Harley Quinn Voice Actor Arleen Sorkin Dead At 67
Arleen Sorkin, the original voice of DC's Harley Quinn, has tragically passed away at 67. Fellow voice actor Neil Kaplan first shared the news on X (formerly Twitter). Kaplan wrote: "It broke my heart to hear... the original voice of Harley Quinn, [Arleen] Sorkin has passed away. I adored her work as HQ & as Calliope in 'Days of Our Lives.'"
Sorkin first voiced and introduced the world to the iconic character in the 1992 episode of "Batman: The Animated Series," "Joker's Favor." After appearing in eight additional episodes, she would voice Harley Quinn another six times in the follow-up series "The New Batman Adventures." From then on, she voiced the character in countless other DC productions, including guest appearances on "Justice League" and "Static Shock." In 2009, fans heard her perform in the critically acclaimed video game, "Batman: Arkham Asylum."
Sorkin's last time playing the popular Gotham criminal was in 2012, when she voiced Harley Quinn in an expansion pack for the MMO, "DC Universe Online." This marked the actor's last recorded performance as well.
The DC Universe collectively mourns Sorkin's passing
Several prominent DC personalities took to social media to honor Arleen Sorkin. On Instagram, James Gunn paid tribute, writing: " Rest in Peace, Arleen Sorkin, the incredibly talented original voice of Harley Quinn, who helped to create the character so many of us love. Love to her family and friends." The Joker himself and Sorkin's longtime co-star, Mark Hamill, also paid tribute, tweeting: " Devastated to learn we've lost the brilliant Arleen Sorkin. Not just a wonderful talent, but a truly wonderful person." Hamill further expressed his condolences to Sorkin's family and friends.
Tara Strong, another veteran voice actor who has brought Harley Quinn to our screens on countless occasions, also offered her condolences on social media, tweeting: "Without this gorgeous, talented goddess, #HarleyQuinn would have never existed. She was the inspiration & the heart & soul of this iconic character." Strong further expressed how amazed she was by Sorkin's performance while she was still voicing Barbara Gordon-Batgirl.
The Harley Quinn character has seen many notable names take on the mantle, from Margot Robbie and Lady Gaga on the silver screen to Kaley Cuoco voicing the character on Max. As the character's prominence continues through so many unique interpretations and different storytelling medians, fans will always remember and cherish Arleen Sorkin for first establishing Harley Quinn and cementing her place in Batman and DC mythos.