprised the Joker in Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021).

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Cameron Monaghan on Gotham

Cameron Monaghan on ‘Gotham’; Cameron Monaghan attends the L.A. premiere of ‘The Acolyte’ on May 23, 2024.

AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN/FILMMAGIC; GIOVANNI RUFINO/FOX/COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION

Cameron Monaghan’s version of the Joker is different from most renditions.

On Fox’s Gotham, the Shameless actor took on the role of twin brothers Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska, who served as an homage and precursor to the Clown Prince of Crime. Although Gotham couldn’t explicitly use the Joker alias due to licensing restrictions, the show crafted a backstory for the twins heavily inspired by Joker mythology, strongly suggesting that they would inevitably evolve into the iconic villain.

Despite not officially taking on the Joker name, Monaghan has expressed interest in playing the character on the big screen, or any other comic book character for that matter. “I’d love to do that one day — assuming that the project is right and it feels like a good fit for me,” he told Fox 5 New York in January 2022. “That being said, I’m happy to go and do another role in the comic book world as well. Strangely, I’ve always had a dream of one day doing Batman and kind of moving across the aisle. Yeah. So maybe, maybe one day I put on the cowl instead and I put down that clown makeup.”

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Troy Baker in Arkham: Origins Video Game (2013)

Troy Baker on the red carpet; Troy Baker voicing the Joker in ‘Arkham: Origins,’ 2013. ALLEN BEREZOVSKY/WIREIMAGE; WARNER BROS.

Troy Baker is one of the only actors to have ever voiced both the Joker and his black-caped crusader, Batman.

A prominent video game actor, Baker played the infamous antihero in the 2013 game Arkham: Origins and animated projects like Batman Unlimited, Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Batman: The Long Halloween, among others.

Baker also provided the voice of Two-Face and Robin in its 2012 prequel game, Batman: Arkham City.

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Michael Emerson in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (2012)

Michael Emerson on the red carpet; Michael Emerson voicing the Joker in ‘Batman: The Dark Knight Returns,’ 2012. WALTER MCBRIDE/WIREIMAGE; DC COMICS

Michael Emerson — best known for his inscrutable role as Ben on the hit series Lost — plays an older, wilder Joker determined to bring Bruce Wayne out of his retirement in the animated film Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (2012).

The Golden Globe nominee — who has starred in films like Saw (2004) and Jumping Off Bridges (2006) — is no stranger to darker roles, finding it easier than some of his counterparts to access the character’s demented persona.

“I have to say that I don’t really have to search very far and wide to find a twisted or dangerous character,” the actor said in a video interview, “It’s actually harder for me to play untwisted.”

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Brent Spiner on Young Justice

Brent Spiner on the red carpet; Brent Spiner voicing the Joker on ‘Young Justice’. BARRY KING/GETTY IMAGES;

In 2010, Brent Spiner took over as the jester of homicide in Cartoon Network’s animated TV series, Young Justice.

Spiner — best known for his role as Data in the Star Trek franchise — voiced the Joker in the series centered on teenage superheroes like Robin and Superboy, intended to be the younger version of the famous adult Justice League.

Despite popular fan support, the show was canceled in 2013 after its second season. However, it was later revived for two more seasons, with the third airing on DC Universe in 2019 and the fourth on Max in 2021.

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John DiMaggio in Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)

John DiMaggio on the red carpet; John DiMaggio voicing the Joker in ‘Batman: Under the Red Hood,’ 2010. ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAGES; WARNER BROS.

Animation’s voice king John DiMaggio, one of the industry’s most talented voice actors, took the reins as Batman’s ultimate enemy in the animated film Batman: Under The Red Hood (2010).

Produced by Warner Bros, it became the eighth animated feature in the DC Superhero Universe. DiMaggio — better known as the voice of Bender from Futurama and Jake the Dog from Adventure Time — played the former Robin (Jason Todd)’s abductor and relentless torturer in the film.

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Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (2008)

Heath Ledger on the red carpet; Heath Ledger as the Joker in ‘The Dark Knight,’ 2008. TONY BARSON/WIREIMAGE; SNAP STILLS/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

In what was perhaps the most celebrated Joker portrayal of all time, Heath Ledger was posthumously awarded the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role following his turn in the critically acclaimed sequel to Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008).

Ledger died on Jan. 22, 2008, after a toxicology report revealed a fatal mix of prescription drugs in his system. An avid method actor, he committed several weeks to getting into the mindset of the character. “I sat around in a hotel room in London for about a month, locked myself away, formed a little diary and experimented with voices,” he told Empire Online in November 2007.

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Steve Blum in LEGO Batman: The Videogame (2008)

Steve Blum on the red carpet; Steve Blum voicing the Joker in ‘LEGO Batman: The Videogame’. BARRY KING/FILMMAGIC; WARNER BROS.

Since Steve Blum’s voice acting debut in 1992, he’s appeared in numerous video games, notably as Batman’s archnemesis in 2008’s LEGO Batman: The Videogame.

Blum has experience voicing other superhero villains like Lex Luthor, Spike from Cowboy Bebop and Sub Zero from the Mortal Kombat games. In the video game, players navigate the Joker’s funhouse to stop him from releasing his toxic laughing gas.

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Jeff Bennett on Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Jeff Bennett holding an Emmy on the red carpet; Jeff Bennett voicing the Joker on ‘Batman: The Brave and the Bold’. DAVID LIVINGSTON/GETTY IMAGES; CARTOON NETWORK

Jeff Bennett — best known for voicing the titular character on the mid-’90s animated series Johnny Bravo — took on an alternate version of the typical animated DC Universe film adaptations.

On Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the characters’ designs were modeled after those from the ’60s era, creating a lighter-hearted tone throughout the movie, better suited for younger audiences.

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Kevin Michael Richardson on The Batman

Kevin Michael Richardson poses for a portrait; Kevin Michael Richardson voices the Joker on ‘The Batman’. J. COUNTESS/GETTY IMAGES; WB

The Joker, played by veteran voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson, turns up with a radically changed look and an eerie new laugh on The Batman.

Richardson — who voiced Lex Luthor in the 1992 DC Animated Universe, Cleveland Brown on The Cleveland Show and Dr. Julius Hibbert on The Simpsons as of 2021 (replacing Harry Shearer) — told GeekMom in August 2013 that the Joker was his favorite character to play.

“He was like a crazy sick sandwich,” he said. “He had his highs and lows and the laugh, I almost passed out every time doing that laugh, but I would love to do it again.”

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Mark Hamill on Batman: The Animated Series

Mark Hamill poses for a portrait; Mark Hamill voices the Joker on ‘Batman: The Animated Series’. FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAGES; WB

Of all the actors that have filled the Joker’s evil and maniacal shoes, Mark Hamill has done it the longest.

Kicking off the DC Animated Universe with his first appearance in the Emmy-nominated Batman the Animated Series, Hamill has lent his voice in adaptations of The Justice League and Superman for more than 30 years.

Hamill’s most recent performances as the Joker include Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) Justice League Action, LEGO DC Super-Villians, Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? and MultiVersus (2024).

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Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989)

Jack Nicholson on the red carpet; Jack Nicholson as the Joker in ‘Batman,’ 1989. NOEL VASQUEZ/GETTY IMAGES; WARNER BROS/DC COMICS/KOBAL/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

Academy Award winner Jack Nicholson played the Joker in Tim Burton’s 1989 film adaptation of the comic book. In November 2007, Nicholson told MTV his acceptance of the role stemmed from his confidence and admiration of Burton’s vision as well as his direction.

“Tim Burton’s a genius. He had the right take on it. That’s why I did the movie,” he said. “I did the movie based on a single conversation with him. We both come from the cartoon world originally. We had similar ideas.”

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César Romero on Batman and in Batman: The Movie (1966)

César Romero poses for a portrait; César Romero as the Joker on ‘Batman’. SILVER SCREEN COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES; ABC/GETTY IMAGES

The original Joker, César Romero, was known for his acting and singing skills well before playing the iconic character in the first of the caped vigilante films, Batman: The Movie (1966), as well as on TV on the Batman series that ran from 1966 to 1968.

Adam West, the actor playing Batman, said on the 2000 A&E docuseries Biography that Romero “brought an enormous amount of energy to the role” before adding, “I don’t know how he did it.”

Romero, however, found the performance relatively easy: “When [you] get in an outfit like that … you fall right into it,” he said in the same special.