Posted in: TV, Warner Animation Group | Tagged: Batman, batman the animated series, btas, dc comics, joker, Kevin Conroy, mark hamill, The Joker

Mark Hamill Can't See Himself Voicing Joker After Kevin Conroy Passing

Iconic Joker actor Mark Hamill explains why he can't see himself voicing the character again after the passing of Batman actor Kevin Conroy.

The passing of iconic Batman actor Kevin Conroy this past November broke the collective hearts of comics and animation fans around the world.  The loss of the man who was widely considered the definitive voice of Batman has left a hole in the world that cannot be filled, and now it appears his most famous co-star has decided to hang it up as a result.  Mark Hamill, who started voicing Batman's arch-nemesis, The Joker, at the same Conroy started doing Batman in 1992 with the debut of Batman: The Animated Series, has said in a new interview that he cannot foresee being able to perform as the Clown Prince of Crime again without the man he'd been performing with for 30 years.

Speaking with Empire Magazine, Mark Hamill explained that without Kevin Conroy as Batman, his performance as The Joker just doesn't feel right, and he doubts he would ever do the role again after the loss of his longtime friend and co-star. "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.' We were like partners. We were like Laurel and Hardy. Without Kevin there, there doesn't seem to be a Batman for me."

We all were deeply saddened by the loss of Kevin Conroy, but Mark Hamill appeared to take the loss especially hard, which is understandable.  The two men were not only regular co-stars and collaborators but good friends for 30 years.

The two appeared to share a bond that actors (or any coworkers for that matter) rarely do.  It was ironic considering they were playing maybe the most famous enemies in American fiction history, but if you ever had the joy of seeing these two together in an interview or on stage at a convention, their respect, and love for each other were as clear as day.

While it appears Mark Hamill is closing the door on his days as The Joker, personally, I think that's very fitting.  I can't imagine Kevin Conroy's Batman, be it in animation or video games, without Mark Hamill's Joker and vice-versa.  While this looks to be the end of one of the greatest duos in voice acting history, their work will live on forever.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!