Suicide Squad: Jared Leto Talks Heath Ledger's Joker

By Looper StaffJuly 28, 2016 5:05 pm EST

Jared Leto knows he's got huge shoes to fill when it comes to following up Heath Ledger's turn as the Joker.

The Suicide Squad actor told Rolling Stone he was a huge fan of Ledger's Oscar-winning take on the iconic role in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight (2008).

"Heath did an impeccable, perfect performance as the Joker," Leto said. "It's one of the best performances ever in cinema. I had met Heath before. I didn't know him well, but he was a beautiful person."

Leto (who won an Oscar himself for his performance in 2013's Dallas Buyers Club) said Ledger's turn was so great that he was hesitant to take on the role in David Ayer's Suicide Squad.

"I think had (the Joker) only been portrayed by Heath and it was never a comic book, maybe I would have felt that would be inappropriate," Leto said. "But I thought that given the history, it was okay. The good thing about other people having done this is that you know what direction not to head in."

We'll be able to see how Leto's version of the Joker stacks up when Suicide Squad hits theaters Aug. 6. One thing we know for sure: that fan theory about the Joker actually being Robin is definitely not true.