The iconic laughter
But losing weight, as challenging as it sounds, wasn’t the hardest part for Phoenix. The laughter, as well as the clown’s face with the red fake smile, is an inseparable part of the Joker throughout its evolution and history. Perfecting the involuntary, disturbing laughter of the Joker required months of preparation. To be exact, it took Phoenix four months to perfect this laughter.
He researched the medical condition that’s responsible for this uncontrollable laugh, a form of epilepsy, studying people who suffer from pathological laughter, watching videos for nights on end, and practicing this hair-raising and spine-tingling laughter. Naturally, following the blockbuster’s release, Phoenix was inquired about the laugh and how he managed to achieve this perfect portrayal.