Sunday, August 27, 2023

Arleen Sorkin Passed Away!

Arleen Sorkin, the original voice of DC's Harley Quinn passed away.

When Batman the Animated Series was introduced in 1992, you saw the superhero shows shook. It starred Kevin Conroy as Batman, a role he contributed to until his passing.

Mark Hamill, the famed actor who was Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise also voiced the supervillain The Joker. He had a sidekick who introduced into the series. She was supposed to be a one time character but the viewers and executives saw the character to be very popular. 

It's been over 30 years but Harley Quinn has been an iconic female anti-hero.

The original voice of Harley Quinn has passed away. Arleen Sorkin, the actress who voiced her and had a role on Days of Our Lives has passed away at the age of 67.

Her husband is Christopher Lloyd, the creator of Modern Family.

An unnamed source confirmed the death to The Hollywood Reporter.

"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," James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios, wrote on Instagram.

THR reported that Sorkin died Thursday; the cause of her death was not disclosed.

Diane Pershing, who worked with Sorkin as the voice of Poison Ivy on the iconic '90s series, wrote a message on Facebook through her friend's account that Sorkin was suffering from a long-term illness.

The iconic episode "Mad Love" features Harley Quinn having an emotional breakdown after Batman stated The Joker has no feelings towards her.

"I used to visit her when she was bedridden with her long term illness and I would read to her, and I loved her very very much," she said. "I hadn't seen her since I moved to Washington in January 2022, but I sent her messages and pictures of cosplayers at various Cons dressed as her, the original Harley Quinn."

Sorkin had a recurring role as Calliope Jones in the long-running "Days of Our Lives" soap opera between 1984 and 2010.

As a voice actor, Sorkin became known for giving life to Joker's partner-in-crime and on-and-off spouse, Harley Quinn, in "Batman: The Animated Series" starting in 1992.

She would reprise that role again over the years, most recently in the Batman video games.

"Devastated to learn we've lost the brilliant Arleen Sorkin. Not just a wonderful talent, but a truly wonderful person," former costar Mark Hamill, who played the Joker in the series, wrote on X.

Sorkin helped popularize the Joker henchwoman, who would eventually get her own starring series.

The character didn't appear in DC Comics until 1993, a year after she debuted in the animated series.

In 2002, the first live-action version of Harley Quinn, played by actor Mia Sara, appeared in "Birds of Prey," a short-lived television series loosely based on the comic book series of the same name.


More than a decade later, Margot Robbie would take up the mantle as the harlequin villain in David Ayer's "Suicide Squad" in 2016.

She reprised her role four years later in "Birds of Prey" and "The Suicide Squad," a sequel to the 2016 film.

Since Sorkin, about 17 actresses have played Harley Quinn in animated series, video games, or live-action roles.

Voice actor Tara Strong, who played some of the generation's most recognizable animated characters, voiced the character 33 times.

"Without this gorgeous, talented goddess, #HarleyQuinn would have never existed," Strong wrote on X. "She was the inspiration & the heart & soul of this iconic character."

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