Plenty of people were totally floored by the work Phoenix did in Joker — so much so that they now consider him better in the role than the late Ledger. Some even think Phoenix is the best Joker actor point blank.
"With all due respect to previous Jokers and to the great Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix is the best Joker. He has everything it needs," Twitter user Abdul Hakeem Aiman wrote. "We finally have a proper actor playing the character in a very unfamiliar new shape. If Ledger's a straight flush, Phoenix's a full deck."
Added user @LordNaby, "I never imagined going in to it that I'd say this, but Joaquin Phoenix portrays the character better than Heath Ledger."
Another fan tweeted, "I thought it would take a long time before someone delivers Joker better than Heath Ledger. As it turned out it only took 11 years and a certain Joaquin Phoenix [...] Joaquin Phoenix should get an Oscar, a golden globe, an Olympic gold medal, a Nobel prize, a ballon d'or, Knighthood, a champions league winner medal and a presidential medal of freedom for his performance as the joker."
A Twitter user by the name of Jess Lister wrote that Joker was "amazing" and "a total masterpiece," and that "Joaquin Phoenix did a better job than Heath Ledger." They added that Phoenix "definitely deserves all the awards that will surely be coming his way."
Over at KoiMoi.com, writer Manav R K aimed to settle the Joaquin-Phoenix-versus-Heath-Ledger debate once and for all. His verdict? Phoenix wins.
"Phoenix's portrayal of Arthur Fleck is going to be remembered for a lifetime," he wrote. "His portrayal is so powerful that after the film was over I was so sucked into his world that I felt like I needed a good sleep. Phoenix's performance makes you feel sorry for being a part of this society and hence I say... Joaquin Phoenix'[s] Joker makes Heath Ledger's Joker even more badass than he was!"
