Batman: The Animated Series and DC fans are devastated to learn that original Harley Quinn voice actress Arleen Sorkin has died. She passed away at 67-years-old on August 24, 2023.
The news was first broken on X by fellow voice actor Neil Kaplan. They shared a post where they noted how the news broke their heart, and furthermore, what his favorite works of Sorkin’s were.
Here’s the post which was shared online very close to a year after Bruce Wayne and Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy, also from Batman: The Animated Series, passed away:
“It broke my heart to hear… the original voice of Harley Quinn, Arleen Sorkin has passed away,” he writes. “I adored her work at HQ & as Calliope in ‘Days of Our Lives.'”
It broke my heart to hear… the original voice of Harley Quinn, Arlene Sorkin has passed away.
I adored her work as HQ & as Calliope in “Days of Our Lives.” pic.twitter.com/QtypvmvNUX
— Neil Kaplan – Voice Actor (@NeKap) August 26, 2023
Of course, while Arleen Sorkin is well-known for having played Harley Quinn, it’s worth noting that the creation of the character was inspired by a previous role of Sorkin’s. Harley Quinn was actually inspired by a version of Sorkin’s Day of Our Lives character Calliope Jones who happened to be wearing clown makeup. Fans can no doubt make out the connections between the two parts.
She later portrayed Harley Quinn in several other DCAU projects that include Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League. Her last portrayal of the character was in 2009’s separate Arkham video game continuity that started with Batman: Arkham Asylum. Tara Strong then took over as the voice for the character for the follow-up Arkham games.
No matter the voice behind the character, however, Arleen Sorkin’s iconic performance will always be remembered and associated with the role. She played a large part in Harley Quinn’s creation and evolution over the decades. So, as a fantastic actress and human being, this is certainly a sad time for fans in addition to her friends and family.