Mark Hamill's Heartfelt Farewell to Beloved Batman The Animated Series Co-Star Arleen Sorkin Goes Viral

Highlights

Mark Hamill pays tribute to the late Arleen Sorkin, praising her not only as a talented voice actor but also as a wonderful person.

Sorkin expertly portrayed the dynamic between Harley Quinn and The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, capturing both her innocent love and her unhinged madness. "Mad Love," the episode, showcased Harley Quinn's heartbreaking backstory and highlighted the toxic and abusive nature of her relationship with The Joker. Sorkin's performance was pivotal in bringing this powerful story to life.

After Arleen Sorkin's unfortunate death, Mark Hamill, her co-star in Batman: The Animated Series where she voiced Harley Quinn and he played The Joker, paid tribute to the late actress. In the series, Hamill portrayed Quinn's lover and abusive partner, Gotham's prince of crime. However, Hamill proved to be the complete opposite of the character he portrayed on the show. He expressed his admiration for Sorkin as a person and offered his condolences to her family during their time working together.

Hamill expressed his sorrow over the loss of the talented and kind Arleen Sorkin on his X account. He acknowledged that working with her was a privilege and cherished their friendship. His heartfelt condolences were extended to her family and loved ones. In addition to Batman: The Animated Series, Hamill and Sorkin collaborated on various other DC animated projects such as Superman: The Animated Series, Gotham Girls, Static Shock, and Justice League, lending their voices to their respective Batman characters.

One notable achievement of Batman: The Animated Series was the introduction of Harley Quinn. Previously, the idea of giving The Joker a romantic partner had not been considered, which added intriguing dynamics to the story. It became evident that The Joker had not only manipulated Harley, but had also used her to further his criminal enterprises. Unfortunately, due to her intense love and obsession for The Joker, Harley remained oblivious to his true nature, preventing her from facing reality.

Sorkin's portrayal masterfully captured both Harley's innocent love-struck side and her unhinged craziness, flawlessly reflecting her complex dynamic with The Joker. This outstanding performance also paved the way for one of the show's most notable episodes, "Mad Love," delving into Quinn's transformation from a promising psychologist to The Joker's puppet. Remarkably, the story managed to depict a toxic and abusive relationship while maintaining a child-friendly approach. Above all, this episode, the final one to be broadcasted on television, stands as one of the darkest Batman tales, intimately revealing Harley's heart-wrenching life. Without Sorkin's exceptional voice work, this wouldn't have been possible.

Furthermore, this particular episode continued to have an impact on later DC materials, including Suicide Squad and the Batman spinoff series named Harley Quinn. This serves as evidence of Harley Quinn's enduring influence within the DC universe. Nonetheless, the impact of a character ultimately relies on the talent behind the portrayal. Sorkin deserves immense credit for bringing Harley Quinn to life, a fact acknowledged by Hamill who paid tribute to his former co-star's extraordinary contribution.

Batman: The Animated Series can currently be streamed on Max.

Source: Mark Hamill/X