Summary

WithOppenheimersweeping at the 2024 Oscars , Cillian Murphy ’s Best Actor win is also a moment to rejoice forDCandBatmanfans . Before Murphy became a regular in Christopher Nolan movies likeInceptionandDunkirk , the Irish actor first bring together forces with the auteur ever since he played the fear toxin - using supervillain Scarecrow inThe Dark Knighttrilogy . Evoking fear with his sword - eyed gaze as Dr. Jonathan Crane , Murphy proved to be an efficacious villain in Nolan ’s acclaimed film serial . Before achieving further recognition withPeaky BlindersandOppenheimer , Murphy was already revered among Batman fans .

And now with Hollywood ’s golden trophy by his side , Murphy link the ranks of several other Oscar - deliver the goods actors who have also played Batman villains . From the clown prince of criminal offence to an ambivalent District Attorney to a lover - bend - foeman , these iconic comic book characters have all been brought to life with notable dramatic range from Oscar - winning artist . Along with some of the ensemble - driven DCEU movies , everylive - legal action Batman moviehas featured either an Oscar winner or a candidate as one of the villain . get together the nocturnal vigilance man ’s rogues gallery has definitely endeavor to be a lucky charm for Academy Award aspirants .

The DCEU is almost terminated after 15 movies , but how does Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom equate to the likes of Justice League and The Flash ?

Jack Nicholson’s Joker in Batman 1989

6 Of Batman’s Film Villains Are Oscar-Winners

Two Have Even Won For Playing The Same Particular Villain

Every Oscar - winning Batman Villain Actor

Role in Batman Movies

Oscar win(s )

Failed DC Movies Green Lantern, Catwoman, and Jonah Hex

Jack Nicholson

The Joker inBatman(1989 )

Best Actor , One Flew Over The Cuckoo ’s Nest(1975 ) andAs Good As It Gets(1997 )

Superman (1978) and an Oscar.

Tommy Lee Jones

Harvey Dent / Two - Face inBatman Forever(1995 )

Best Supporting Actor , The Fugitive(1993 )

Split image of Batman Begins’s Scarecrow, The Dark Knight’s Joker, and Joker in Joker 2019

Cillian Murphy

Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow inBatman Begins(2005),The Dark Knight(2008 ) , andThe Dark Knight Rises(2012 )

Best Actor , Oppenheimer(2023 )

Every DCEU Movie Ranked

Heath Ledger

The Joker inThe Dark Knight(2008 )

Best Supporting Actor , The Dark Knight(2008 )

DC Extended Universe animated opening featuring a league of heroes standing together.

Marion Cotillard

Talia al Ghul inThe Dark Knight Rises(2012 )

Best Actress , La Vie En Rose(2007 )

DC Extended Universe

Jared Leto

The Joker inSuicide Squad(2015 )

Best Supporting Actor , Dallas Buyers Club(2013 )

Batman

Joaquin Phoenix

Arthur Fleck / The Joker inJoker(2019 )

Best Actor , Joker(2019 )

After advance a Best Actor Oscar for playing the titulary nuclear physicist inOppenheimer , Cillian Murphy is the fifth actor to have both won an Oscar and played a Batman villain . InThe Dark Knightmovies , Murphy toy Arkham psychologist Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow who uses the hallucinogenic Fear Toxin to tapdance into his victim ’s deepest phobias . The first Oscar - winner to act as a Batman villain was Jack Nicholson , who played the sadistic offence lord Joker in Tim Burton’sBatman . Nicholson is a two - meter winner with Best Actor nod forOne Flew Over The jackass ’s NestandAs Good As It Gets .

Tim Burton ’s 1989 Batman featured a major new element to Joker ’s root with a vast twist , and no next Batman film will ever ticktack it .

When the directing reins passed on to Joel Schumacher , his prodigal 1995 productionBatman Foreverfeatured Tommy Lee Jones in a comedic take on the District Attorney - turned - mobster Two - Face . This use came a yr afterTommy Lee Jones picked up a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for playing a hardened U.S. Marshall inThe Fugitive . Coming tovillains in Nolan’sDark Knighttrilogybeyond Murphy ’s Scarecrow , Marion Cotillard played League of Shadows drawing card Talia al Ghul inThe Dark Knight Rises . The French actress won a Best Actress Oscar in 2008for play singer Edith Piaf inLa Vie En Rose .

Marion Cotillard became the first French actress to get ahead a Best Actress Oscar after herLa Vie En Rosevictory .

Interestingly , theJoker remains one of the few characters to have been played by two actor to be awarded an Oscar for both portrayals . While Nicholson never win an Oscar for playing the Joker , Heath Ledger earned his posthumous Best Supporting Actor trophy for his gritty , lawless take on the character in 2008’sThe Dark Knight . Over a decennium later , Joaquin Phoenix deliver the goods Best Actor for reinterpreting the Joker from a more sympathetic genus Lens in the 2019 blockbusterJoker . EvenJared Leto ’s infamous Joker roleinSuicide Squadwas preceded by his Best Supporting Actor win forDallas Buyers Club .

Five Other Batman Villains Are Played By Oscar-Nominated Actors

Michelle Pfieffer’s Three Nominations, Liam Neeson’s Schindler’s List Nod And More

Every Oscar - constitute Batman Villain Actor

Oscar nomination(s )

Michelle Pfeiffer

Selina Kyle / Catwoman inBatman Returns(1992 )

well Supporting Actress , Dangerous Liaisons(1989 ) , Best Actress , The Fabulous Baker Boys(1990 ) andLove Field(1993 )

Uma Thurman

Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy inBatman and Robin(1997 )

Liam Neeson

Ra ’s al GhulBatman Begins(2005 )

Best Actor , Schindler ’s List(1993 )

Jesse Eisenberg

Lex Luthor inBatman v dot : Dawn of Justice(2016 )

Best Actor , The Social internet(2010 )

Colin Farrell

Best Actress , The Banshees of Inisherin(2022 )

aside from the five Oscar succeeder , five other Batman film villains have been name for an Oscar before . The most Oscar - nominated Batman scoundrel actor is Michelle Pfieffer , who played the antiheroine Catwoman inBatman Returnsand garnered three nominating speech for her performances inDangerous intimacy , The Fabulous Baker Boys , andLove Field . As for Joel Schumacher ’s infamous 1997 featureBatman and Robin , Uma Thurman ’s portrayal of the ecological villain Poison Ivy won her a Razzie for sorry Actress just three old age after she earn an Oscar nominationfor Best Supporting Actress for playing the puzzling Mia Wallace inPulp Fiction .

Before the DCEU bring pop Justice League submarine sandwich to the cock-a-hoop covert , many DC movies had run out with critics , audiences , and the box situation .

Three Batman Actors Are Oscar Winners Too

None Of Them Have Won The Award For Playing Batman Though

While the original cinematic Batman Michael Keaton settled for a Best Actor nominating speech for 2014’sBirdman , the first Batman actor to win an Oscar was , interestingly , George Clooney . twelvemonth after he put on the infamous Batman costume inBatman and Robin , Clooney won Best Supporting Actor for play a disgruntled CIA old-timer in the 2005 geopolitical thrillerSyriana . In 2012 , Clooney won a Best Picture Oscar as well for get succeeding Batman star Ben Affleck ’s fact - based historical thrillerArgo . Clooney , who also in brief played Bruce Wayne inThe Flash , has six more nominations for his acting , penning , and directing projects .

Clooney ’s successor , Christian Bale , won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 2011for meet yesteryear packer - call on - passenger car Dickie Eklund in the sport dramaThe Fighter . TheDark Knightactor has been an Academy pet , having had three other performing nominating address forAmerican Hustle , The Big Short , andVice . After Bale tender adieu to the costumed vigilance man , Ben Affleck play Batman in the DC Extended Universe , having already make headway two Oscars by then . He first won Best Original Screenplay in 1998 for co - writingGood Will Huntingand later picked up a Best Picture Oscar in 2013 for producing his directorial ventureArgo .

Other DC Movie Heroes And Villains With Oscar Wins

A Total Of 34 DC Actors Have Won Oscars

TheDC Extended Universe boasts 12 Oscar winners , include the like ofAquamanactress Nicole Kidman ( The Hours),Man of Steel ’s Russell Crowe ( Gladiator ) , andBlue Beetle ’s Susan Sarandon ( Dead Man Walking ) . The Batman movies outside the DCEU admit ten Oscar - winners , while non - DCEU Superman task feature three winners ( Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman inSuperman , and Kevin Spacey inSuperman Returns).Even a notorious DC project likeGreen Lanternstarred three Oscar - winnerswith the ensemble cast including Tim Robbins ( Mystic River ) , Geoffrey Rush ( Shine ) , and Taika Waititi , who won a Best conform Screenplay less than a decade later forJojo Rabbit .

DC ’s movies have consistently shown up to the Academy Awards , taking home prestigious nominations and even make headway in many family .

Other DC production with Academy Award - winning performers includeCatwoman , which starred Halle Berry ( Monster ’s chunk ) andConstantine , which featured two Oscar - win actresses : Tilda Swinton ( Michael Clayton ) and Rachel Weisz ( The Constant Gardener).Jokeralso gasconade two Oscar - winners , with Joaquin Phoenix - who won for the 2019 moving-picture show itself - and Robert De Niro ( The Godfather II , Raging Bull).The approaching DCEU motion-picture show calendarincludesJoker : Folie à Deuxwhich will feature Lady Gaga , a Best Original Song winner forA Star Is Born . As of now , DCmovies have featured 34 Oscar - winner , withBatmanvillain actors constituting a substantial ball of them .