ABC/Randy Holmes(NEW YORK) — While Joaquin Phoenix’s take on the Clown Prince of Crime is currently raking it in at the box office worldwide, another person who’s played the Joker is weighing in.
Even with Phoenix currently filling the role, Star Wars star Mark Hamill remains fan favorite for voicing the flamboyant villain for years on Batman: The Animated Series, and in best-selling video games.
Calling Joker “The Hamlet of villains,” Hamill tells ABC Audio what makes the character so fun to play.
“The Joker is endlessly fascinating to me because he’s insane and because he’s insane, he’s unpredictable and because he’s unpredictable he’s never boring,” Hamill says.
“Every time I got behind the wheel of that clown car — it’s liberating! Because you can do all these horrible things…” he adds, with his famous Joker laugh, “…and you don’t have to take responsibility for them. But I miss the guy.”
Hamill says that particularly as a voiceover artist, Batman’s nemesis was a blast to play. “If you’re not seen, you can really just just let it all fly. And you know, I would say, ‘Was that too big?’ And then people would go, For the Joker? No! Of course not!'”
Hamill then adds, in his Joker voice, “Oh, good!”
Director Todd Phillips and star Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker has so far earned $548.2 million worldwide.
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