There have been a number of actors to voice the Joker in the world of animation, though the actor who arguably stands out the most in fans’ minds is the one and only Mark Hamill. From the moment he first debuted as the voice of the Clown Prince of Crime in Batman: The Animated Series, his sinister and silly presence has delighted fans of all ages. So it can honestly be a bit jarring when someone else takes on the role. In Batman: Death in the Family, John DiMaggio voices the crazed villain, and he recently revealed that he received feedback on his performance from Hamill himself.
Joh DiMaggio is a fan of all the incarnations of the Joker, and loves having that sort of “weird” kinship with his fellow actors. And according to DiMaggio, it’s this bond that led Mark Hamill to share his thoughts on his take on Joker for Death in the Family:
I appreciate all the other Jokers and stuff like that and they appreciate me. We’re kind of like this weird fraternity of actors that have played the part. It’s kind of fun. You know you did OK when Mark Hamill says, ‘John, I love what you did with the Joker. It’s great!’
It’s great to hear John DiMaggio speak so warmly about his fellow Jokers with SYFY WIRE. What’s even better is hearing that Mark Hamill had nothing but positive thoughts when it came to his performance. Both DiMaggio and Hamill are two of the most well-known voice actors in the industry, and you just love to see two legends show each other love.
Mark Hamill has played the Joker numerous times over different mediums. While most of his work has been featured in Bruce Timm’s DC Animated Universe, he’s also appeared as the character in shows and movies like Justice League Action and Batman: The Killing Joke. He’s also brought the character to life in the video game realm, with some of his most notable work coming in the Batman: Arkham franchise.
Although he’s the most recognizable voice of the character, it’s still fun to see what other actors can bring to the character. In that fraternity of actors, Hamill and DiMaggio are joined by a large group that includes people like voice-acting veteran Kevin Michael Richardson (The Batman) and even Star Trek alum Brent Spiner. One of the most recent additions to the group is Alan Tudyk, who gives an excellent rendition of the character on DC Universe’s Harley Quinn.
Regardless of who voices the Joker, it can absolutely be said that the character’s legacy is in good hands with Mark Hamill, John DiMaggio and so many others.
You can hear DiMaggio’s work in Batman: Under the Red Hood and the upcoming Death in the Family, which is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
