Perhaps as an actor, one of the toughest roles to take on is that of a twisted, psychologically damaged character. Take the Joker, for instance- the ultimate nightmare of every psychiatrist in the world, who has no compassion or qualms about wiping out entire communities. Usually, when an actor steps into a role, there is a certain logic to the character’s actions, allowing them to settle in and play as if they would do the same. But with the Joker, there is no rhyme or reason, no logic, and no pattern. 

Playing someone like that and while transforming into something completely different is no easy task. And even harder is breaking free from that headspace afterwards. So, here are some actors who were bold enough to take on such a complex role- ranking from worst to best. 

It is well known that Troy Baker is a legend in the world of impressions and voice acting. The guy has taken on the roles of both Batman and the Joker in various projects, and he has done an excellent job with each. He lent his voice to the Joker in Batman: Arkham Origins, where he really made the character come alive. However, some people had pointed out that he seemed to be imitating Mark Hamill, the predecessor.

Fans would have rather prefered Baker bringing his own unique style to the role, like many other voice actors do, instead of doing a younger version of Hamill’s Joker. This disappointed fans regarding Baker’s portrayal of the character. 

Back in Gotham’s first season, no one could have ever imagined all the creative ways Cameron Monaghan would help bring a strangely unique Joker origin story to life. Though he was never officially called the Joker, Monaghan portrayed two different versions of the character. The original, Jerome, leaned more toward the classic Joker archetype, while later on, a more monstrous Jeremiah made his appearance.

Even though it had a bit of a cartoonish feel, Monaghan did a fantastic job balancing the humorous and serious aspects of how the Joker, or at least a character inspired by the supervillain and the archenemy of Batman, speaks and acts. It was both chilling and a lot of fun to watch. 

The only reason Barry Keoghan is so up in this list is because he was barely there in his movie. In the final cut of Matt Reeves' The Batman, fans were treated to tense closing scene where Paul Dano’s Riddler converses with a mysterious figure in Arkham Asylum. However, a five-minute deleted scene revealed that this figure was none other than Keoghan’s rendition of the Joker- lurking behind security glass. 

Keoghan’s creepy performance, even in those brief moments, with his chilling red smile and clownish green hair, left fans hungry for more. And hopefully, with the highly anticipated sequel to Matt Reeves’ The Batman on the way, Keoghan might step back into his sinister role.

Jared Leto’s Joker was always held back by his questionable character design, limited screen time, terrible tattoos, not to mention that shiny grill and somewhat cringy dialogues. Still, during his brief moments, Leto's version really caught people's eye with his erratic antics and slimy vibe- especially in the scene in Suicide Squad where he revealed how he took out Robin, and took a swing at all the Dark Knight’s failures.

In that particular moment, Leto's Joker gets lost in a psychological showdown before pulling a fast one and teaming up with him.

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This scene particularly showed how there is more to Leto’s character and all he needs is the right material to steal the show. 

Cesar Romero might not be the best-looking Joker to ever grace the screen, but he certainly laid the groundwork for all the Joker actors who followed. He appeared in the 1960s campy Batman live-action series and movie, and Romero did actually look like a clown- always on the brink of snapping, flipping from a common thug and harmless prankster to a full-blown homicidal maniac.

Romero was not a method actor, though. Unlike modern actors like Jared Leto, who took extreme steps, like sending creepy gifts to his co-stars, to get into Joker's consciousness, Romero refused to even shave his mustache- resulting in an inauthentic portrayal of the insanity. 

Jack Nicholson turned the Joker on its head, showing the world what the character could really be after the first major Joker to grace the big screen, Cesar Romero. His Joker was Gotham City come to life, and that was what made him so good at scaring the living daylights out of viewers. Nicholson's version of the Clown Prince of Crime actually seemed like he was having the time of his life while causing pain to others. 

Nicholson's Joker was not the goofy, silly, unscary clown like Cesar Romero’s take, nor did he come off as a tortured soul like the latest two Jokers. Instead, he was a whimsical sociopath through and through, which made him all the more chilling in Batman.

Joaquin Phoenix is hands down one of the most talked-about versions of the Joker, even though he was never the Joker in the classic sense. Phoenix’s Oscar-winning performance brought a fresh spin to the character, leaning into society’s flaws to explain the rise of the killer clown. But things started going downhill when the filmmakers tried to shoehorn in a strange tie-in with the traditional Batman backstory.

The film worked best when it was taken as a standalone tale of a troubled loner who used the Joker as loose inspiration. And with the box office letdown of Joker: Folie à Deux, Phoenix’s version has now become all the more polarizing for fans. 

Mark Hamill came the closest to giving us the real Joker. Even within the limits of cartoonland, he captured the Joker’s sadistic madness and his complete lack of giving a damn in Batman: The Animated Series and the Arkham games. Hamill’s Joker managed to be terrifying, campy, and hilarious all at once. There was no foul language or over-the-top violence, yet his longest-serving Joker still gave off a menacing vibe.

Hamill’s take on the Joker stayed true to what fans loved, but the Arkham games let him go darker, adding new layers to the character. Many say he peaked with Arkham City, which was Hamill’s biggest and most intense performance yet.

Heath Ledger is notoriously known for quite literally getting under the Joker’s skin while playing the role. It is said that he kept a diary to jot down the thoughts and feeling of Joker, which became his alter-ego for the time being, helping him fully tap into the character’s anarchic spirit. This method-acting approach let Ledger bring an unmatched level of detail and nuance to the part.

Ledger’s take brought a real sense of danger to the story for the first time. His Joker was not just a run-of-the-mill villain- he was chaos personified, unpredictable, sharp, and packed with a disturbingly dark sense of humor- everything that makes him the best Joker to date.

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What do you think about our ranking of the worst to the best Jokers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!