The Dark Knight New In-Depth Interview with Ledger

[Fenrir]

Ninch Fettucini over at BOF found this fantastic interview with Ledger from the Berlin XM sat radio show:

On his getting the coveted role of The Joker...

"You have to remember I watched those films as a boy and me and my mates used to play Batman in the streets, so I kind of had a knowledge of the characters and the mythos. I’ve wanted to do something that could cement me and after viewing Batman Begins I was interested in working with Nolan. When I was contacted I was not super keen on the idea but after learning about the things they wanted to do I became very interested in The Joker. It’s an actors dream to play an iconic role and The Joker is so far removed from anything I’ve done yet that I am looking forward to it and to the ideas that were presented to me..."

On what kind of Joker character angle can we expect to see...

"Well this is just in the infant stages right now but I receive character data from the writers on an almost weekly basis ; my fax is loaded with profiles on The Joker to give me an idea of what they are going to do. I’ve also been given some of the comic book material to look over and I just become more and more interested as it develops. To play a villain one must throw it all out the window and I have not yet really explored that kind of dark side, which makes me enthusiastic to play him. This role, I am told, will be like watching a car wreck that won’t stop, and from the script pieces I’ve been sent on my character’s angles, its just gets deeper and deeper. This guy is a shark, a fearless shark and I know I can bring that alive..."

On what The Joker will look like...

"That is my question as well, I suppose he will look like me, but I’ve been told that they are still in preliminary stages and I’ve seen no ideas yet. I’ve been told it will be The Joker and that the iconic look will be true, I hope it is..."

On working with Bale...

"Christian is actually in this film I am doing now on Bob Dylan so I’ve met him a few times. He is excited as well and that has galvanized me to do it too, he had a lot to do with them contacting me. Right now we are focused on this film but once we get to Warner it will be all Dark Knight..."

On the fans who don’t like him...

"This kind of things affects me zero. It would not matter who is chosen to play the character in any film, there is always someone who does not like you and I am secure in my choices and my record, and if I must say anything directly to them it is that I am going to do the best possible work I can do as an actor. But I know at the end of the day you are never going to please anyone 100 percent. As an entertainer I chose what I want to do based on where I want to go. I am an actor and it’s my job to do this. But it’s a dream. I am grateful for getting the role and I have to say I will do whatever it takes to make it the best possible product I can."

On the Jack Nicholson’s Joker...

"That was a film I watched with my mates coming up, to say it was not a great film would be an understatement. I loved and was scared of the Joker in that film so it’s very inspiring that I’ll be in those shoes, but at the same time what we are going to have to do is something never done before - that was one of my requirements. I refused to carbon copy a performance, that would not be a challenge and it would be mocking Mr. Nicholson whom I have much respect for..."

On what it will feel like to be an action figure...

"I’ve always thought that would be the point where I really made it, I mean I am an action packed guy so making a toy for me is ok with me mates..."

 

[Crooklyn]

Fantastic. This is Heath's best interview yet, can't say there's one thing I didn't like about what he said. Looking forward to more comments.

 

[TRUE]

nice

 

[The Shape]

I love this guy already.

He knows his stuff.

 

[Superwoman Prime]

Very good interview. Not one time did he sound harsh or condescending.

I used to not believe in Ledger. but the more stuff I see like this, and the more manips I see, and the more I think about it, I really think he may pull it off magnificently

 

[I Am The Knight]

Great interview. ''A car wreck that won't stop.''

 

[Boom]

I think his second reponse is the best one, because it should ease the worries of those who aren't totally sold on his casting.

Judging by what he's saying, he's getting plenty of source material to study.

 

[Fenrir]

Great interview. ''A car wreck that won't stop.''

I also loved this whole part:

"This role, I am told, will be like watching a car wreck that won’t stop, and from the script pieces I’ve been sent on my character’s angles, its just gets deeper and deeper. This guy is a shark, a fearless shark and I know I can bring that alive..."

 

[DV8]

gottam are they going to nail this

 

[DV8]

I also loved this whole part:

"This role, I am told, will be like watching a car wreck that won’t stop, and from the script pieces I’ve been sent on my character’s angles, its just gets deeper and deeper. This guy is a shark, a fearless shark and I know I can bring that alive..."

dude . . . what else can we ask for from Heath? this guy is going to fkn QWN . . . .

 

[Crooklyn]

This was actually the most interesting part for me...

He (Christian Bale) is excited as well and that has galvanized me to do it too, he had a lot to do with them contacting me.

 

[Superwoman Prime]

gottam are they going to nail this

Dont' jinx it.

If you jinx this, man... UGH!

 

[Boom]

This was actually the most interesting part for me...

No kidding.

Looks like Bale wanted Ledger for the part.

 

[Superwoman Prime]

Well, he got his wish then.

 

[The Sage]

So Bale possibly lobbied for Ledger? Interesting.

I love everything he said in this interview. Makes up for the weird ones that were made earlier.

 

[Fenrir]

No kidding.

Looks like Bale wanted Ledger for the part.

I guess all those anti-Ledger fanboys everywhere are now saying the exact opposite of the popular catchphrase -

"DAMMIT BALE! "

 

[FaT_tONle]

Jacking Off After Reading The First Two Paragraphs... What A Find!!!

 

[FaT_tONle]

gottam are they going to nail this

Nail this and nail us while they are at it....

 

[Keyser Soze]

Man, that description of The Joker's characterisation just blew me away. "A car wreck that won't stop"? "A shark"? Man, this is going to be awesome...

 

[titan101]

"This guy is a shark, a fearless shark and I know I can bring that alive..."


sounds like heath knows his sh**.t:

 

[Superwoman Prime]

Double entry, Fat_tONle. From now on, you will speak when spoken to.


EDIT: Yes, Heath knows his "sh-it"

 

[The Only Woj]

Jacking Off After Reading The First Two Paragraphs... What A Find!!!

thats .... weird.

 

[Batman]

On what The Joker will look like...

"That is my question as well, I suppose he will look like me, but I’ve been told that they are still in preliminary stages and I’ve seen no ideas yet. I’ve been told it will be The Joker and that the iconic look will be true, I hope it is..."

I think I just had a fangasm. That would be so awesome if it turned out that The Joker would maintain his iconic look, as opposed to a realists' take that I've been fearing from the very beginning.

 

[Clerk]

I guess all those anti-Ledger fanboys everywhere are now saying the exact opposite of the popular catchphrase -

"DAMMIT BALE! "

Haha, that's what we said 3 years ago when Bale was deciding if he wanted the role or not.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

meh, would be if we were all normal.

Good interview.

And......NO MASK. Now that ****ing rumor can die.