This jilted jester has certainly come a long way, hasn't she? Ever since she debuted in Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn has steadily grown in popularity with both hardcore fans and mainstream audiences. She may have started as a thrall of the Joker, but she's since become every bit as big as other comic villains, starring in countless TV shows, video games, and feature films.
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Like the theatrical baddies of the '60s Batman show, this energetic character has attracted numerous actresses across the industry. Various performers have tackled Harley over the years. Sadly, not all of them managed to capture Quinn's clownish charm. For simplicity's sake, cameos and sketches won't be included, as it is hard to compare a brief appearance like that to a more substantial performance. Jenny Slate, for instance, voiced Harley in The LEGO Batman Movie, but she only had a few lines. This list is to measure those who actually spent time with the character.
7 Mia Sara
The 2002 Birds of Prey series is often overlooked, and even the people who seek out underrated gems don't count this among them, as it mires longstanding characters like Huntress and Black Canary in teen angst and faux edginess. Despite being the overarching antagonist, Harley also suffers from these script shortcomings.
Because of the bad writing, Mia Sara is never allowed to fully embrace the Harley Quinn persona. The show limits her to being a smirking schemer instead of a crazy clown. Granted, Sara still performs this admirably, but it makes her more of a Bond villain than the character fans know and love.
6 Margot Robbie
As the resident Harley Quinn of the DC Extended Universe, Margot Robbie can definitely look the part (awful costumes aside). Sadly, her performance has been a work in progress. Her accent's all over the place, and she constantly struggles to get her voice high enough. In short, her energetic routine never feels natural.
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Robbie always seems artificial, like someone deliberately putting on a persona rather than truly embodying the role. This was the case in both 2016's Suicide Squad and the Birds of Prey movie. Granted, she's noticeably better in 2021's The Suicide Squad. Maybe she'll continue to grow into the character.
5 Hynden Walch
Following an iconic portrayal is a tough task. Hynden Walch learned that in the 2004 series, The Batman, where she was the second voice actress to ever play Harley Quinn. While the responses to the show and her performance were mixed, she has nevertheless gone on to voice the character in other works like Batman: Assault on Arkham. Why is that?
While she overdoes the New York accent, Walch does capture the mindset of a schoolgirl. She's always been good at voicing youthful, innocent characters like Starfire in Teen Titans, and that remains the case here. Her Harley is among the more endearing because of it.
4 Melissa Rauch
Despite being a screen actress, Melissa Rauch showed an uncanny talent for changing her voice in The Big Bang Theory. This made it fitting that she be cast as the iconic clown in the road trip comedy, Batman and Harley Quinn. Indeed, she ups her pitch to an insane degree, but she also makes the surprising choice to go "inner-city New Jersey" with the delivery.
This urbanite con artist schtick does well in scoring the punchlines. The problem is that the movie's jokes are hit-or-miss. Half the time, Rauch is left with nothing except milking the scene with excessively loud freakouts. It's a shame she can't have another chance with more consistent material.
3 Kaley Cuoco
The second Big Bang Theory star on this list, Kaley Cuoco took over the role for the Harley Quinn animated show. This is a foul-mouthed, ultraviolent extravaganza every bit as crazy as its central character, and Cuoco clearly has a blast with the raunchy writing.
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This Harley is akin to an insecure cheerleader hopped up on energy drinks. It's an interesting interpretation, to say the least, but it works when the jokes come at a mile a minute. The way Cuoco zips through the zingers, changing volume at the drop of a hat, always keeps viewers on their toes. This ensures that neither she nor the show are ever boring, which is among the most important parts of comedy.
2 Tara Strong
When original Harley Quinn actress Arleen Sorkin retired from the role, voiceover vet Tara Strong took over. She's no stranger to childlike characters in shows like Rugrats, The Powerpuff Girls, and My Little Pony. This informs her turn as Harley Quinn in Batman: Arkham City.
She basically imitates what Sorkin did, albeit while stretching the pitch a bit more. This sometimes makes Harley sound as harmless as a spoiled brat. On top of that, it creates an amusing contrast when she starts spewing homicidal threats. Strong has since become the mainstay voice for Quinn, so she must have done something right.
1 Arleen Sorkin
The one who started it all, Sorkin was the original voice of Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series. The character was initially just a one-off henchwoman, but Sorkin brought the perfect balance of innocence, energy, and charisma to make the jester a fan favorite.
Sorkin was made to be Harley from the beginning, as writer/friend Paul Dini based the character on a similar role she played in Days of Our Lives. In short, it's a seamless marriage of the actress and the character from the get-go. Everything people love about Harley Quinn can be traced back to this portrayal.
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