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Interview: Heath Ledger
The Joker
Heath Ledger on The Joker
By Bob Strauss
When Heath Ledger called from New York last November, he was enthusiastic about his just-completed role as The Joker in Christopher Nolans latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight.
But he was also a little defensive about the whole thing. Several years earlier, the Australian actor had quite publicly walked away from mainstream Hollywood to concentrate on artistically fulfilling independent films.
This paid off spectacularly for Ledger, earning him an Oscar nomination for the beloved Brokeback Mountain and making him a bigger star than ever.
So he felt a tad guilty about taking the big budget, comic book movie job. But portraying the classic maniac was also the most enjoyable thing hed ever done.
I spent a lot of time with Chris beforehand, going over different looks, Ledger said of the deformed villain with the harlequin face. The first shots of The Jokers smeared, cadaverous makeup had just hit the web and the response had been mixed, so the actor felt he had some explaining to do.
Its very hard to sum up or capture what I was doing in one photo, Ledger admitted. Theres not really one angle or one look or one expression or a freezed frame that looks to me like what youre going to see in the film.
I barely sit still for a moment like that to exist!
Heath Ledger's Joker with Christian Bale's Batman in The Dark Knight
So I think its healthy and I think its correct for people to have mixed feelings, because I do when I see those still images. It doesnt look like what were going to see. And I think thats a good thing, in a way, that something cant be summarized in one image.
Ledger went on to explain why approximating Jack Nicholsons iconic Joker from Tim Burtons earlier Batman film simply wouldnt have worked for him.
I just had an innate understanding of exactly how to play it for Chris, he said. If Tim Burton came to me and he was directing The Dark Knight and for some odd reason asked for me to play The Joker, Id say no, I couldnt step into your world and do what Jack Nicholson did. But instead Chris Nolan approached me, obviously, and Id seen the world hed set up and in which Id be playing him, and I thought I could do something new and interesting in it.
Asked for more details about his approach to the character, Ledger joked: Im certain that DC Comics and Warner Bros. have snipers trained on me, and if I say too much Ill walk out of this hotel and theyll peg me for sure! But Im really proud of the time we spent on the movie.
Considering the 28-year-old Ledgers unexpected death two months after this conversation, that statement seems a bit eerie. Then again, it was comforting to know that, even that close to the end, Ledger was joking and still the fun guy who knew hed come a long way from Perth, Australia, but hadnt let it go to his head.
When asked if his success ever made him want to pinch himself, he said, I do, I guess. But, not really. Day by day, I kind of breathe, and I just feel like its natural, its my story. Its still evolving and still surprises me. But I am grateful for it. And whether Im from Perth or from New York City is irrelevant. You either get out there and make it happen or you dont.
Youre lucky or youre not.
Sorry if it has been posted people.
The Joker
Heath Ledger on The Joker
By Bob Strauss
When Heath Ledger called from New York last November, he was enthusiastic about his just-completed role as The Joker in Christopher Nolans latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight.
But he was also a little defensive about the whole thing. Several years earlier, the Australian actor had quite publicly walked away from mainstream Hollywood to concentrate on artistically fulfilling independent films.
This paid off spectacularly for Ledger, earning him an Oscar nomination for the beloved Brokeback Mountain and making him a bigger star than ever.
So he felt a tad guilty about taking the big budget, comic book movie job. But portraying the classic maniac was also the most enjoyable thing hed ever done.
I spent a lot of time with Chris beforehand, going over different looks, Ledger said of the deformed villain with the harlequin face. The first shots of The Jokers smeared, cadaverous makeup had just hit the web and the response had been mixed, so the actor felt he had some explaining to do.
Its very hard to sum up or capture what I was doing in one photo, Ledger admitted. Theres not really one angle or one look or one expression or a freezed frame that looks to me like what youre going to see in the film.
I barely sit still for a moment like that to exist!
Heath Ledger's Joker with Christian Bale's Batman in The Dark Knight
So I think its healthy and I think its correct for people to have mixed feelings, because I do when I see those still images. It doesnt look like what were going to see. And I think thats a good thing, in a way, that something cant be summarized in one image.
Ledger went on to explain why approximating Jack Nicholsons iconic Joker from Tim Burtons earlier Batman film simply wouldnt have worked for him.
I just had an innate understanding of exactly how to play it for Chris, he said. If Tim Burton came to me and he was directing The Dark Knight and for some odd reason asked for me to play The Joker, Id say no, I couldnt step into your world and do what Jack Nicholson did. But instead Chris Nolan approached me, obviously, and Id seen the world hed set up and in which Id be playing him, and I thought I could do something new and interesting in it.
Asked for more details about his approach to the character, Ledger joked: Im certain that DC Comics and Warner Bros. have snipers trained on me, and if I say too much Ill walk out of this hotel and theyll peg me for sure! But Im really proud of the time we spent on the movie.
Considering the 28-year-old Ledgers unexpected death two months after this conversation, that statement seems a bit eerie. Then again, it was comforting to know that, even that close to the end, Ledger was joking and still the fun guy who knew hed come a long way from Perth, Australia, but hadnt let it go to his head.
When asked if his success ever made him want to pinch himself, he said, I do, I guess. But, not really. Day by day, I kind of breathe, and I just feel like its natural, its my story. Its still evolving and still surprises me. But I am grateful for it. And whether Im from Perth or from New York City is irrelevant. You either get out there and make it happen or you dont.
Youre lucky or youre not.
Sorry if it has been posted people.
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