The 12 Best Joker Voice Actors (That Aren't Mark Hamill)
As the old adage goes, a hero is only as good as their villain. In Batman's case, he's one of the greatest superheroes of all time, thanks in no small part to his arch-nemesis, the Joker. There aren't many classic Batman tales where the Clown Prince of Crime doesn't factor in some way. He's an astonishing character, depicted in various forms on the big and small screen. Who can forget Jack Nicholson's portrayal in 1989's "Batman," directed by Tim Burton? Or Cesar Romano's campy take in the classic "Batman" TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward? Heck, Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix won Academy Awards for donning white makeup and the iconic purple suit in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" and Todd Phillips' "Joker." There's no end to Joker's madness, and seeing the different iterations is always fascinating.
Perhaps the most memorable depiction of Joker comes from Mark Hamill, who voiced the clown in the famous "Batman: The Animated Series," the "Batman: Arkham" video games, and animated films such as "Batman: The Killing Joke" and "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker," among many others.
Still, there's only so much Hamill to go around. Since the Joker appears in so much content, I thought it'd be fun to rank the other distinguished actors who gave life to our favorite clown. So without further ado, here are the 12 best Joker voice actors that aren't Mark Hamill ranked from worst to best.
12. Tony Hale
Boasting breathtaking animation, incredible character designs, and thrilling action sequences, 2018's "Batman Ninja" is one of the more visually appealing animated Batman films. Tony Hale may not seem like a natural choice to play the Joker. After all, this is the man who gave life to Buster Bluth on "Arrested Development" and Gary Walsh on "Veep." Surprisingly, he delivers a solid, if unremarkable, performance as the clown.
"Joker really sports some sass," Hale said during the film's premiere. "He has this kind of circus aspect to him and mixed with the armor and the ninja and the green ponytail. He's a little bit of a fashion icon."
Indeed, this Joker stands out in terms of his overall theatrical appearance and flamboyant personality. Hale gives the character plenty of menace, but there's perhaps too much Buster Bluth in his voice — something that only a die-hard "Arrested Development" fan like me will notice. So those not accustomed to the actor's iconic roles will likely enjoy his wild interpretation or, at the very least, admire the view.
11. Jeff Bennett
Unabashedly campy in the spirit of those old Adam West TV shows, "Batman: the Brave and the Bold" sees Jeff Bennett don the mantle of the "Clown Prince of Chaos," with mostly successful results. To his credit, Bennett doesn't try to mimic Mark Hamill, instead choosing to play his version of Joker with a deeper voice than many might expect. Instead, he's classier than your average supervillain, even if his shenanigans align more with Cesar Romero than Heath Ledger.
This clown is more of a practical joker, a villain who isn't afraid to wear a whoopee cushion on his head and sing his troubles away in an elaborate musical number. He's also willing to occasionally bend his rules by teaming up with rival criminals and even Batman. Still, he behaves too much like an annoying child equipped with endless punchlines. He never seems threatening. That's not Bennett's fault, as "Brave and the Bold" carries a much lighter aesthetic than your typical Dark Knight series. Under the right circumstances, Bennett could prove a formidable Joker. As is, he's not menacing enough to rank higher on the list.
10. Jason Spisak
My love of "Batman: Hush" plays a massive part in this ranking. I adore the comic and the animated version. I await the day when someone in Hollywood gets wise and adapts it as a feature film. But, alas, until that day arrives, the terrific 2019 animated adaptation will have to do.
Joker only gets a few scenes in this one, but as voiced by Jason Spisak, the killer clown is quite memorable, particularly during a scene in which Batman battles Clayface in prison. Joker comments on the action and hilariously grows agitated when Clayface calls him a freak. "Are you going to let him insult me like that," he snaps at the Dark Knight. Earlier, Batman, thinking Joker committed murder, beats the villain to a bloody pulp, and the clown can do nothing but laugh. Eventually, our hero relents and staggers away, leaving Joker to ask Jim Gordon, "Who's Robin these days?"
Spisak captures the essence of the Joker right down to his laugh. It's a shame he's only reprised the role in comedy fare such as "Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Gotham City Breakout" and "Teen Titans Go!" because he's excellent when given the right material.
9. Zach Galifianakis
This entry is a little harder to judge because "The LEGO Batman Movie" is essentially a parody of all things Batman. Zach Galifianakis is perfectly fine as the Joker but is more of an oddball than a dangerous threat. It's for kids, folks. I mean, the Eye of Sauron and Lord Voldemort appear in cameos. Director Chris McKay isn't exactly swinging for psychological drama here.
"LEGO Batman" is fun and owes much of its success to Will Arnett and Galifianakis, whose intricate relationship as Batman and Joker drives the plot. The longtime enemies learn how much they need one another, emotionally and professionally. Galifianakis gives Joker plenty of menace in the early portions of the film and manages to make him both threatening and sympathetic. I'd rank his performance slightly higher if this were a more traditional Bat flick.
As is, Galifianakis' Joker fits nicely into the wild antics of "The LEGO Batman Movie" but isn't quite up to snuff with others on this list.
8. Richard Epcar
Joker can't just be a wacky clown. He needs to be scary. Otherwise, the character is more a pest than a dastardly villain. Richard Epcar goes the extra mile to give his version of Joker a darker side in the video game series "Injustice: Gods Among Us" and "Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe" (where he also voices Raiden). His Joker speaks like a thespian but growls much of his dialogue. Typically, Joker possesses a certain quality that almost makes him likable. Here, he's a madman, nearly too smart for his own good. He slaps around Harley Quinn, tricks Superman into murdering Lois, and blows up Metropolis with a nuclear bomb. This Joker is more ambitious than his counterparts.
Epcar still has fun with the character. After defeating a wounded Batman in combat, Joker slithers away just as Hawkgirl approaches. The winged superhero punches Bats, causing Joker (hiding nearby) to muse, "And me without my camera. I coulda gotten ten million hits!" Epcar does the Clown Prince of Gotham proud, even if his take doesn't quite stick as well as the others ranked higher on the list.
7. Kevin Michael Richardson
If you close your eyes and listen to Kevin Michael Richardson's Joker in "The Batman," you might assume it's Mark Hamill. Seriously, the man deserves kudos for perfectly mimicking Hamill's voice and obnoxious laugh. Still, Richardson infuses his Joker with a terrifying growl that emerges whenever he loses his cool — which is often.
I'm not overly fond of the look of Joker in this one. The long, green dreads are too much for my taste. His unexplained ability to match Batman's karate skills defeats the contrasting character dynamic between the two foes. In a different spin on Batman's rogues' gallery, every villain, including Penguin, knows how to fight in this show. It's just not for me.
Negatives aside, Richardson makes an imposing Joker. He's a colorful villain not to be trifled with. Maybe one day, the actor will lend his incredible voice to a more worthwhile project.
6. Troy Baker
It's not easy to follow up on classic video games like "Batman: Arkham Asylum" and "Batman: Arkham City," much less one of Mark Hamill's most outstanding performances as the Joker, but WB Games Montréal and Troy Baker do a fine job in "Batman: Arkham Origins." The prequel chronicles Batman's first encounter with the Joker and sees the formation of their strange bond. While not as engaging as the previous two entries (or "Arkham Knight," for that matter), "Arkham Origins" is still entertaining enough to satisfy Batman fans.
For his part, Baker deserves kudos. His Joker is still an up-and-coming criminal and a little rougher around the edges but quite formidable. The actor would reprise the character in the terrific animated film "Batman: Assault on Arkham" and is one of the few people who have voiced both Batman and Joker along with Robin and Two-Face in various mediums.
I'd love to see more from the guy, as his Joker is darker and edgier, particularly in his dealings with Harley Quinn. Until then, I rank Baker in the middle of the pack as a decent but not exceptional clown.
5. Brent Spiner
More mature than your average Saturday morning cartoon, "Young Justice" chronicles the rise of aspiring superheroes such as Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, and Speedy. Naturally, Joker figures into a few episodes and even plays a part in Batgirl's paralysis at the hands of Cassandra Wu-San — a clever play on "The Killing Joke" storyline. As voiced by "Star Trek: The Next Generation" veteran Brent Spiner, this Joker is straight-up evil and unpredictable, albeit prone to lengthy monologues that devolve into temper tantrums.
Spiner is quite good in the role, but it's hard to judge a character that only appears twice in a four-season series. Still, he makes the most of his limited screen time and leaves quite the impression. The actor returned to the character for "Batman: The Audio Adventures," an exciting radio take on the Caped Crusader that utilizes the voice talents of Jeffrey Wright (as Batman), Chris Parnell, John Leguizamo, Rosario Dawson, and Kenan Thompson, among others. The Clown Prince of Crime gets more to do here. He is far scarier, with Spiner portraying him as a suave, maniacal madman who makes "Andy Griffith" jokes and holds Gotham City in a perpetual state of fear.
Seriously, this show deserves more attention than it's received, and Spiner is merely one of the reasons why it works so well. For that reason, he gets a top vote.
4. Alan Tudyk
Like everything in HBO's "Harley Quinn," Alan Tudyk's portrayal of Joker is highly exaggerated, including his surprisingly poignant relationship with Harley. Yet, somehow Tudyk adds a certain level of gravitas to the character, morphing him from a maniacal clown to a slightly less maniacal clown with a soul. Sure, he still kills people. At one point, he melts off Scarecrow's face after the villain removes Batman's mask — but at least he feels an ounce of remorse for his actions.
He and Harley continue to prove toxic to one another, but they also see the error of their ways and become heroes in the process. And Joker becomes mayor of Gotham!
While not subtle, this satirical series gets points for its clever deconstruction of villains and superheroes. Tudyk gets more to do with Joker than his counterparts, enjoying a complete character arc that gives the actor plenty to chew on. Even so, he's not quite on the level of Hamill or the two actors above him, if only because, well, it's not really the Joker we see in "Harley Quinn." Outside of Season 1, he's more of a goofy co-star than an outright villain. I appreciate the unique approach, but ranking this iteration higher than any traditional Joker seems inappropriate.
3. Anthony Ingruber
"Batman: The Telltale Series" is an incredible game filled with delicious twists and turns and fine voice acting from its cast. Into the Joker's shoes steps Anthony Ingruber, whose take is more human than others on this list but no less frightening.
"Telltale was looking for elements of the three greatest Jokers to ever exist and something that would encapsulate and be reminiscent of those voices but then, also original," Ingruber said in an interview, during which he performed imitations of Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Hamill. "Growing up with this character, I picture him as this psychotic, ranting lunatic. They wanted me to do something completely original, to sort of play it more subtle."
Joker initially appears in the first game as "John Doe" and eventually joins Batman's quest to stop Riddler. Players determine John's fate, and their decisions will either see the man transform into the classic Joker or a vigilante operating on Batman's side. At any rate, Ingruber gives the character plenty of pathos, enough to make one wish for a happier ending for the guy. Unfortunately, this is Batman, and all roads lead to darkness — and I mean that in a good way.
2. John DiMaggio
Animation fans likely know John DiMaggio well. DiMaggio lent his voice to popular shows such as "Futurama" and "Kim Possible." Still, he left quite an impression when he applied his best cackle to the Joker in "Batman: Death in the Family" and "Batman: Under the Red Hood." His take plays like a mixture between Mark Hamill and Heath Ledger. While his voice might be rougher than others on this list, he nails the manic nature of the character.
For example, in "Under the Red Hood," Black Mask breaks Joker out of prison and explains that he needs help defeating the mysterious Red Hood. Joker calmly listens to the villain's pitch and asks for a glass of water. For no reason, he smashes the cup, cuts the throat of the nearest henchman, and proceeds to kill the other guards in the room before accepting the deal. He lets out a wicked laugh that's downright chilling before noting, "I'll need men. Not these men because they're dead."
This Joker isn't funny. He's mean. When he laughs, it's typically at the expense of one of his victims.
"I just decided to approach it as the reality of evil and really tried to play that: the unpredictability, the chaotic evil of the character," DiMaggio tells SyFy Wire. Mission accomplished.
1. Michael Emerson
For me, Michael Emerson's Joker in "The Dark Knight Returns — Parts 1 and 2" is one of the scariest depictions of the character to date. Intelligent, sophisticated, but undeniably insane, this depiction of the Clown Prince of Crime carries weight and a smidge of pathos due to his connection with Batman.
When we first see Joker, he's comatose and living in an asylum, his life seemingly without purpose following the Dark Knight's retirement. At the end of Part 1, Batman makes his reappearance known and unwittingly pulls Joker from his long slumber, resulting in the clown's appearance on a talk show (complete with Conan O'Brien voicing the host) that goes about as well as one would expect. Joker goes on a killing spree before a shocking and violent final confrontation with Bats.
Emerson crafts a calm, cool, collected Joker who occasionally lapses into bursts of violence. At first glance, he doesn't appear to be much of a threat, but when his inner clown is finally unleashed, we see why he made Batman's life a living hell all those years ago. The fact that he meets up with his arch nemesis in a "tunnel of love" plays up Joker's bizarre admiration of Batman, adding a unique bit of subtext to their rivalry. Emerson's Joker doesn't trump Mark Hamill's, but his take is nuanced and exciting. It's too bad he only turned out for one performance.