It looks as though it may be the end of the road for Mark Hamill playing the Joker as the actor mourns the loss of his friend, Kevin Conroy.
Beginning with Batman: The Animated Series, Mark Hamill has enjoyed an iconic career as the voice actor for the Joker across numerous projects. From TV to video games, fans have come to love his portrayal of the character.
It seems, however, that part of his love for the role hinged on the opportunity to play against Kevin Conroy in the role of Batman. Following the actor’s death in 2022, Hamill hasn’t said much about his role as the Joker, but in a recent interview with Empire he made his plans pretty clear.
“They would call and say, ‘They want you to do the Joker,’ and my only question was, ‘Is Kevin Batman?’ If they said yes, I would say, ‘I’m in,'” said Hamill. ” We were like partners. We were like Laurel and Hardy. Without Kevin there, there doesn’t seem to be a Batman for me.”
At the time of his passing, Hamill said of his co-star, “Kevin was perfection. He was one of my favorite people on the planet, and I loved him like a brother. He truly
cared for the people around him – his decency shone through everything he did. Every time I saw him or spoke with him, my spirits were elevated.”
Hamill has stated previously that he had retired from the role of the Joker, only to end up coming back for another project. This time, however, it feels a bit more as his final decision, and it’s doubtful that anyone can blame him.
IMAGE SOURCE: Shutterstock – Mark Hamill – Kathy Hutchins
