Image via Complex Original
5.
Harley Quinn is one of the most ubiquitous comic book characters out there—only the thing is, she’s not from a comic book. Created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm in 1992 for a Batman: The Animated Series episode called “Joker’s Favor,” Harley Quinn was, essentially, a walk-on role, designed and intended to only appear in that one episode and then never to be seen again. As Dini considered the character more, he decided she’d take on more of a Punch and Judy doll-style approach to Joker, that she’d maybe make a joke that Joker’s other henchmen would like, and he’d start to get jealous. The character was a hit amongst the producers and quickly became a staple among Batman’s expansive rogue’s gallery.
It could be easy to reduce Harley to just being the Joker’s girlfriend, but as time has passed and Harley has found her way into the comics and other Batman-related stories, she’s found a space separate from the Clown Prince of Crime. To wit: HBO Max’s Harley Quinn animated series returned with Season 3 on Friday, July 29, and Harley is in a thriving relationship with Poison Ivy, long having left Joker behind to live her life and conduct schemes with her own crew of villains.
In celebration of HBO’s Harley Quinn, we’re ranking the best portrayals of the character’s storied, 30-year history. Read on to see which of your favorite Clown Princess of Crime won and earned the top spot as we rank the performances.
4.Tara Strong
Tara Strong is one of the most prolific voice actors in the medium, lending her talents to voice truly iconic characters like Bubbles in the Powerpuff Girls, Timmy in Fairly Odd Parents, and Dil in Rugrats, so you’ve likely heard her at some point or another. Having played the character a staggering 33 times across animated movies and shows, you’ve also likely heard a version of her Harley at some point or another, too. Strong’s most notable portrayal of Harley is in the Batman: Arkham games. While Harley is more of a supporting villain across those various games, she’s equally dangerous as the series’ primary antagonists—without being stuck in the Joker’s shadow. The two work as equals, allowing Harley’s individuality to shine accordingly, Strong imbues this version of Harley with a maniacal sense of glee as she plots and schemes against Batman. Her performance draws inspiration from everything that’s come before, while the games’ story allows her to push the overall character forward in bold new ways.
3.Margot Robbie
Margot Robbie’s cinematic tenure as Harley Quinn came with plenty of high expectations. As the first actor to bring Harley to life in a live-action setting, the character’s experience in the DCEU is full of highs and lows. Her initial debut in Suicide Squad marked one of the film’s few high marks but still didn’t feel quite as focused as it could be—it doesn’t help the David Ayer film was marked with all kinds of studio meddling. But her turn in Birds of Preywas much better, thanks to how director Cathy Yan smartly tailors the movie to better suit her skillset while providing Robbie plenty of good characters to bounce around off of. James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad found a good combination of providing plenty of moments for Robbie to shine (the flower fight sequence remains an absolute highlight of the DCEU thus far) without eclipsing her talented co-stars. Due to the conflicting approaches, it doesn’t feel like audiences have gotten a consistent throughline on Robbie’s version; as such, it feels like she’s played three different versions of the same character instead of a unified one throughout three films. Hopefully, that’s something that will change with future appearances of the DCEU’s Harley.
2.Kaley Cuoco
I feel that by the time HBO Max’s Harley Quinn series is all said and done, Kaley Cuoco’s take may end up in the pantheon of Harley performances. Cuoco smartly decides not to try and change her vocal style when voicing Harley, opting instead to play the character as herself. It’s a distinctive choice. By forgoing any of the accent work pioneered by Arleen Sorkin’s Batman: The Animated Series, Cuoco truly defines the role for herself. The manic tone of the series is further reflected in how Cuoco changes the volume of her voice—it’s not uncommon for her Harley to scream and squeal in rage or glee. When you combine Cuoco’s specific vocal take with the series’ overwhelming sense of adult humor, overarching serialized narrative, and overall hilarity, the result is decidedly unique. For Cuoco, the best way to define Harley for a new generation is to simply be herself.
1.Arleen Sorkin
For as strong as all these other performances are, there’s no one actor more synonymous with Harley Quinn than Arleen Sorkin. As created by Paul Dini for Batman: The Animated Series, Harley’s foundation was directly informed by Sorkin—so much so that Dini pulled many of Harley’s characteristics from this dream sequence Sorkin performed on an episode of Day of Our Lives. As such, it’s challenging to separate the two; Harley is Sorkin and vice versa. Everything about Harley’s bubbly yet intense personality is informed by Sorkin’s portrayal, who expertly constructs a delicate balance of Harley’s naivety, presence, and energy. Under all of that, comedy is a sense of tragedy too. In short: she’s just as compelling, complicated, and messy as any of us, which is why she’s resonated for so long.