Mark Hamill played Joker in live-action 22 years ago, but the DC production is rarely remembered. Mark Hamill is responsible for one of the most beloved depictions of Joker that debuted in Batman: The Animated Series, though he has reprised the role for several other animated productions such as Justice League and Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Due to how prolific he has been with the character across animation, Hamill is often considered the archetypal voice for the Joker, while Heath Ledger is often considered the quintessential Joker in live-action.

There was a significant gulf between cinematic live-action depictions of Joker between Jack Nicholson’s Jack Napier in 1989 and Heath Ledger’s Joker in 2008. This intervening period was ostensibly Mark Hamill’s Joker era as he embodied the role most often in animation. This would extend to the only significant live-action depiction of Joker to occur between Batman and The Dark Knight, though it would admittedly arrive in a long-since-forgotten TV series.

Birds Of Prey Had Mark Hamill Play The Role Of The Joker

Mark Hamill’s Voice Was Dubbed Over A Joker Scene

Birds of Prey was a DC show that ran for one season between October 2002 and February 2003. It depicted the eponymous team comprising Helena Kyle/Huntress, Barbra Gordon/Batgirl/Oracle, and Dinah Redmond/Black Canary and their allies Alfred Pennyworth and Detective Jesse Reese operating in New Gotham, which has been abandoned by Batman. Harley Quinn embodies the role of arch-villain as she masterminds the challenges faced by the heroic team. Joker, meanwhile, plays a very minor role.

Ashley Scott reprised her role as Helena Kyle for the
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Arrowverse event.

Joker is revealed to be responsible for paralyzing Barbra Gordon in a flashback sequence where he shoots her. The Joker’s face is blurred, but he is physically portrayed by Roger Stoneburner. His appearance is dubbed, however, by the unmistakable voice of Mark Hamill, who delivers just one line: “Knock knock…who’s there? Batgirl. Past tense,” before unleashing his signature maniacal cackle. As Birds of Prey was not renewed for a second season, it remains unclear what the show had intended for the character in the future, though the awkward dubbing-over of his lines may have been difficult to repeat.

Why Mark Hamill Only Played The Voice Of The Joker

Roger Stoneburner Was Likely A Better Physical Match For The Joker

Mark Hamill revealed that he was the only one who received credit for lending his voice to the character of the Joker despite Stoneburner portraying him physically, which he called “Unfair” on X. Dubbing the Joker’s line likely stemmed from the creative decision to have a younger actor portray the role, as Hamill would have been around 50 years old at this time. The decision to use Hamill’s voice at the time when he was most synonymous with the character, meanwhile, is hardly surprising.

Nevertheless, Mark Hamill’s tenure as the Trickster in CW’s The Flash is largely viewed as his live-action Joker without makeup.

Nevertheless, Mark Hamill’s tenure as the Trickster in CW’s The Flash is largely viewed as his live-action Joker without makeup. Now that Hamill is 73, the chances of him ever reprising the role for a future live-action DC movie are decidedly slim, especially after he retired from the role in the wake of the death of his late co-star, Kevin Conroy. Still, if an upcoming DC project necessitates an older version of Joker, then demand for Hamill to take on the role will no doubt be extremely high.

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Source: Mark Hamill/X