The Joker has been a fixture of movie and TV for over half a century, but which actor portrayed Batman’s Clown Prince of Crime the best?
The Joker is, without a doubt, a legend. A terrifying legend, but a legend nonetheless. The unsettling comic book villain theatrically burst onto the pages of DC Comics all the way back in 1940 and he has been terrorizing the heroes (and villains) of Gotham City ever since.
Initially more of a whimsical jester with an affinity for cataclysmic capers and perilous plunder, the character evolved with the times as writers would begin to capitalize on his more sinister attributes, with him eventually transforming into a more unhinged character with a larger-than-life personality that thrived on anarchy and terror.
While the vast majority of Batman’s villains are very popular in their own right, The Joker has transcended his genre to become a pop-culture icon – joining his “dear Dark Knight” among the most instantly recognizable comic book characters of all time. In fact, he’s so beloved that he’s even received his own standalone origin story.
Joker was, without a doubt, one of the biggest films of the past decade and, with Joaquin Phoenix receiving a ton of praise for his performance – including a BAFTA Award and an Academy Award – it’s clear that he redefined the role. But he wasn’t the first to do so. With that in mind, a new Joker in Barry Keoghan to terrify us on the big screen in The Batman, and the celebrations of Batman Day still on our minds, let’s look back and rank all the major interpretations of The Joker.
Note: While there were multiple other actors to voice The Joker on TV and in video games, this list will take a look at the ten most famous (and best) to do so on the big-screen or small-screen.
10. Jared Leto
Appeared in: Suicide Squad, Zack Snyder’s Justice League
When it was revealed that Jared Leto would be playing The Joker in Suicide Squad, fans applauded the decision because he had been a long-standing favorite among the potential actors to play the Clown Prince of Crime. After all, he was an Oscar-winning actor capable of making audiences feel exactly how he wanted them to. And then the first image of the film’s unique iteration of the character was revealed and, well, let’s just say that it was the beginning of a change of opinion.
The film didn’t offer up much more than what we already saw, as the character was just about as far removed from the Joker’s comic book origins as possible. With tattoos all over his body and an unusually loving relationship with Harley Quinn, this wasn’t The Joker that we had come to know and love.
Like many of the DCEU’s actors, the problem doesn’t lie in Leto’s abilities – we know how capable he is when it comes to pulling off phenomenal performances – and he did a fine job highlighting how unhinged his Joker was. The real problem was the material, which failed to give Leto anything of substance before writing him out halfway through the movie.
Despite the issues with this Joker, a stronger film may have served him (and, more importantly, Leto) better. And as the DCEU is currently in a state of unrest, we may never know what Leto would have been capable of with a more traditional Joker and a better script.
9. Nick Creegan
Appeared in: Batwoman
Batwoman found its footing in its third and final season, producing its strongest outing. A large part of that was its unique storyline that saw a ton of second-generation Batman villains terrorize Gotham City. The best of those new villains was undoubtedly its original take on The Joker, portrayed by Nick Creegan.
Technically, Batwoman had two Jokers. The infamous original Clown Prince of Crime only appears via flashbacks, but through those flashbacks, we see how he used his buzzer to affect unsuspecting child Marquis Jet – a move that ultimately turned Marquis into a twisted and disturbed individual.
ALSO READ: All 37 Arrowverse seasons ranked from worst to best
Marquis was initially introduced as a heroic and charming character but it soon became clear that his smile hid a darker personality. Creegan was incredible at playing both sides to the character, making Marquis a very likable person, which is what made his dangerous Joker-like personality all the more frightening.
The icing on the cake was the fact that Marquis was actually the brother of Ryan Wilder, a.k.a. Batwoman, so the feud between the two was personal. And as some of the best Batman stories have shown us in the past, the Joker/Bat-Family dynamic is at its best when its personal.
Creegan’s performance ensured that we all knew Marquis was not to be taken lightly. Marquis may not have dressed exactly like The Joker but he personified all of the qualities that makes him such an intimidating presence in the DC lore. And honestly, he and Batwoman don’t get enough credit for this compelling and original portrayal.
8. Barry Keoghan
Appeared in: The Batman (2022)
When Barry Keoghan was cast in Matt Reeves’ The Batman in a mystery role, there was a lot of speculation about who he was playing. The running rumor was that he was playing the Clown Prince of Crime himself. It turned out to be accurate as Keoghan did indeed have a cameo in the 2022 film as The Joker.
We don’t actually get to see the character for all that long in the film, as he’s incarcerated at Arkham Asylum and bonds with The Riddler. But the few moments that Keoghan is on-screen are absolutely chilling. From the intimidatingly seductive way that he delivers his lines to that terrifying silhouette, it’s hard to look away from the chaos-obsessed villain (as much as we would like to) and it left us all longing for more.
This Joker’s unnerving appearance was fully revealed in a deleted scene for the movie, which really gave us an insight into his relationship with Batman. Fans were divided on the look, but there is no denying the power of Keoghan’s performance. And when he finally gets the chance to play a more substantial role (in The Batman: Part II perhaps?), he will likely ascend further on up this list.
There wasn’t a whole lot to work with as this was just a cameo, but Keoghan worked with it. We can’t wait to see what he does when he plays the role in a greater capacity in the future.
7. Kevin Michael Richardson
Appeared in: The Batman (2004 – 2008), The Batman vs. Dracula
It’s once again time for us to to take a moment and appreciate the highly-underrated animated series The Batman and one of the often overlooked voice performances that came with it. We are, of course, talking about Kevin Michael Richardson’s brilliant turn as The Joker.
Richardson’s debut came in the show’s very first episode, as the unusual Clown Prince of Crime made his presence felt on an unsuspecting Gotham City and a young Caped Crusader from Arkham Asylum. From there, he would become a regular thorn in The Batman’s side, popping up multiple times a season throughout the show’s five-season run.
The actor’s performance was superb. There was a roughness to his approach that ensured The Joker could intimidate when necessary with his bellowing voice, but the real appeal of his outing was the whimsicality in his performance. Most of the time, The Joker was having the time of his life, and Richardson was able to convey that with a light tone that just highlighted how chaotic and, again, whimsical this version of the character was.
We don’t appreciate the talent behind The Batman enough, and this Joker – from his unique look to Kevin Michael Richardson’s captivating Emmy-nominated performance – deserves that appreciation too.
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.
5. Cesar Romero
Appeared in: Batman (1966 – 1968), Batman: The Movie (1966)
Cesar Romero put on that iconic smile for the 1966 Batman TV series – a role which he reprised a number of times throughout all three of the show’s seasons and its big-budget feature film – and delivered a performance that was nothing short of comedic gold.
An outlandish laugh-loving caricature, this Joker was downright harmless when you compare him to the mayhem-loving monster that he is today, but that right there complemented the tongue-in-cheek tone of the series to perfection. With his all-white make-up (which is caked on extra-hard around the mustache) and perfectly-outlined red lips, he was identical to his comic book counterpart in both appearance and personality and this ultimately allowed him to be as colorful as the series required him to be.
There’s something infectious about that laugh that just makes everything he does so enjoyable. In fact, just by watching his scenes, you can tell that Romero absolutely loved bringing the character to life – so it’s only fitting that his passionately funny performance ended up defining The Joker for an entire generation. And, if we based this list on laughs alone, the veteran performer would be right at the top (alongside a few others).
Colorful, charismatic and full of charm, this was The Joker that the world needed in the ’60s and Romero’s energetic turn played a huge part in shaping the character into the pop culture icon that he is today. “Legendary” doesn’t come close to describing him.
4. Cameron Monaghan
Appeared in: Gotham
While DC was in the midst of deciding whether they wanted The Joker to be portrayed by Jared Leto or Joaquin Phoenix on the big screen, the showrunners of Fox’s Gotham found themselves in a similar situation as they struggled to choose between Cameron Monaghan and, well, Cameron Monaghan.
The young actor recurred throughout the first four seasons of the Batman prequel as Jerome Valeska – the unhinged homicidal maniac that was destined to become The Joker. However, during the fourth season, the writers pulled the rug out from under us by revealing that the character had an artistic (and sane) twin brother who, following a little posthumous interference from Jerome, became the legendary Batman villain instead.
What separated the TV debacle from the ongoing film one, however, was the fact that both Jokers were amazing.
Monaghan’s turn as Jerome brought the most irrational of The Joker’s attributes to life, as the character’s psychotic behavior saw him become obsessed with Bruce Wayne, kill countless people on stage and even reattach his own face with a stapler after it had been cut off.
In contrast, his performance as Jeremiah brought to life some of the more, dare we say it, refined elements of the character, as he calmly sought to redecorate the world in his own image – that is, until a horrible trip to Ace Chemicals resulted in his physical and (further) mental decline.
Monaghan undoubtedly had the benefit of playing a long-running version of the character and thus, he could experiment with different types of Jokers – and it really showed. Where Jerome was boisterous, loud and noisy, Jeremiah was calm, collective and intricate; and yet both of these unique iterations felt so loyal to The Joker.
A masterclass in villainy, anarchy and comic book loyalty, there’s something in Monaghan’s portrayals for every Joker fan – and that makes him one of the greatest actors to ever wear that sinister grin.
3. Heath Ledger
Appeared in: The Dark Knight
Sometimes when a performance is so larger-than-life that their reputation ends up preceding them, you find yourself wondering if they’re really “that good”. Well, all you have to do is watch The Dark Knight to know that, in Heath Ledger’s case, he’s not that good, he’s better.
Ledger’s casting shocked a lot of people, mainly due to the fact that few of his previous films suggested that he’d be the right fit for such an iconically sinister role – but that right there is the beauty of his job as an actor. And he had absolutely no problem proving all of the naysayers wrong.
As Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy was set in a more realistic world, it makes sense that he wanted a more realistic Joker. As a result, the comedic capers were dropped and there wasn’t a vat of chemicals in sight. Instead, The Joker was used by the unnamed villain as symbol, highlighting how the corruption of Gotham could birth an anarchist demon like himself – just as it birthed The Batman.
What made this Joker all the more frightening was that he was incredibly believable. He was a real world threat that used the lunacy of his own appearance in order to get Gotham to reveal its true twisted self. He sought to tear down the system because it was already broken. Unfortunately for him, Batman was the only incorruptible being in a corrupt world.
In spite of the grounded approach, the late great Ledger successfully managed to make his Joker feel every bit as larger-than-life as his comic book counterpart. His disturbing view of the world raised a number of compelling questions and, somehow, in an insane world, he seemed surprisingly sane. And that is what made him so terrifying.
It goes without saying that his Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actor was well-deserved.
2. Jack Nicholson
Appeared in: Batman (1989)
Tim Burton’s 1989 noir masterpiece may have been titled Batman but it was just as much about The Joker (arguably even more) as it was about The Dark Knight. Playing opposite Michael Keaton’s Caped Crusader, it was Jack Nicholson who brought the Clown Prince of Crime to life – and he did so in effectively fabulous fashion.
Adopting many of the character’s beloved comic book traits and yet also managing to make them fit into this noirish landscape, Nicholson’s Joker believed himself to be a homicidal artist – as it was only through these extreme and twisted methods that he believed true art could be formed. Thus, as far as he was concerned, the collateral damage of a few deaths along the way was worth it.
Originally a mobster named Jack Napier, his set up (at the hands of his own boss Carl Grissom) led to his demise at Axis Chemicals. But it also led to his rebirth. Like Romero’s Joker, he had transformed into a boisterous, loud and campy maniac. The difference being that Nicholson’s Joker was completely self-aware of his campiness and hammed it up – and that made him a lot more sinister.
Nicholson’s performance was something to be marvelled at and, in this day and age of realistic anarachy-loving Jokers, he doesn’t get enough credit. But the fact of the matter is that he managed to give us a Clown Prince of Crime that was both loyal to the comics and original for the world that surrounded him. And he was so good, in fact, that he even stole the show from Keaton on occasion.
The villain wasn’t the artist, no that was Nicholson – and The Joker was his twisted masterpiece.
1. Mark Hamill
Appeared in: Batman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, Justice League, Batman: Arkham video game series
If you’ve ever watched a Batman cartoon or played a Batman video game, then there’s a strong chance that you’ve heard Mark Hamill’s Joker in action.
Hamill first introduced the world to his spine-chilling cackle in 1993’s Batman: The Animated Series and has been associated with the character ever since – and considering we’re talking about the man who plays Luke Skywalker, that’s really saying something.
Returning to the role for various spin-offs, sequels, films and video games set within the DC Animated Universe, Hamill, along his Batman: The Animated Series co-star Kevin Conroy, has since been welcomed into the wider DC Universe, voicing The Joker in countless unrelated properties – most notably the Batman: Arkham video game franchise.
Let’s just say that there’s a reason as to why he’s one of the only voice performers to be featured on this list, and that’s simply because his performance transcended his medium and, like the show he debuted his Joker on, showcased that animation can indeed outdo live-action. His performance in the big-screen spin-off Batman: Mask of The Phantasm is undoubtedly among his finest – and you’d be hard-pressed to find any voice performer, other than Conroy of course, capable of bringing a character to life like he did.
With a viciously fast-delivery of every single line and a laugh so majestic that few other Jokers could ever come close to achieving this level of greatness, Hamill is and always will be the definitive voice of the Clown Prince of Crime.
Are you a fan of all the Jokers? Which one is your favorite? How did you celebrate Batman Day in September?