Batman: All 10 Joker actors ranked from worst to best

6. Joaquin Phoenix

Appeared in: Joker, Joker: Folie à Deux (upcoming)

Joaquin Phoenix’s interpretation of Joker in the eponymous movie was equally as unnerving as the film itself. As the troubled Arthur Fleck, he delivered a compelling performance and attempted to showcase the struggles that the character was going through by intricately conveying every emotion he felt to the largest degree possible. But in the film’s final act, he allowed the role to take on a life of its own.

Infused with the progression of his character’s arc, and the source material from which said character was inspired,  Phoenix gave audiences a Joker unlike any they had ever seen – and that made him all the more terrifying, with his soft-spoken voice contrasting a great deal to the eventual emotional outbursts. And that laugh really was nothing short of goosebump-inducing – as it was undoubtedly one of the (if not the single) the most impressive – and effortless – of them all.

Though the film itself was rather divisive, it’s hard to overlook the acting masterclass that Phoenix gave us. Yes, it’s not the traditional Joker obsessed with taking down Batman or infecting the citizens of Gotham City with laughing gas – for that reason, it’s hard to put him higher on this list – but from a sheer acting standpoint, he was phenomenal.

The Academy Award-winning performance was so incredible that it was part of the many reasons why Joker got a sequel. We can’t wait to see what he and Lady Gaga do in Joker: Folie à Deux.