Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
The Joker has had multiple live-action appearances in films, with the best performance coming from Heath Ledger in Christopher Nolan’sThe Dark Knight. However, there’s a version of Joker that’s not much discussed like Ledger or Joaquin Phoenix or even Jared Leto. Cameron Monaghan gave us a convincing adaptation of the Batman villain in the Fox seriesGotham.
Monaghan, who is known for his role as Ian Gallagher inShameless, was roped in to play the twins Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska in the series. Jerome is a serial killer who has an unhealthy obsession with Bruce Wayne, but it is Jeremiah who eventually becomes thematically representative of the Joker.
Cameron Monaghan’s The Joker Adaptation Was One of The Best After Heath Ledger’s Portrayal
From Caesar Romero’s 1966 version toJoaquin Phoenix‘s Elseworld version, fans have seen many actors in the Joker role over the years. WhileHeath Ledger‘s performance became the most iconic among these portrayals, there was a performance that didn’t get enough credit. Bruno Heller’s showGothamfeatured a much younger version of the character.
“Greatest villain performance we have seen”: If Anyone Can Surpass Heath Ledger’s Joker Performance It Has to Be Antony Starr as Homelander
Cameron Monaghanplayed Jerome Valeska from season one to four in the series. The character is a psycho killer who spreads chaos in Gotham City before he falls to his death. The story then introduces Jeremiah Valeska, the twin brother of Jerome, who gets exposed to Scarecrow’s fear gas. Unlike his brother, Jeremiah turns into a calm and calculating psychopath.
By the end of the series, it is revealed that Jeremiah becomes an amalgamation of both the twins. While he never officially adopts the name, he completes the Joker look with the white facepaint, dyed green hair, red lipstick, and purple suit. Monaghan avoided drawing inspiration from live-action Joker actors for the role, but he did take inspiration fromMark Hamill‘s voice role in DCAU (via TVLine).
Although his performance has been largely overlooked, some DC fandom pages rank him above Jared Leto and Barry Keoghan in the post-Heath Ledger era of the character. In the subreddit,r/DCcomics, one fan noted how Monaghan played the Three Jokers—the chaotic Clown, the mastermind Criminal, and the fully unleashed Comedian.
Cameron Monaghan Didn’t Receive Enough Credit For The Role Due to WB’s One Policy
One fan on Reddit,u/PanoramicP, shared that although Cameron Monaghan was good in the role, he couldn’t officially adopt the Joker title. The fan shared,“Cameron was soo good, I was so upset when I found out that he wasn’t allowed to be called the Joker in the show.”
“That’s got to be one of the worst choices ever”: As The Dark Knight Turns 16, Heath Ledger’s Ardent Haters Lobbied to Get One Marvel Star as the Joker Instead
According toScreenRant, it appeared to be WB’s policy of not allowing characters to exist simultaneously in movies and on TV. This could mean thatGothamhad to work around the policy to give fans this great adaptation of the character.
The policy alsoaffected theArrowverse, when the CW shows had to kill off most of its version of the Suicide Squad before the movie came out. Interestingly, this policy didn’t apply to Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller simultaneously playing The Flash. Fans attributed this to the popularity of the show.
Gothamis currently available for streaming on Max.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
More from Hashim Asraff
Brad Pitt Hits Maximum Paranoia: Real Reason He Wants to Turn $12 Million Home Into a “Fortress” (Report)
Peacemaker Season 2: Frank Grillo Reveals John Cena’s Secret That He Never Saw Coming
Prince Harry Gave Royal Family Member a Bloody Nose in a Fist Fight
Recommended
NYT Connections Hints and Solution for July 31, 2025
Toei Animation May Have Lost Its Touch After ‘One Piece’s Hiatus
You Can Finally Watch Brad Pitt’s ‘F1’ Blockbuster at Home: Digital Release Date Revealed - Report
Top 5 Best Time Skips in Anime
Dark Crime Shows With Mike-Like Antiheroes to Watch Before Mayor of Kingstown Season 4
Did Dustin Hoffman Really Slap Meryl Streep in Kramer vs Kramer – Entire Fight Explained
Cameron MonaghanGothamHeath LedgerJoker
