LaKeith Stanfield Explains Why He Sees The Joker As A Hero, Not a Villain

BY Erika Marie 4.6K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Mike Coppola / Staff / Getty Images
LaKeith Stanfied, Joker, Vanity Fair,
The actor called Joker a "glorified troll" who makes people look at their true selves.

There are only a select few people who see Batman's nemesis Joker as a hero, and LaKeith Stanfield includes his name on that list. The maniacally funny murderer most recently received his own film in 2019 starring Joaquin Phoenix, and the character was mentioned by Stanfield during his sit-down with Vanity Fair. The acclaimed Judas and the Black Messiah actor recently caught up with the outlet for their Proust Questionnaire series where he answered 35 rapid-fire inquiries about himself. When asked about his favorite hero character, he explained why his answer was the Joker.

Robin Marchant / Stringer / Getty Images

"I like the Joker because the Joker makes you have to look in the mirror and flip everything on its head and like, make you have to laugh at everything that you thought was sacred," said Stanfield. "It's kind of like a glorified troll in making people see what they have to see in themselves. 'Cause ultimately, you have to make your own decision inside yourself in who you want to be and what you want to be, but sometimes you don't know what that is until somebody shows you. And the Joker's just like, 'You thought that this was all so serious? Nah, that sh*t's funny."

"I think that's a great trait to have and you know, in some people's eyes he's a villain but to me, it's like, hero characteristics." Check out what else Stanfield had to say about valuing honesty and why he believes skin tone is the most overrated virtue.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.