Summary

• The Joker's legacy in live-action is rich, with each actor bringing a new twist to the iconic character's personality.
• Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix stand out as top contenders for the best live-action Joker portrayal, each winning Oscars for their performances.
• The arrival of a new Batman in The Brave and the Bold could mean a fresh face taking on the coveted role of the Joker in the DCU.

With a new live-action Batman set to debut in the DCU's The Brave and the Bold, there could be a new star joining the ranks of actors who've portrayed the Joker. As one of the most iconic Batman villains of all time, there have been multiple actors who have portrayed the Joker in numerous live-action film and TV adaptations. The Clown Prince of Crime remains a DC fan-favorite, regarded as being among the greatest comic book characters of all time. Naturally, he has been re-interpreted by various actors throughout a long history dating all the way back to 1940.

Every Joker actor has brought something new to the role, and the next one will join a storied legacy. Many actors have embraced the character's humorous tendencies, while others have made him a nightmarish character. In various Batman movies and shows, some actors have gone for more grounded and realistic takes on the Joker, while others have gone gloriously over the top. Whether the Joker will appear in The Brave and the Bold remains to be seen, but with a rich history to draw from, it's no mystery why the Joker is such a coveted role.

The Joker's Cinematic History Explained

The Joker is notable for his ever-changing origin story, but most agree that he started out as a petty criminal who was knocked into a vat of chemicals by Batman himself, leading to his colorful appearance and often-manic attitude. Each live-action adaptation of the villain has had its own origin story, though almost all versions are markedly dark, taking inspiration from the fact that the Joker is Batman's arch-nemesis in the pages of DC Comics. However, over time, the pair have struck up a sort of symbiotic relationship, each needing the other in some way, though this hasn't always been the case in live-action.

In total, there have been nine live-action adaptations of the Joker, though actually totaling ten, as Cameron Monaghan's Joker in Gotham is technically two different versions. Each version of the Joker is vastly different from the last, and while some like Heath Ledger's interpretation in The Dark Knight were positively received, others, including Jared Leto's iteration from Suicide Squad, were critically panned. While he didn't portray the character in live-action, Mark Hamill deserves an honorable mention for voicing the Joker across a range of media since 1992. Here are all the live-action versions of the Joker, and the actors who portrayed him.

Cesar Romero Played The Joker In Batman 1966

Cesar Romero brought the Joker to life for the first time in 1966's Batman TV series and film opposite Adam West as the Caped Crusader. Batman serials had been produced throughout the 1940s, but the Joker wouldn't face his arch-nemesis until this campy cult-classic series. Romero’s Joker favored elaborate pranks and hoaxes over murder though wasn’t opposed to the odd electrocution or two (administered via joy buzzer). Romero's Joker is intimidating, but in keeping with the tone of the 1960s Batman projects, never spilled blood or carried out violence beyond the occasional BAM or POW off-screen punch.

Romero famously refused to shave his mustache for the role — the dark hairs can still be visible underneath the Joker’s iconic white makeup. In addition to being an amusing piece of trivia, Romero’s laid-back approach stands in stark contrast to the intense process that would later define the role. Romero’s Joker was a product of the tongue-in-cheek confines of the '60s TV show and the limits of the time on how dark a character could truly be on traditional TV. Romero played the Joker across three seasons and a spin-off film, Batman: The Movie, in 1966.

Jack Nicholson Played The Joker In Batman '89

As the second live-action version of the Joker, Jack Nicholson played the villain in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman film, marking a change in public perception surrounding the character. This Joker killed many innocent people – a far cry from the fairly tame hijinks of Romero in the '60s. With the release of Batman, the Joker was suddenly “worthy” and “challenging” in the eyes of critics as a result of Nicholson’s casting. He was even nominated for a Golden Globe and a BAFTA in the wake of the film’s success. Nicholson is phenomenal, able to portray anarchic madmen perfectly, and he works opposite Michael Keaton’s stoic Batman with devilish glee.

For years, Nicholson's Joker was the version all actors had to compete with, and many fans online still want to see Jack Nicholson return as the Joker in the new DCU, though it doesn't seem likely he'll pop up in The Brave and the Bold. Despite meeting a grisly end in Batman, Nicholson’s Joker was set to return in Batman Unchained, a proposed fifth film in the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher series, as a hallucination caused by the Scarecrow. Sadly, after 1997's Batman & Robin bombed, the studio decided to go in a different direction, canceling Batman Unchained and, with it, any possibility that Nicholson would ever return to the role.

Roger Stoneburner Played The Joker In The Birds Of Prey TV Series (2002-2003)

Despite only appearing as a cameo during the pilot episode of 2002's Birds of Prey, Roger Stoneburner's Joker played a huge role in the series. The Joker was revealed to have shot Dina Meyer's Barbara Gordon, leaving her paralyzed, which would be an important storyline for the series as she battled with her identity as Batgirl. For the series, though Stoneburner portrayed the Joker on-screen, the villain was actually voiced by none other than Mark Hamill, marking his first official live-action "appearance" as the villain that he had already voiced for a decade.

Heath Ledger Played The Joker In The Dark Knight