Pro Acting Coach Breaks Down 12 Batman Villain Performances | Good & Bad Acting
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Published 2020-11-22
From Adam West's campy 1960s TV series to Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy, the timeless appeal of the Batman universe has always been tied in with a colorful array of madmen and criminals. These include one of the most famous villains in comic-book history, the Joker, along with a stacked lineup of equally memorable adversaries, like Catwoman and the Penguin.
So, how does an actor put their own spin on a supervillain as beloved as these — and in a pantheon that includes the likes of Jack Nicholson, Eartha Kitt, and Heath Ledger? Gilardi breaks that down for us as he watches and critiques four Jokers, two Catwomen, a Riddler, a Penguin, a Scarecrow, and more.
When it comes to building a villain's mythos, many actors make use of what Gilardi calls "shtick" — a character's unique set of mannerisms and quirks, which add another unsettling layer to their presence in any scene. Gilardi looks at how different actors developed their signature Batman villain tics, from Heath Ledger's lip-smacking to Eartha Kitt's Catwoman purr. He breaks down how Kitt used her famous voice and eyes to play up Catwoman's feline nature in the "Batman" TV show; how Tom Hardy nailed the Bane voice in "The Dark Knight Rises"; and how Margot Robbie gave Harley Quinn a singsong cadence in "Suicide Squad." Gilardo also evaluates cases where actors were less successful with their shtick, from Uma Thurman's take on Poison Ivy in the much maligned "Batman & Robin" to Jared Leto's panned turn as the Joker in 2016's "Suicide Squad."
But the best villains are much more than a bundle of creepy affectations and maniacal laughter; they're well-rounded characters, portrayed with complexity and moral ambiguity on screen. Gilardi explains how an actor like Jack Nicholson or Joaquin Phoenix channels their character's backstory into their actions and mannerisms — and how some of the more divisive performances, like Jim Carrey's Riddler or Danny DeVito's Penguin, tend to fall short in this dimension. Beyond character history, Gilardi looks at how actors establish complex motivation for their villain and convey what makes their characters tick. In "Batman Begins," for example, he examines how Cillian Murphy developed a specific set of behavioral triggers for Dr. Jonathan Crane, the mad scientist known to his victims as the Scarecrow. And in "The Dark Knight," he analyzes how Heath Ledger expressed the nihilism of the Joker through all the minutiae of his performance. Everything, from Ledger's gait, posture, and vocal inflection to the way he slaps on his Joker makeup, expresses the forces of chaos that drive the Clown Prince of Crime.
Gilardi emphasizes the importance of locating the humanity in each of Batman's famous foes, no matter how depraved their actions may be. As a case study, Gilardi evaluates Jack Nicholson's legendary turn as the Joker in 1989's "Batman" — a performance that captures what Gilardi calls "liberated madness," which ultimately serves to humanize the Caped Crusader's main nemesis. He also examines how Joaquin Phoenix's character study in the 2019 standalone film "Joker" adds a sympathetic side to the Clown Prince's origins. In particular, Gilardi breaks down the genius of the bathroom scene, an improvised dance that marks the beginning of Arthur Fleck's transformation into antihero.
For more from Anthony Gilardi:
www.anthonygilardiactingstudio.com/
www.instagram.com/anthonygilardiactingstudio/
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#Batman #Movies #Insider
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Pro Acting Coach Breaks Down 12 Batman Villain Performances | Good & Bad Acting
All Comments (21)
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Heath Ledger: does something Acting coaches: write that down
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Moral of this entire video: The Christopher Nolan Batman had good villains
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I like how with Heath ledgers joker makeup doesn’t always look like it gets replaced immediately and like it’s fading but still very visible
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When I was a kid watching Cillian Murphy's performance as scarecrow, I was legit petrified. I don't know why I just like feel like so scared of him. I feel empathic for him. As I grow older I noticed that it's his eyes. He's very good at using his eyes and eyebrows to work for him. That man such a phenomenal actor.
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Jared Leto: exists Acting coach: don't do that
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I'm glad someone finally gave Cillian Murphy's Scarecrow the recognition and justice he deserves
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I absolutely LOVED Heath Ledger's Joker. I was amazed that Joaquin Phoenix was able to portray his Joker in such a . . . relatable manner. It truly shocked me how much you could empathize with a character who is supposed to be a murderous psychopath.
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The dude that played Two Face in Dark knight is heavily slept on….his performance was amazing as two face and no one is talking about it
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Heath Ledger constantly licking his lips in The Dark Knight supposedly was actually a "side effect" from the prosthetic scars he had on his face. Apparently Nolan liked it and chose to leave it in.
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I'm glad he gave scarecrow the justice he deserves. Cillian Murphy is a master at acting as johnathan Crane. He didn't even need a mask to be a good foe, he still would have made the same impact on me.
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I was completely absorbed by belief in Joaquin Phoenix in Joker, and the entire unsettling energy of the movie still haunts me. I’ve rarely seen a movie so bleak, yet so perfect. And the fact that it all rests on one actor’s shoulders — and he pulls it off masterfully — is just *chef’s kiss*
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Tom Hardy’s Bane was so underrated. I think after Ledger’s Joker, people set the bar very high but Bane was very very good. He was truly terrifying.
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Tom Hardy’s Bane is underrated. He had to follow up on Heath which isn’t fair but he actually killed that role
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Having the joker as heath ledger was one of the best decisions ever period.
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0:41 Suicide Squad (2016), Jared Leto (Joker) 2:44 Batman Beggins (2005), Cillian Murphy (Scarecrow) 5:11 Batman TV Show (1967), Eartha Kitt (Catwoman) 6:39 Batman and Robin (1997), Uma Thurman (Poison Ivy) 8:42 Batman (1989), Jack Nicholson (Joker) 9:58 Suicide Squad (2016), Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn) 11:37 Batman Returns (1992), Danny DeVito (Penguin) 13:13 Joker (2019), Joaquin Phoenix 15:44 Batman Forever (1995), Jim Carey (Riddler) 17:15 What we came here for <<<<<< 20:35 Batman Returns (1992), Michelle Pfeiffer (Catwoman) 22:09 The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Tom Hardy (Bane)
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I went to Dark Knight to watch it in Imax, expecting yet another decent action movie. I can honestly say that I have NEVER been blown away by a performance of a supposed supporting actor like I was by Ledger's. It is so rare for a single character to take over a movie, but Heath did it.
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Heath Ledger as The Joker will always be legendary 🙌
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Ledger was simply on another level in that role. So many critics preemptively judged him and they were embarrassed after he stole the screen.
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Cillian Murphy scared me and made me really believe he is the scarecrow. Such an underrated actor, and he always perfect in his role. Even in Inception he was just amazing and I don't have to mention 28 Days Later.
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Out of these I have to say my favorites are: Tom Hardy (Bane ist my favorite Batman Villain and He captured his intelligente and anti Batman like character perfect) Jack Nicholson (The OG theatre Joker, absolutely brilliant performance) Dany DeVito (been a while since I actually watched the movie but I really liked his portrayal) Heath Ledger (Best Joker performance hands down. He is the Joker)
