If you are asking who plays the Joker in the movie, the answer depends on which film you mean. Heath Ledger played the Joker in The Dark Knight (2008), Joaquin Phoenix played him in Joker (2019) and Joker: Folie à Deux (2024), Jack Nicholson played him in Batman (1989), Jared Leto played him in Suicide Squad (2016), and Cesar Romero played him in the 1966 Batman feature film. Barry Keoghan also appears as a version of the character in The Batman (2022).
Every Actor Who Has Played the Joker in a Movie
- Cesar Romero: Batman: The Movie (1966)
- Jack Nicholson: Batman (1989)
- Heath Ledger: The Dark Knight (2008)
- Jared Leto: Suicide Squad (2016)
- Joaquin Phoenix: Joker (2019) and Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
- Barry Keoghan: brief appearance in The Batman (2022)
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (2008)
Ledger played the Joker opposite Christian Bale as Batman in Christopher Nolan's second Batman film. His version is chaotic, unkempt and unpredictable, with a scarred smile and a shifting backstory he never confirms. Ledger died in January 2008, before the film's release, and was awarded the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the performance.
Joaquin Phoenix in Joker (2019) and Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, a struggling comedian in Gotham City whose descent leads him to adopt the Joker identity. This version sits outside the Batman films as a standalone story, though a sequel followed in 2024 with Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. Phoenix won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the first film.
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Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989)
Nicholson played Jack Napier, a mob enforcer who falls into a vat of chemicals and becomes the Joker in Tim Burton's Batman. His take is theatrical and flamboyant, closer in spirit to the comic book villain than later screen versions.
Jared Leto in Suicide Squad (2016)
Leto played the Joker in the DC Extended Universe, with a short but heavily marketed role in Suicide Squad. His design included tattoos and a metallic grin, and he also appeared in the 2021 director's cut released as Zack Snyder's Justice League.
Cesar Romero in Batman: The Movie (1966)
Romero brought the Joker from the 1960s television series to the big screen. He famously refused to shave his mustache and simply painted white makeup over it, which is why the mustache is still visible in close shots.
The Batman (2022): Barry Keoghan
Matt Reeves' The Batman stars Robert Pattinson as Batman and Paul Dano as the Riddler. Barry Keoghan appears in a small scene as a prisoner who becomes the Joker, though the role was kept quiet before release and expanded in a deleted scene.
Why the Confusion Happens
People often search who plays the Joker in the movie after seeing one specific film, then get results for a different actor. A quick way to sort it out:
- Name the film, not just the character.
- Check the release year, since 1989, 2008, 2016, 2019 and 2022 all have different actors.
- Remember that Phoenix's films are separate from the Batman series.
Once you match the year to the actor, the answer is straightforward.