Joker’s 80th Anniversary – Fun Facts about the Actors

The funny thing about superhero myths is that, for the hero to be timeless and iconic, there should be an equally iconic nemesis to match the hero’s emblematic image. Followers of the superhero genre know that the hero will have numerous adversaries to face and defeat, but there is always that one villain who personifies the exact opposite of the hero.

Superman may have Toy Man, Mr Mxyzptlk, Braniac, Darkseid, and other aliens and super criminals to vanquish. But there is always Lex Luthor to hound him and put him in check.

You may be able to name every single villain Spider-Man has defeated, but there is the Green Goblin who knows Spidey’s secret identity and makes his heroic life miserable. Some say it should be Dr Octopus or Venom; there’s a bit of contention among Spidey’s fans when it comes to this topic.

For Batman, we can say that his villains are as popular as the Dark Knight himself. He has Penguin, Riddler, Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, Mr Freeze, Bane, Catwoman – we can actually do a contest of naming all of Batsy’s enemies. Yet, there is the Joker who serves as the antithesis of everything Batman represents. In fact, the Joker is so infamous and timeless that he got his own standalone movie – without the Caped Crusader!

2020 is the Joker’s 80th anniversary. As a tribute to this iconic DC Comics supervillain, here are some fun facts about the FAMOUS actors who portrayed the Clown Prince of Crime on film and TV.

Caesar Romero

• Batman, 1966-1968

If you have seen the comical 1960s Batman TV series, you couldn’t help but take notice of Caesar Romero’s hilarious portrayal of the Joker. Did you know he refused to shave his moustache (it was his trademark) that, if you look closely, you can see it covered with all the white makeup?

Jack Nicholson

• Batman, 1989

In Tim Burton’s Batman, Jack Nicholson played the Joker opposite Michael Keaton as Batman. Did you know that Bob Kane, Batman’s original co-creator, personally picked Nicholson for the role of Joker? Director Burton had a list of choices, which included Robin Williams, Tim Curry, Willem Dafoe, David Bowie, and Brad Dourif who actually was Burton’s preferred choice.

Mark Hamill

• Batman: The Animated Series, 1992-1995
• Several Batman, Justice League, and DC animated films

Mark Hamill’s voice portrayal of the Joker in the 1990’s animated TV series is so exceptional that he goes on to voice the Clown Prince of Crime in other DC shows and movies. In fact, his voice acting is so iconic that it has become the known voice of the Joker. Hamill is also popular in the geekdom for his role as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, but did you know that he also portrayed another DC villain? And it was not just his voice. He played the Trickster in The Flash, both in the 1990’s and present.

Heath Ledger

• The Dark Knight, 2008

People may forever remember Heath Ledger for his excellent performance in The Dark Night as Gotham City’s most terrifying criminal. It was his last film, which also earned him a posthumous Oscar Award for Best Supporting Actor. Did you know that, aside from being an accomplished actor, Heath Ledger was also a chess champion? He won the Western Australia’s Junior Chess Championship when he was just 10.

Jared Leto

• Suicide Squad, 2016

Jared Leto’s performance as the Joker in Suicide Squad may not have been given much notice, probably because Joker was a minor character in the movie. However, did you know that, during the Suicide Squad’s filming, Leto sent a love letter and a rat to Margot Robbie, the actress who played Harley Quinn? It’s still a puzzle why he did just that – probably to totally put himself into the craziness of the Joker’s mind – no one really knows.

Jared Leto's Joker c/o Pixabay/marijagavrilova

Joaquin Phoenix

• Joker, 2019

The recent Joker movie has got the attention of film critics and award-giving bodies. It has garnered several recognitions including Best Picture, Best Original Score, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix’s marvellous and realistic portrayal of the Joker. Did you know that Phoenix had to undergo an extreme diet routine for this job? He lost 53 pounds of his original weight.

So who is your favourite Joker actor? Why is he your favourite? Tell us about him in the comment section below.