Who is Alicia Hunt in Batman 1989?

Tim Burton’s Batman is loaded with great characters, from Alfred Pennyworth and Alexander Knox, to Bob the Goon and Carl Grissom, but what about a character that sometimes gets overlooked?

The character I am referring to is Alicia Hunt – aka Jack Napier’s girlfriend. While her onscreen appearances are few and far between, she does play a significant role in the movie.

But who is Alicia and what happens to her? In this post, I’m providing all the details.

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Who is Alicia Hunt in Batman ‘89?

When Alicia Hunt is first introduced, she appears as the shopaholic girlfriend of mob boss, Carl Grissom. Alicia is young and blonde, while Grissom is older and powerful.

From the limited screen time she is given during her initial scene, the relationship between Alicia and Grissom plays on the age-old stereotype that she is with him for his money, while he is with her for her looks. It also becomes clear that a connection has formed between Alicia and Jack Napier – Grissom’s right-hand man.

Grissom is aware that Napier and Alicia are becoming too friendly with each other, and wants Napier out of the picture. Grissom sends Napier on a faux job, which is really a setup so he will be arrested by the police. But the police don’t arrest Napier, as he is unexpectedly transformed into the Joker. 

A short while later, the Joker kills Grissom and takes over as a new crime boss in Gotham. With Grissom dead, Alicia and Napier (who is now the Joker) pursue a relationship. 

Joker’s appearance is a little alarming at first, but after the initial shock, Alicia continues dating him. Whether this is through genuine attraction or because of his newfound power it isn’t clear, but what is certain is that she doesn’t fear him.

When Alicia gets with the Joker she is beautiful; but all this changes as the relationship progresses. The Joker uses Alicia as his project – a living, breathing work of art. He disfigures her face, causing her to wear a mask. 

But Alicia’s existence as an art project doesn’t last long, and she is killed off, off screen. The Joker reveals the details of Alicia’s death, suggesting that she threw herself out of a window. Did she jump or was she pushed? 

Alicia’s fate is deliberately left ambiguous. However, what is clear is that she was never intimidated by Carl Grissom, Jack Napier or the Joker – making her a strong character.

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Who plays Alicia in Batman?

In Batman ‘89, Alicia is played by former model and actress, Jerry Hall. Hall is perhaps best known for her successful modelling career, having appeared on the covers of countless magazines, as well as her nine-year marriage to singer, Mick Jagger.

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Does Alicia appear in many Batman movies?

Alicia was created for the sole purpose of appearing in Batman ‘89. Her role was that of a girlfriend who would initially provide a connection between Jack Napier’s former life as a gangster and his new life as the Joker.

After the character was killed off in Batman ‘89, Alicia was not referenced in any of the sequels and was not re-introduced in any new Batman movies – and it is unlikely she will ever be mentioned again.

From 1992 onward, the Joker got a new girlfriend in the form of the incredibly popular Dr. Harleen Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn. Harley was introduced in the critically acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series, initially as the Joker’s girlfriend, before becoming a hugely successful character in her own right.

Due to her rapid rise in popularity, Harley quickly made the jump from animation to comics and then to film. Although her connection to the Joker slowly began to decrease across all mediums, she is still largely associated with the Clown Prince of Crime, completely trumping a character such as Alicia.

Moving forward, if any future movie needs to reference a former girlfriend of the Joker’s, it is likely to be Harley and not Alicia.

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Is Alicia supposed to be Harley Quinn?

Alicia was designed as a love interest for Jack Napier, but in no way is she meant to represent Harley Quinn. As noted above, Harley didn’t make her debut until 1992 – three years after Batman ‘89 hit cinemas.

Alicia was designed as a one-off character and that is what she became. Harley was also designed as a one-off character, but quickly developed beyond this.

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I hope this information on Alicia has proved useful. Should you wish to know more about characters featured in the Batman movie series, please take a look at one of the recommended reads below.

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