Heath Ledger as the Joker in the 2008 movie The Dark Knight reportedly infuriated Jack Nicholson. Nicholson was upset that he wasn’t asked to reprise his role as the Joker from the 1989 movie Batman.
Nicholson claimed to be “furious” at not being asked to reprise his role as the Joker in a 2007 interview with MTV. He added that Warner Bros. had “disappointed” him by not offering him the chance.
Who was meant to replace Jack Nicholson as the Joker remains unknown. Some enthusiasts have theorized that it might have been Billy Zane or Willem Dafoe.
Nicholson’s anger over the recasting was not in any way directed at Heath Ledger. Nicholson has said that he thought Ledger was a “great actor” and that he did a “fantastic job” as the Joker.
Ledger’s performance as the Joker was widely praised by critics and audiences alike. He was posthumously awarded the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role.
