Willem Dafoe Has Heard Your Joker Fancasting, Is Happy To Have That Sociopath Vibe
The world doesn't need any more Jokers, but if it did, it's nice to know the right actors are ready to step up to the plate. In his first-ever appearance hosting "Saturday Night Live" this past weekend, Willem Dafoe joked about how strangers approach him to tell him he'd make a good Joker.
The topic came up during the show's opening monologue, in which Dafoe spoke at length about his particular style of acting: "People tell me that my acting is over the top, but to me, one man's over-the-top is another man's engaged performance." The actor, who is known for committing fully to intense roles in films like "The Lighthouse" and "Antichrist," joked that maybe he just always looks intense.
Dafoe Jokes About His Resting Jokerface
"I can't help that I have an expressive face," he said in his monologue after cutting to a shot of him with wide eyes and a devious smile. Dafoe jokes that he's not a subtle actor, "like Nicolas Cage or Al Pacino." While it's true that Dafoe frequently goes wild on screen (see also: "The Boondock Saints," "Wild at Heart," and even "Spider-Man"), he also seems like the opposite of a dour, inaccessible method actor. During this monologue, he's all smiles as he explains that people often approach him about one idea in particular.
"Maybe that's why people come up to me and say, 'You know what role you'd be perfect for? The Joker,'" Dafoe says, continuing his train of thought about his overt expressiveness. "Always nice to hear that you have the vibe of a sociopath."
This is "SNL," so of course comedy writers helped craft this speech, but it should be a truth universally acknowledged that Dafoe would kill it as the Joker in a Batman project. His facial expressions are fruitful meme material, sure, but he's also just a deliciously diabolical performer when he needs to be.
In the past five years alone, the Joker has been portrayed by actors including Joaquin Phoenix, Jared Leto, and even Zack Galifianakis (the latter in "The Lego Batman Movie"). Maybe it's time to age the chaos-loving jester up a bit and give Dafoe a go. If that's impossible, let's at least hope he'll be able to satirize the ever-present DC character on "Saturday Night Live" sometime. The actor's surprisingly saucy "SNL" debut was well-received, and the host seemed to be having a great time, so hopefully he'll be back again soon.