There Was a Good Reason Heath Ledger’s Joker Was Licking His Lips

There isn’t any superhero character whose rogues gallery rivals that of Batman. Although the many Batman adaptations over the years have resulted in movies of varying degrees of quality, every single installment has managed to include a fascinating villain. Although there are many fan-favorite antagonists, many would argue that the Joker is the most memorable of Batman’s opponents. Many famous actors have inhabited the role, each bringing to the performance a different interpretation of the “Crown Prince of Crime.” The debate over the greatest performance of the Joker may be a contentious one, but it’s hard to ignore the incredible influence that Heath Ledger’s interpretation of the character in The Dark Knight had on popular culture. While Ledger's creepy performance was the actor's creation, there’s also a practical reason for one of the Joker’s most disturbing mannerisms in The Dark Knight.