Arleen Sorkin, Original Harley Quinn Voice Actor, Dies at 67

Jenelle Riley Deputy Awards and Features Editor This article first appeared as part of Jenelle Riley’s Acting Up newsletter – to subscribe for early content and weekly updates on all things acting, visit the Acting Up signup page. Kelly Moscinski became the owner and head of casting at the Voicecaster, she had plans to become a psychiatrist. But while enrolled as a pre-med student at college, she discovered the theater department and, in her own words, “I knew my passions and my career path were shifting.” She swiftly changed her major to theater with a focus on directing, where she first began experiencing the world of voice acting through various productions and helping actor friends. She moved to Los Angeles in 2009, open to several different career paths (she sent out over 350 letters and resumes) and was eventually hired at the Voicecaster as a casting assistant.

Max has released a teaser for its upcoming original animated series Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, a spinoff of Harley Quinn, which wrapped its fourth season Thursday. It’s set to premiere in 2024.

McKinley Franklin editor It’s time to wing it — Max has released the first official teaser for its animated “Harley Quinn” spin-off “Kite Man: Hell Yeah!,” which is set to debut in 2024. “Kite Man and Golden Glider take their relationship to the next level by opening a bar in the shadow of Lex Luthor’s Legion of Doom. Nobody said serving cold ones to the most dangerous rogues outside of Arkham Asylum would be easy, but sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and how to hide a body,” reads the show’s official logline.

Christopher Lloyd Guest Columnist When you arrive at home on a Tuesday evening and have to double-check your own address because there is a line of valet parkers in front, one of whom hands you a ticket, and when you proceed into your home of find a crowd of well-dressed people, most of whom you do not know, and an orangutan sitting on your chair at the head of the table — when all of this happens and you’re not really that surprised, there is a better than average chance that you are married to Arleen Sorkin. The occasion on that Tuesday was a hastily arranged fundraiser for a South African human (and animal) rights organization, and the orangutan was by no means the only luminary I was surprised to find sitting in my chair over the three decades I spent with my big-hearted wife. Wasn’t it only six months earlier that I’d opened my door to find Fayard Nicholas (seated) and his brother Harold (mopping his brow) — the legendary Nicholas brothers tap dancing team, then in their 80s, who, Arleen had decided, needed a fundraiser.

Fox is bringing in some repeats of 9-1-1: Lone Star to its fall schedule as it tries to remind viewers that scripted drama still has a place on broadcast TV amid the writers and actors strikes.

“That is the part where you look up and you say, ‘how could people have allowed their neighbors to be taken and put in the camps?’” says Origin director Ava DuVernay of the deep roots of discrimination and the cruel consequences of subjugation.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Neon has acquired worldwide rights to Ava DuVernay’s “Origin” ahead of its world premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival. The movie, starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts, will also screen at the Toronto International Film Festival. “Origin” will be released in theaters later this year.

Neon has acquired worldwide rights for Ava DuVernay’s Origin ahead of its world premiere in Competition at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday (September 6).

He was the fresh-faced cheeky chap who everyone loved, enthralling TV viewers with his old-fashioned swing-based style on the third series of The X Factor in 2006. Ray Quinn even nearly won the show, coming runner-up to singing sensation Leona Lewis.The Mersyside-born star went on to release a No 1 album, Doin' It My Way – featuring songs including Ain't That A Kick In The Head and My Way – but, after a 30-date UK tour, he was dropped by Simon Cowell's Syco record label at the end of 2007. Undeterred, Ray took part in Dancing On Ice in 2009 and the All Star series in 2014, winning both shows with his incredible skating skills.

Charley Webb appears to be being supported by one of her famous pals after having to leave her husband and children behind for her new job. The former Emmerdale star recently packed her bags before leaving the north and heading to London where she is working on her next project.

told Entertainment Weekly.“We will always remember our dear Arleen for her immense generosity of spirit,” the family said in a statement. “Talented, yes, and dogged, too, as evidenced by her tenacious, decades-long fight with a terrible disease.”“But more than that, she was a loving presence in the lives of her two boys, Eli and Owen; her mother, Joyce; her brothers, Robert and Arthur; and the countless other children, old and young, whom she took under her beautiful wing over the years.”The statement continued by saying that while her passing was sad, it was “a joyous one, too, knowing how many people today are summoning her memory and smiling.”Sorkin made her TV debut as an extra in “Saturday Night Live” in 1982 but her breakthrough role came in 1984 when she appeared as Calliope Jones Bradford on the popular soap opera, “Days of Our Lives.”The gig earned her two Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress and she went on to reprise the role several times.In 1992, Sorkin made her voice-acting debut as Harley Quinn in an episode of “Batman: The Animated Series.”According to showrunners, fans loved the wise-cracking henchwoman so much that Sorkin was invited to return for eight more episodes as well as being invited to voice the character in several video game adaptations.Since her debut, Harley Quinn has become a DC staple and has spawned two live-action films where she is portrayed by Oscar nominee Margot Robbie as well as getting her own animated series on Max where she is voiced by Kaley Cuoco.

Batman villain Harley Quinn, has died at the age of 67.The news was announced last night (August 26) via voice actor Neil Kaplan on X/Twitter. “It broke my heart to hear… the original voice of Harley Quinn, [Arleen] Sorkin has passed away.

Arleen Sorkin, the original voice of Batman villain Harley Quinn, has passed away at the age of 67.The death was announced by her friend and fellow voice actor Neil Kaplan who took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the news with the world. Alongside an image of Arleen and an image of her as the Harley Quinn character, Neil wrote: "It broke my heart to hear… the original voice of Harley Quinn, Arleen Sorkin has passed away. I adored her work as HQ & as Calliope in Days of Our Lives." The news has sent shockwaves through the world of entertainment as tributes have poured in from former colleagues to fans.The cause of her death is yet to be revealed.

Arleen Sorkin has sadly passed away.

“It broke my heart to hear… the original voice of Harley Quinn, Arlene Sorkin has passed away,” he wrote. I adored her work as HQ & as Calliope in “Days of Our Lives.”Arlene Sorkin was a funny, charming and lovely soul.

Arleen Sorkin, known for voicing Harley Quinn across the animated DC Universe, has died. She was 67.

Nintendo has announced Charles Martinet, the voice behind Mario, is stepping down from the role after almost three decades.In a statement on Monday (August 21), the company said Martinet will now become a “Mario Ambassador” who will “continue to travel the world sharing the joy of Mario”.“It has been an honour working with Charles to help bring Mario to life for so many years and we want to thank and celebrate him,” Nintendo’s statement read. “Please keep an eye out for a special video message from Shigeru Miyamoto and Charles himself, which we will post at a future date.”In response to the statement, Martinet wrote: “My new Adventure begins! You are all Numba One in my heart! #woohoo!!!!!”My new Adventure begins! You are all Numba One in my heart! #woohoo !!!!!!! https://t.co/3YWYewlnXt— Charles Martinet (@CharlesMartinet) August 21, 2023Martinet first voiced the character in 1994’s Mario Teaches Typing, but was widely introduced to many in 1996’s Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64.Along with Mario, the actor voiced various other Nintendo characters including Luigi, Wario and Waluigi across the Mario Kart, Luigi’s Mansion and Mario Party series.While Chris Pratt voiced the character in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Martinet made a cameo appearance as the voice of Mario and Luigi’s father, along with Giuseppe.Many fans have since shared tributes and clips to honour Martinet’s retirement on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Charles Martinet is stepping away from an iconic role.

Pavement, has died at the age of 70.Young’s death was confirmed by his former bandmate Stephen Malkmus today (August 18) via a social media post. Malkmus, who fronted pioneering indie-rock band Pavement with Young, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg and Mark Ibold, wrote on Twitter/X: “Gary Young passed on today. Gary’s Pavement drums were “one take and hit record”… Nailed it so well.

Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor has teamed up with SpongeBob SquarePants voice actor Tom Kenny for a special performance of the kids animation’s theme song.While at the Huntington Comic and Toy Convention in West Virginia this past weekend, Taylor was invited onstage to perform the SpongeBob theme song with Kenny, who voices the titular character and sang the original theme for Nickelodeon’s hit children’s show.“This is the most nervous I’ve ever been in my whole career,” Taylor said to the audience at the event’s outdoor stage. “How the hell did I get here, guys?”Watch the performance below.The collaboration has been a long time coming for Taylor, who has performed the song as a treat for fans at his solo shows dating back to 2011.Earlier this year, Corey Taylor quipped during a live show that he was growing tired of performing the showtune: “I’ve written over a hundred songs and you motherfuckers are screaming ‘SpongeBob’ at a grown ass fucking man.