The unlikely role Jack Nicholson compared to Shakespeare: “I took the character seriously”
Winning three Oscars during his career, Jack Nicholson is widely considered one of the greatest actors of his generation. He’s a versatile star, having played villains, romantic interests, private investigators, criminals, and musicians, subsequently establishing himself as a compelling on-screen presence in the process.
Nicholson started out in the 1950s, gaining his first film role with The Cry Baby Killer in 1958, and within a few years, he was trying his hand at writing and producing. The Trip was a key moment in Nicholson’s career, with the actor penning the screenplay for Roger Corman to direct, while Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda starred in the film. It paved the way for Easy Rider, which would be released two years later and also starred Hopper, Fonda, and Nicholson, with Hopper directing it.
The role gave Nicholson his first Oscar nomination, kickstarting his career in Hollywood and leading to main roles in movies like Five Easy Pieces, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Chinatown. Nicholson dominated the 1970s with his magnificent performances of complex men, and into the 1980s, he continued to show his propensity for playing villainous characters, resulting in his casting as the Joker in 1989’s Batman, directed by Tim Burton.
Having grown up loving Batman, who first debuted in an issue of Detective Comics in 1939, Nicholson was delighted to star in the film, playing the iconic villain with his exaggerated smile and white-painted face. His portrayal of the character is unforgettable, balancing the darkness of the antagonist with the campiness and eccentricity found in the original comics.
Discussing his work on Batman, Nicholson revealed to Movie Line, “It was fun to play a character who would never think of apologising for any of his behaviour. I took the character more seriously than anyone else.” While he played the villain of the film, he explained, “As a child, Batman was my favourite character. To me, back then, the cartoon was like Shakespeare blown up.”
Many people might not see the similarities between Shakespeare and DC Comics, but for a young Nicholson, the artistry and impressiveness of these bright and bold worlds contained in each issue were deeply memorable. He added, “While making the film, I loved working in a mask, like most actors, but they rarely get the chance to do it unless they’re hanging around the house.”
Critics were largely impressed by Batman, which saw Nicholson earn a considerable chunk of money after he agreed to lower his fee to $6million in exchange for a cut of the profit made by the film. Burton’s movie ended up making $411.6m, and Nicholson’s performance was widely praised. It wasn’t enough to earn him an Oscar nomination, but the actor’s performance was immortalised in cinema history as one of the most unforgettable in the DC franchise.
Talking to Esquire, Nicholson once revealed his opinion on his portrayal of the villain: “I was particularly proud of my performance as the Joker. I considered it a piece of pop art.”
