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Who are the best Joker actors?
There have been many actors who have portrayed the iconic supervillain throughout the years, each one with their own take on the character. In anticipation of the new Joker film starring Joaquin Phoenix, let's look back at some of the best Joker actors and their stellar performances.
Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight 2008)
The Dark Knight is a Batman that was released in 2008 and directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman and Heath Ledger as The Joker arriving to wreak havoc on the city and test The Dark Knights resolve and his "code".
Cesar Romero (Batman 1966-1968)
Cesar Romero plays the Joker in the TV series Batman that aired from 1966 to 1968. His portrayal was also the first live-action portrayal of the character in history setting the way for others that would come after.
Jack Nicholson (Batman 1989)
Jack Nicholson plays the Joker opposite Michael Keaton as Batman in the 1989 film, Batman. It is considered one of the best portrayal in the on-screen history of the character and is the first portrayal of the character since Cesar Romero.
Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series 1992-1994)
Mark Hamill is the voice of the Joker in the animated TV series, Batman: The Animated Series. He plays opposite Batman, voiced by Kevin Conroy. Both of which are considered as the best actors in their respective character portrayals.
Cameron Monaghan (Gotham 2014-present)
Cameron Monaghan plays Jerome Valeska in the TV series Gotham. While it was not implied that he was in fact, portraying the Joker, the similarities in personality and of course, that laugh is undeniable.
Joaquin Phoenix (Joker 2019)
Joaquin Phoenix played the titular role in Todd Philip's Joker 2019 movie. The movie is a standalone story about how Arthur Fleck became the Cape Crusader's archnemesis. Phoenix's portrayal of the DC villain received an eight-minute standing ovation in the 76th Venice International Film Festival. Subsequently, the film won the Golden Lion award.
Jared Leto (Suicide Squad 2016)
Jared Leto stars as the Joker in the Suicide Squad films that was released back in 2016. His portrayal was met with mixed reactions due to his appearance, limited screen time, and the controversial tattoo but his take on the iconic supervillain was quite unique.
John DiMaggio (Batman: Under the Red Hood 2010)
John DiMaggio is a voice actor and comedian has voiced the Joker in Batman: Under the Red Hood animated movie that was released in 2010. His deep, coarse voice lends a different and much more sadistic take on the character.
Kevin Michael Richardson (The Batman 2004-2008)
Kevin Michael Richardson plays the Joker in the animated TV series, The Batman that aired from 2004 to 2008. For his performance in the show, Kevin Richardson was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards.
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11 comments
- #1August 30, 2019"It still is one of the best portrayals of the Joker that I have ever seen to this day. No one does the supervillain more justice than Heath Ledger has and he is one of the best Jokers actors of all time. The upcoming Joker film starring Joaquin Phoenix has got me excited with the same vibes that I got from Heath's portrayal."
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Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight 2008) - #2September 30, 2019"Caesar Romero for being first. A highly comedic Joker who gave a great performance of manic craziness. Ledger for being the most fearsome Joker so far. Joachim Phoenix may change my mind in a few days time... Of course Nicholson is always great in all he does."
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Cesar Romero (Batman 1966-1968) - #3August 30, 2019"Let's face it. Jared Leto's performance was hugely different than what anyone was expecting. From the appearance, "that tattoo", and the limited screen time he had on the movie all ends up being a lackluster performance. Here's to hoping that the sequel is far better."
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Jared Leto (Suicide Squad 2016) - #4August 30, 2019"Cameron's portrayal of the Joker was a pleasant surprise. I mostly knew him from the Shameless TV series but I have to admit, he has acting range. His portrayal tackles the earlier days of the character like a pseudo origin story of sorts."
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Cameron Monaghan (Gotham 2014-present) - #5August 30, 2019"The first live-action actor to ever play the Joker, Cesar Romero's take on the icon supervillain has inspired many portrayals of the character ever since and who could forget the laugh that started it all. The best Joker actor in my book."
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Cesar Romero (Batman 1966-1968) - #6August 30, 2019"This take on the Joker is far more technicolored version than what we saw with Cesar Romero. He definitely took the show from Keaton's Batman in the 1989 film. They also adapted his origin story from the 1951 comics rather faithfully."
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Jack Nicholson (Batman 1989) - #7August 30, 2019"Mark Hamill is the Joker of our generation. He's got every aspect of the character down. From the signature maniacal laugh to the cold criminal mastermind, and the perfectly timed snapbacks. Truly a master performance."
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Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series 1992-1994) - #8August 30, 2019"I liked his joker the most because it was so authentic. Heath Ledger played his role very well, but we forget that it was a modern movie. For it's time Jack Nicholson did a great job."
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Jack Nicholson (Batman 1989) - #9August 30, 2019"It's a far more sadistic take on the character than what most people might be used to. The deep menacing voice and the coarse, maniacal laugh. Stellar performance from Di Maggio."
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John DiMaggio (Batman: Under the Red Hood 2010) - #10August 30, 2019"A performance that can go toe to toe with Mark Hamill's rendition of the character. An underrated performance and show that deserves much more attention."
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Kevin Michael Richardson (The Batman 2004-2008) - #11October 24, 2019"I believe that Joaquin Phoenix has by far the best portrayal of the clown prince of crime. It's so chilling that I think it even creeps Joaquin too. 😬"
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Joaquin Phoenix (Joker 2019)
| Rank | Answers | Type | Votes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight 2008) | Characters | 72 | Paid |
| 2 | Cesar Romero (Batman 1966-1968) | Characters | 14 | Paid |
| 3 | Jack Nicholson (Batman 1989) | Characters | 12 | Paid |
| 4 | Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series 1992-1994) | Characters | 11 | Paid |
| 5 | Cameron Monaghan (Gotham 2014-present) | Characters | 5 | Paid |
| 6 | Joaquin Phoenix (Joker 2019) | Characters | 3 | Paid |
| 7 | Jared Leto (Suicide Squad 2016) | Characters | 3 | Paid |
| 8 | John DiMaggio (Batman: Under the Red Hood 2010) | Characters | -4 | Paid |
| 9 | Kevin Michael Richardson (The Batman 2004-2008) | Characters | -9 | Paid |