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The 8 Faces Of Anarchy: Every Major Actor Who Has Played The Joker (UPDATED 2025)

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The Joker is arguably the most iconic villain in comic book history, a chaotic entity whose power lies in his unpredictable nature and the sheer number of brilliant actors who have dared to embody him. This ever-evolving role has become a cinematic rite of passage, with each new performer—from the 1960s television icon to the modern, Oscar-winning psychopath—redefining the Clown Prince of Crime for a new generation.

As of today, December 24, 2025, the conversation around "who has played the Joker" is more current than ever, with two distinct live-action versions active on screen and a highly anticipated musical sequel on the horizon. This deep dive explores the complete list of actors who have brought the agent of chaos to life, detailing the unique choices and lasting legacy of each performance.

The Lineage of Laughter: A Complete List of Live-Action Joker Actors and Their Biography

The Joker has been portrayed by a select group of actors in major live-action films and television series, each offering a radically different interpretation of the character’s madness. Here is a look at the key players who have worn the purple suit.

  • Cesar Romero (1966–1968)
    • Full Name: Cesar Julio Romero Jr.
    • Born: February 15, 1907, in New York City, New York.
    • Key Roles: The Joker in Batman (1966 TV Series and Movie), Frank Sinatra's rival in Ocean's 11.
    • Legacy: The original live-action Joker, known for his flamboyant, campy, and harmlessly maniacal portrayal.
  • Jack Nicholson (1989)
    • Full Name: John Joseph Nicholson
    • Born: April 22, 1937, in Neptune City, New Jersey.
    • Key Roles: The Joker in Batman (1989), Jack Torrance in The Shining, Randle McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
    • Legacy: A Hollywood legend whose performance brought a gangster-like menace and dark humor to the role, setting the tone for modern comic book cinema.
  • Heath Ledger (2008)
    • Full Name: Heath Andrew Ledger
    • Born: April 4, 1979, in Perth, Western Australia.
    • Key Roles: The Joker in The Dark Knight, Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain.
    • Legacy: Posthumously won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his terrifying, anarchist portrayal.
  • Jared Leto (2016–2021)
    • Full Name: Jared Joseph Leto
    • Born: December 26, 1971, in Bossier City, Louisiana.
    • Key Roles: The Joker in Suicide Squad and Zack Snyder's Justice League, Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club (Oscar winner).
    • Legacy: His distinct, gangster-inspired "Damaged" Joker was a controversial, method-acting interpretation of the character.
  • Joaquin Phoenix (2019–Present)
    • Full Name: Joaquin Rafael Phoenix
    • Born: October 28, 1974, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
    • Key Roles: Arthur Fleck/Joker in Joker and Joker: Folie à Deux, Commodus in Gladiator, Johnny Cash in Walk the Line.
    • Legacy: Won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the mentally ill, failed comedian Arthur Fleck, turning the Joker into an anti-hero.
  • Cameron Monaghan (2015–2019)
    • Full Name: Cameron Riley Monaghan
    • Born: August 16, 1993, in Santa Monica, California.
    • Key Roles: Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska in the Gotham TV series, Ian Gallagher in Shameless.
    • Legacy: Masterfully played two proto-Joker characters (Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska), navigating a complex legal landscape to deliver a unique, pre-Joker origin story.
  • Barry Keoghan (2022–Present)
    • Full Name: Barry Keoghan
    • Born: October 18, 1992, in Dublin, Ireland.
    • Key Roles: Unnamed Inmate/Joker in The Batman, Oliver Quick in Saltburn, Dominic Kearney in The Banshees of Inisherin (Oscar nominee).
    • Legacy: Introduced a terrifying, scarred, and highly-anticipated new version of the villain in the closing moments of The Batman.

The Evolution of Madness: From Campy Prankster to Agent of Chaos

The history of the Joker on screen is a mirror of cinematic trends, moving from the lighthearted antics of the Golden Age to the gritty realism of the modern era. Analyzing these different portrayals reveals how the character has maintained his status as Batman's ultimate nemesis.

Cesar Romero: The Original Laugh Riot

Cesar Romero was the first actor to bring the Joker to life in the 1960s Batman TV series and the subsequent 1966 Batman: The Movie. His version was a flamboyant, cackling prankster, perfectly suited for the show's campy, pop-art aesthetic. The most famous piece of trivia surrounding his performance is his dedication to his personal style: Romero famously refused to shave his trademark mustache for the role. The production team, in a bizarre compromise, simply painted white makeup over his facial hair, which is visible in close-up shots of the character.

Jack Nicholson: The Gangster Clown

In Tim Burton's 1989 film Batman, Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Jack Napier, the gangster who falls into a vat of chemicals, established the character as a force of true darkness. Nicholson’s Joker was a theatrical madman obsessed with art and self-promotion, a direct contrast to Romero's version. The film cemented the chemical bath as a canonical origin story for the character, though the Joker's true origins remain ambiguous in the comics.

Heath Ledger: The Anarchist and Method Actor

Heath Ledger’s performance in Christopher Nolan’s 2008 masterpiece, The Dark Knight, is widely regarded as one of the greatest cinematic villain portrayals of all time. Ledger employed intense method acting, famously isolating himself in a hotel room for a month to develop the Joker’s voice, mannerisms, and a handwritten diary filled with disturbing thoughts and images. His Joker was a force of pure anarchy, lacking any discernible motive other than to watch the world burn. The role tragically earned Ledger a posthumous Academy Award, solidifying his legacy as the definitive "Agent of Chaos."

The Modern Era: Origin Stories and Multiverse Madness (2016–2025)

The 21st century has seen the Joker fractured across multiple timelines, giving rise to distinct and often controversial interpretations.

Jared Leto: The Controversial "Damaged" Joker

Jared Leto’s take in 2016’s Suicide Squad introduced a heavily tattooed, flashy, and intensely modern gangster version of the villain. Leto, another method actor, reportedly sent strange gifts to his co-stars to maintain the character's unsettling presence off-screen. While critically divisive, his brief appearance in Zack Snyder's Justice League offered a more subdued, apocalyptic version of the character, demonstrating the villain's versatility across different director visions.

Joaquin Phoenix: Arthur Fleck and the Oscar-Winning Origin

Joaquin Phoenix’s 2019 film Joker, directed by Todd Phillips, broke new ground by focusing entirely on the villain’s origin. Phoenix played Arthur Fleck, a struggling, mentally ill stand-up comedian whose descent into madness is fueled by a decaying Gotham City and a complete lack of societal compassion. His performance earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, a rare feat for a comic book film. The latest news confirms Phoenix will reprise the role in the musical sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, set for release in 2024, co-starring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn.

Barry Keoghan: The Scarred and Subversive Newcomer

In Matt Reeves' 2022 film The Batman, Barry Keoghan made a brief, chilling appearance as an unnamed Arkham State Hospital inmate, confirmed to be the Joker. His portrayal featured a horrific, permanent grin and severe scarring, suggesting a different, more physically damaged origin for the character. Keoghan's performance, though short, was highly praised for its potential, and he is widely expected to return as the main antagonist in the upcoming The Batman: Part II, continuing the Dark Knight's new cinematic universe.

The Undisputed King of the Voice: Mark Hamill

While the live-action actors draw the most press, no discussion of the Joker is complete without mentioning the definitive voice of the character: Mark Hamill.

Mark Hamill, best known as Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars franchise, has voiced the Joker since 1992, beginning with Batman: The Animated Series. His high-pitched, manic, and theatrical laugh—often considered the most iconic of all Joker laughs—has defined the character for an entire generation of fans across animated television, films (like Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and Batman: The Killing Joke), and the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham video game series.

Other notable voice actors who have contributed to the Joker's legacy include Michael Emerson (The Dark Knight Returns), Troy Baker (Batman: Arkham Origins), and Zach Galifianakis (The LEGO Batman Movie), demonstrating that the Joker’s voice is as varied and chaotic as his personality.

Topical Authority and Key Entities in Joker Lore

The Joker's enduring appeal lies in his deep comic book roots and the creative teams that birthed him. The character was created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson, first appearing in Batman #1 in 1940. He is famously referred to as the Clown Prince of Crime and the Jester of Genocide, epithets that capture his dual nature of humor and horror. Current DC Comics continuity has even introduced the concept of "three different Joker entities," suggesting the villain is less a single man and more an enduring, chaotic force. The constant stream of new actors ensures that, like the comic book source material, the Joker will continue to be an unpredictable, terrifying, and endlessly fascinating entity for years to come.

who has played the joker
who has played the joker

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