'Suicide Squad' News, Spoilers: Joel Kinnaman, David Ayer, Viola Davis On Jared Leto's Joker
Even though there are still many months to go before "Suicide Squad" hits theaters, much has already been said about actor/singer Jared Leto's portrayal of iconic comic book villain The Joker.
Leto, a method actor, had the unenviable task of taking over the role from some truly legendary actors. These include Heath Ledger, who won a posthumous Oscar for his take on The Joker in Chris Nolan's "The Dark Knight" (2008) and Jack Nicholson, another Academy Award winner, who played a dark version of the villain in "Batman" (1989). Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker in the "Star Wars" film franchise, voiced The Joker for television and video games for two decades.
Leto was reportedly so focused on his portrayal of the mentally unhinged villain that he would stay in character throughout filming, even when he wasn't in front of the camera. It has also been said that people on set kept their distance from the actor, who had maintained his character's menacing persona throughout the shoot.
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Speaking to ComicBook.com from the red carpet at the Warner Brothers' CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas, Joel Kinnaman, who plays Rick Flag in "Suicide Squad," said that the cast "had a ball" during filming and that while it was tough, it was also a "lovefest."
According to Kinnaman, the whole squad became a family, while Leto was "on the outside" doing his own thing.
"He did something really impressive with this role," the actor said. "He had some big shoes to fill and he sure as hell filled them."
"Suicide Squad" director David Ayer echoed Kinnaman's statement, telling the website that Leto "killed" his portrayal of The Joker.
"It's tough directing the Joker because the Joker's gonna do what the Joker does," he said. "You can steer the Joker but, I mean, [Leto] showed up and he was the Joker."
Meanwhile, multi-awarded actress Viola Davis, who plays Amanda Waller in the film, has responded to the news about Leto sending his "Suicide Squad" cast members some rather strange gifts (a dead pig, bullets, a live rat, etc.) during filming.
"I did not receive any, personally, or else I would have got my husband - who was called the headache ball back in the day when he played football," Davis told E! News. "I would have said, 'Take care of The Joker.'"
"Suicide Squad" hits theaters August 5.
