Every Actor Who's Played The Joker In Live-Action
Robert King
Published Mar 29, 2026
One of the most iconic villains of all time, the Joker pops up in various live-action films and TV shows; here’s every actor who’s played the part.
This article contains spoilers for The Batman.
As one of the most iconic Batman villains of all time, the Joker has appeared in numerous live-action movie and TV adaptations. Going by the moniker of the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker remains a fan-favorite DC character and regularly tops lists of the greatest comic book characters of all time. Naturally, the Joker has been re-interpreted by various writers, artists, animators, and actors throughout his long history that started all the way back in 1940. Different iterations have seen the Joker portrayed as everything from a maniacally laughing nuisance to a cold-blooded killer, and sometimes both at once.
Batman's Joker is famous for his ever-changing origin story; however, most agree that he was likely a petty criminal who was knocked into a vat of chemicals by Batman, and his appearance and attitude are the result of the permanent chemical effects. Fittingly, just as the fictional Joker's origin is unclear, the creative origin is also disputed with Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson claiming credit while only acknowledging some contribution from Bill Finger's writing. While he was set to be killed off in his initial run, editorial intervention kept him alive and allowed him to live on as Batman's archnemesis. Over time, their relationship has developed to become one of the most complex in the superhero genre — with the continuing sense that Batman needs the Joker in some fundamental way, and vice versa.
Over the years, a total of seven actors (playing eight versions of the character) have played the Joker in movies and TV projects. And 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; his animated take on the character commonly referred to as “the one that Batman fans hear in their heads when they read the comics.” Here’s a run-down of every actor to ever play the Joker, excluding unofficial or fan films, and only counting live-action portrayals.
Click here to watch Every Live-Action Joker Actor on YouTube.
Cesar Romero Played The Joker In Batman 1966
While there were a few Batman serials produced throughout the 1940s, he wouldn’t face his arch-nemesis in live-action until the campy cult-classic '60s TV show where Cesar Romero debuted as the Joker opposite Adam West’s Batman. Leaning into the trippy and bizarre spirit of the character and an emphasis on the clown aspect, Romero’s Joker favored elaborate pranks and hoaxes over outright murder — though wasn’t opposed to the odd electrocution or two (administered via joy buzzer) when his henchmen needed a kick.
Romero, famously vain, refused to shave his mustache for the role — the dark hairs visible underneath the Joker’s iconic white makeup for most, if not all, of his run. In addition to being an amusing piece of trivia, Romero’s laid-back approach stands in stark contrast to the intense, psyche-breaking process that would later define the role in the eyes of the media. Romero’s Joker was a product of its tongue-in-cheek confines of the 60s TV show and the limits of the time and 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
Jack Nicholson’s Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) marked a change in public perception surrounding the character. The villain was suddenly “worthy” and “challenging” in the eyes of snobby 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 in the role, able to portray anarchic madmen better than just about anybody, and works opposite Michael Keaton’s stoic Batman with devilish glee. Full of odd ticks and quirky choices, Jack Nicholson’s Joker doesn’t hold anything back; more ruthless and sadistic than anything audiences had seen within the superhero genre up until that point.
Despite meeting a grisly end during Batman’s climax, Nicholson’s Joker was set to return in Batman Unchained, a proposed fifth film in the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher series wherein Nicholson would reprise the role as a hallucination caused by the Scarecrow. Sadly, after Batman & Robin (1997) bombed hard, the studio decided to go in a different direction, canceling Batman Unchained and, with it, any real possibility that Nicholson would ever return to the role he helped define.
Heath Ledger Played The Joker In The Dark Knight
While Jack Nicholson received acclaim and awards nominations for his take on the Joker, the late Heath Ledger actually won an Academy Award for playing the role in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (2008): another important development as far as the legacy of the character is concerned, and one that would raise the bar for all subsequent portrayals. Nolan’s take on the Batman mythos involved grounding the characters in a more violent, contemporary setting than audiences had grown accustomed to in superhero movies, with Heath Ledger’s Joker representing one of America’s biggest fears: terrorism. As a result, he was absolutely terrifying, though still conveyed the character’s twisted sense of humor, and remains the high-water mark against which all other Jokers are compared.
Sadly, Heath Ledger passed away from an accidental prescription drug overdose before The Dark Knight’s release, unable to enjoy the film’s overwhelming success or, indeed, collect his Oscar. After Ledger’s death, reports began to circulate that his experience playing the Joker was partly to blame; painting the actor as dangerously method, citing his self-imposed isolation period and in-character journals as “evidence” of some kind of breakdown. Though others involved in The Dark Knight’s production have said that Ledger was very proud of his work on the film and enjoyed the experience immensely (suffering from issues unrelated to his performance), the weight of his death and subsequent media frenzy has continued to loom large in the public consciousness — creating the worrying misconception that, in order for the Joker to be played correctly, an actor has to go to extreme, possibly life-threatening, lengths.
Jared Leto Played The Joker In Suicide Squad & Zack Snyder's Justice League
With DC keen to establish their own cinematic universe akin to Marvel’s MCU, Jared Leto was announced to play the Joker in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but his role was excised from the final film — with Leto debuting in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad instead. Given his reputation as an intense method actor, often said to remain in-character throughout each shoot, Leto’s casting exacerbated the idea that playing the Joker could cause psychological harm.
Leto’s Joker is something of a departure from previous portrayals; more like a pimp than a clown, complete with tattoos, grills, and a cane. While critics applauded Leto’s performance that highlighted the toxicity of his relationship with Harley Quinn, DC’s fanbase was more critical. Jared Leto did not return for James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, but did reprise his role in Zack Snyder’s Justice League (often dubbed the “Snyder Cut”).
Cameron Monaghan Played The Joker In Gotham
Initially set to tell the story of Jim Gordon's early days in Gotham City Police Department before being expanded to incorporate the misadventures of a young Bruce Wayne, Gotham ran for five seasons on the Fox network — introducing two new versions of the Joker, both played by Cameron Monaghan. While the show’s writers were keen to incorporate the Joker wholesale, they realized that his origin is dependent on Batman and, therefore, wouldn’t work within the prequel’s timeline. Instead, they decided to utilize various elements of the Joker’s personality, with twin brothers Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska acting as cultural predecessors to the actual Joker.
Monaghan was largely well-received in both roles, becoming a fan-favorite addition to the series — even if his status as an “official” Joker actor is dubious, given how Gotham ends: leaving the audience to question whether Monaghan’s remaining twin would become the Joker, or rather inspire another character to take up the mantle. Curiously, the idea of the Joker as some kind of social influencer has been gaining traction in recent years, which is a worrying sign of the times, no doubt, with political dissatisfaction and unrest being felt across much of America.
Joaquin Phoenix Played The Joker In Joker
After a few shared universe failures, DC put less emphasis on the DC Extended Universe for a time, deciding instead to produce an R-rated, standalone Joker movie in direct contrast to Marvel’s MCU and their family-friendly approach to the superhero genre. Director Todd Phillips re-cast the Joker, attracting actor Joaquin Phoenix to the Martin Scorcese-inspired project. More closely resembling a psychological thriller than a traditional superhero movie, Joker was a critical and financial success, becoming the first R-rated film to gross over a billion dollars, with Phoenix winning an Academy Award for the role like the late Heath Ledger before him.
While many enjoyed Phillips’ bleak reimagining of the Joker’s origin story, others found it to be overwhelmingly mean-spirited — though Phoenix’s portrayal was generally praised across the board, with most of the film’s issues stemming from its intensely nihilistic tone and underdeveloped supporting characters. While intended to be a standalone film, its success has led to the possibility of a Joker sequel, with Phillips and Phoenix expressing interest in returning, though no official announcements have been made thus far. Either way, Joker is likely to inspire a wave of R-rated comic book movies in its wake; miles away from the campy days of Cesar Romero, and a boon for insecure man-babies everywhere.
Barry Keoghan Played The Joker In The Batman
While Matt Reeves' The Batman introduced the world to new takes on The Riddler (Paul Dano) and The Penguin ( Colin Farrell), as well as a new Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), there was also space for a brand new Joker as well. Billed only as Unknown Arkham Inmate, Barry Keoghan appeared in a brief cameo behind an Arkham State Hospital cell door, seducing the Riddler into a partnership for The Batman 2 or beyond. Keoghan's role was kept secret up to release, and while his new Joker in The Batman was unnamed, the distinctive Joker laugh and hints of a heavily scarred face offered major hints of who he really was. Matt Reeves then confirmed The Batman's Joker cameo, immediately after release, but refused to confirm if he would return in the direct sequel: "I don't know that the Joker would be in the next movie, but I can tell you that here's what you're seeing, is an early days version of this character, and trouble, as always, is brewing in Gotham."
The Batman's Joker is hidden in shadow, but Barry Keoghan's version looks incredibly scarred, not just around his mouth. That could mean his Joker will draw from the New 52 version of the character and specifically the Death Of The Family Joker who removed his whole face in an effort to prove he was still himself even without his mask. Given the Riddler's arc and the symbolism of masks, it would make sense that this Joker would align himself with Dano's Gotham terrorist.
Other Notable Joker Actors
While plenty of actors have portrayed the Joker in live-action, even more have picked up the role of the Clown Prince of Crime as voice actors for animated movies, TV series, and video games and they also deserve a mention. The most iconic voice of the Joker is undoubtedly Mark Hamil who brought a new idea to the role that would define the approach of those who came after him. Hamil voiced the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, The Arkham video games, Justice League, and Batman: The Killing Joke among countless other appearances.
Hamil is not alone in having an impact on the role of the Joker, however, and many other big names have voiced him. In the Harley Quinn animated series, Alan Tudyk plays the character, known for his role as Wash in Firefly and whose move to another DC role was mocked when he could not return to play Mr. Nobody in Doom Patrol season 2. Troy Baker, who voiced Joel in The Last of Us voiced the Joker in Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem, Zach Galifianakis took the role for The LEGO Batman Movie, John DiMaggio voiced The Joker in Batman: Under The Red Hood, and Kevin Michael Richardson took on the strange character in the stranger adaptation The Batman Vs. Dracula. This extensive list of voice actors behind The Joker only scratches the surface and with DC extending to podcasts with Batman: Unburied and Batman: The Audio Adventures, the list is only set to grow.
