Joker - Characters & Cast

Initially, Arthur is motivated by a simple desire to care for his mother and to bring laughter and joy to the world as a comedian. As he is continually rejected and brutalized, his motivation shifts to a desperate need for recognition and, eventually, revenge against a society and the specific individuals he feels have wronged him. His ultimate motivation as the Joker is to expose the hypocrisy of society and to assert his own existence through chaos.

Arthur begins as a deeply troubled, empathetic, and pitiable man trying to do the right thing in a society that constantly mistreats him. He is a victim of abuse, mental illness, and systemic neglect. Through a series of traumatic events—losing his job, his access to therapy, and discovering the truth about his past—he slowly sheds his identity as Arthur. His arc is a descent into nihilism and violence, culminating in his rebirth as the Joker, a confident, chaotic agent of anarchy who feels empowered for the first time by embracing the very madness society tried to ignore.

Murray is motivated by ratings and entertainment. He seeks out content that will amuse his audience, even at the expense of others' dignity. His decision to bring Arthur on his show is not out of kindness, but because he sees Arthur as a joke to be exploited for cheap laughs.

Murray Franklin is a successful, charismatic late-night talk show host whom Arthur idolizes, viewing him as a symbolic father figure. Murray's arc is short and impactful: he transforms from Arthur's hero into his ultimate tormentor. Initially, he seems like a classic TV host, but he reveals a cruel streak when he airs a clip of Arthur's failed stand-up routine purely to mock him. This act of public humiliation shatters Arthur's fantasy and leads directly to Murray's on-air murder, completing his arc from idol to victim.

The real Sophie is motivated by the desire to care for her daughter and live her life. The imagined Sophie is motivated by a deep love and acceptance of Arthur, providing him with the support and affection he desperately craves but cannot find in reality.

Sophie is Arthur's neighbor and a single mother. In Arthur's mind, she represents a chance at normalcy, connection, and love. Her arc is unique because, for most of the film, her character exists only as a figment of Arthur's imagination. The real Sophie has only minimal, polite interactions with him. Her 'arc' is the revelation that she was never part of Arthur's story, which serves to highlight the profound depth of his delusion and isolation.

Penny is motivated by a desperate, delusional belief that Thomas Wayne will save her and Arthur from their poverty. She lives in a fantasy world, writing letters to him and clinging to a past that may not have existed as she remembers it. Her primary motivation is her own comfort and escape, rather than Arthur's well-being.

Penny is Arthur's frail, homebound mother whom he cares for. She initially appears to be a gentle, loving mother who encourages Arthur to 'smile and put on a happy face.' Her arc is a tragic unveiling of a dark past. She is revealed to be a narcissist who was complicit in Arthur's severe childhood abuse and delusional about her past affair with Thomas Wayne. Arthur's discovery of this truth shatters the last pillar of his support system, leading him to smother her to death, completing her arc from a seemingly loving mother to the source of his original trauma.