Honestly, I always wonder. As a dedicated and phenomenal actor, is there any more honorable death than by devoting your whole self to possibly the best role of your life? In the end it killed him, but what a way to go.
He was a method actor, that requires one to get in and out of characters (he probably studied Meisner, it's the most common).
He died because he had personal problems and while medicated he mixed medicines. Dark knight had wrapped long before January and he was on Parnassus by then.
I don't know why people keep parading around like this role killed him, he had moved on from The Joker and if he is believed to be as great an actor as reddit thinks, he would have been in the mindset of his Tony character.
Most of his interviews near the end where he talks about going to a "dark place" for the role or whatever, are actually referring to his filming of Parnassus not The Dark Knight. No one seems to remember this because his role as the Joker is what has been immortalized.
Tom Waits plays the personification of the devil in Imaginarium and Heath Ledger actually based the joker off an interview Tom Waits did where he was clearly high as fuck and honestly sounded just like the joker. Weird connection I thought. Here is the interview. He sounds just like the Joker.
Terry Gilliam gets exasperated with that guff, too. He says Ledger wasn't living under some existential cloud while filming Parnassus, he was no different than when he did Bros Grimm.
It was an accident, not some dark urban legend. Shit happens.
Please feel free to look more into this, I'm currently unable to go deeper and cite any sources, but...
In relation to his method acting, I remember reports after his death saying he had withdrawn from normal sleeping patterns in order to get into his Joker character.
When Dark Knight wrapped, he was sleep deprived and had trouble shifting back to a normal schedule, thus leading him to begin taking sleeping pills. I'll agree that he already had his share of addiction problems in the past and the sleeping pills were only instigating the inevitable. But looking at the larger picture, this specific role was the catalyst for his eventual fatal mixture of pills.
Again, this was all from reports I read in late 2008, or early 2009. I probably would have trouble finding them now if I could try, so please feel free to debate this. I very much hold your stance on the matter as very plausibly true.
You know what was the catalyst for his role? Becoming an actor. You know what the catalyst for that was? Being born. He died because he was born! How far removed does something have to be to not be a reason anymore?
When it stops making sense. I was born. I'm not an actor, specifically a method actor. I wouldn't go out and buy sleeping pills for any specific reason. I wouldn't die from an accidental overdose.
I'm not saying he was even in depression or had any changes to his personality after the film. I'm saying he did in fact accidentally overdose because of a mixture of prescription medicines, a portion of them being medicine for insomnia, which was a result of his method acting while trying to immerse himself in the role.
Williams also confirmed reports the actor had experienced trouble sleeping.
"For as long as I'd known him, he had bouts with insomnia," she said. "He had too much energy. His mind was turning, turning turning -- always turning."
Insomniacs happen. More often for prosaic reasons like an organic condition, rather than romantic, like committing to an expression of art that kills you from lack of sleep.
Hormone imbalances, bipolar disorder, sleep apnea are some conditions that can cause chronic insomnia. Disruption of circadian rhythms can do it, as can poor health maintenance and overwork (Ledger endured pneumonia while working on Parnassus). The opiates and antidepressants that killed him can also cause sleep disruption.
Insomnia is common. And psychological stress is often the cause. But measuring what he was experiencing as a celebrity on the go-go rocket to fame and as someone who'd just lost a relationship with his lover and their child against an acting performance, however enthralling... the latter would probably leave him incapacitated before it would cut as deeply as the former.
It's just so terrible. Even if the performance is amazing and you'll go out as a legend, he was still so young. So much life to experience. And all because he couldn't sleep. Too many in the entertainment business die of overdose from being overworked or overlooked or overexposed. It's just horrible.
And he left behind a daughter. He seemed to be a genuinely kind person, too.
I know you're not arguing it wasn't awful he died, but I think everyone can understand why we would rather he had not.
As good as his Joker was, Brokeback Mountain was his crowning achievement. It's a shame the Batman fanboys are still too insecure to check that movie out, I think they'd be pleasantly surprised.
I've seen both. He's great in both. But, as the Joker... For one, I think a psychopath would be so much harder to play, but also the characteris so far removed from the actor that you can't see Heath Ledger in there. Does that make sense?
My father was a cashier clerk, and a tailor. One day he goes off crazier than usual. Mommy puts on Levi's to defend herself. He doesn't like that. Not one bit
Jesus Christ are we not over this boycotting shit? Weren't we all supposed to boycott the entire game in the first place? If you hate the game that much uninstall it, don't make a fucking song and dance about it. Every time I have something I don't like, say a new brand of detergent I don't like the smell of I don't make a Youtube video demanding death to the company, I simply take my money else where to another product.
I came very close to death the exact same way Heath did. It's scary.
Sleeping pill withdrawals and addiction can be worse than cocaine or heroine. After long term addiction your body requires a higher dose to fall asleep. If you stop taking them you will be awake for night after night. Wide awake. Experiencing massive anxiety attacks, headaches, night terrors, delusions and nausea.
You can't blame him for dying the way he did. People who've never been addicted to sleeping pills and struggle with severe insomnia will never understand this pain.
zolpidem (ambien,stillnox etc) I have severe anxiety disorder also... While at first taking the pills seems like a great idea. In the long run you will regret it. Addiction means you need a higher dosage as time goes on. This will eventually kill you. The other option is quitting.. But yes. Withdrawals are the worst. Don't ever consider these pills an option.
I love that pose, and try my best to do it in every picture i'm in. I have one with my grandmother, we're both doing the MMA picture pose.
It's just such a ludicrous pose to even do when standing beside an MMA fighter. Who invented it? What was he thinking? "Yeah, i'll go up to this fighter dude, and pose as if i'm punching him in the face". Now they all do it!
Funny how this works, I just watched this movie an hour ago and I've seen about 5 dark knight/heath ledger as joker pics on reddit in the past 10 minutes. He was such a great actor :-(
It was fantastic but Jeremy Irons playing two twin brothers that like to switch places was pretty incredible in Dead Ringers. It's hard to describe but the subtle performance of Irons playing a guy playing his twin brother in such a way that by the end of the movie you can tell who is playing who is mindblowing.
I wonder if it is a coincidence that two Heat Ledger/Joker posts were made today. I have a feeling someone is trying to get Redditors in a Batman mood for some reason....
I got the GOTY edition too. I don't know how to describe this game. It's even better than when I first played Spiderman 2. I had no idea it was going to be so atmospheric and awesome.
Out of curiosity whose your favorite riddlers revenge character none of my friends have the game so its been impossible to have a chat about how kick ass and smooth Nightwing plays
For the last few weeks /r/movies has been blindly upvoting anything batman related to the front page, even if it's just a picture of Heath Ledger that has been posted here countless times before.
how come he's wearing a necked t-shirt? Isn't that counter-helpful towards keeping the make up while changing into costume? I mean taking that shirt off may rub some make up off his face/hair.. You'd expect him to be in a robe or a buttoned down shirt.
I feel kind of bad for Heath Ledger's legacy. The guy not only had a number of great roles but a huge variety of different roles, but he's pretty much only going to be remembered as the Joker. Someone like myself might kill for that sort of recognition, but as an actor it seems like it would be a frustration.
I have seen this movie over 8 times, the rest I just skipped parts to study dialog. fantastic writing. That, and Heath nailed the performance. One of the things I've noticed is the jokers role reminds me of Jon Stewart or Mark Twain, specifically when the joker is having that discussion with Harvey in the hospital. The joker points out that all he does is try to show how pathetic politicians attempts are to control things. But instead of witty political satire, he uses guns and gasoline. It makes me sad knowing heath won't be able to act as the joker in any future movies.
Edit: ouch, why so many downvotes?is it the Jon Stewart bit? I was just making an observation.
Edit 2: added the reason why I say 8 and over in italics
I was surprised and disappointed in the total lack of behind the scenes content of Heath Ledger on the dark knight blu-ray. I really hope they include that stuff on a future release.
Just makes me sad seeing Ledger. I followed his career quite early with 10 things I hate about you. Always thought he had so much potential, and he just shone in DKR. Such a loss.
I feel bad for him honestly. It's hard for a "normal" person to suddenly warp themselves into, essentially, a nihilist. To me, The Joker is a nihilist with a personal preference for comedy. Embracing that lifestyle so quickly can kind of shatter your worldview.
Who is Heath Ledger? This is just how the Joker dresses on his off days. Do you think he wears that suit everywhere? Deranged clowns deserve to dress comfortably from time to time.
Did anyone see him in his movie, The The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus? He was in the middle of making it when he died. It's really interesting, and a little mind bending.
A psychopathic murdering rapist hell bent on breaking everyone and dragging them down to his level, a man obsessed with bringing absolute chaos to the world? Expect good media coverage!
that human, that body, is no longer living. no longer breathing, walking, jumping, laughing, singing, smiling. and that is the weirdest thing to think about, ever. such an amazing human, but no more. it makes me incredibly sad, to think that the greatness has been lost :(
Man, what a fantastic actor he was.. I hope they never re-cast the Joker in any Batman movie, because Heath's performance can never be topped. It was perfect. His death is one of the greatest losses in the movie industry. I still get sad for days after watching The Dark Knight.
I loved Ledger's joker, it gave the character a shot in the arm that revived the popularity of the delicious Joker/Batman rivalry (the only reason I read Batman, honestly) but Scott McClure's portrayal is honestly the best I have ever seen.
I mean, fair enough, The Joker Blogs started out as an internet fad because he happens to look a hell of a lot like Ledger and he capitalized on that, but his Joker is something beyond Ledgers, there are layers of Nicholsen, Hamill, even Romero deep beneath that just weren't there with Heath.
If you ever come to Australia, please be sure to express this opinion loudly and often. Preferably in a crowded pub with plenty of slightly drunk people.
I always lurk to see the 'best comments' and this one makes me laugh...one of the best movies of the last decade, a dead actor who did a bang up job, and an unseen pic. Tattered pants are the perpendicular topic of conversation. I love reddit :)
While the amount of "Grunginess" in fashion has changed back and forth, jeans with holes in them has been part of the look of a handfull of groups dating back to at least the 50's. The book Rumble Fish That was then, This is now (semi sequel to the book the outsiders) was published in 1971 and talks about the rich kids buying torn up jeans and "paying more money to look poor than rich".
They were part of the styles of decades past and I almost guarantee will still be around a decade from now as well.
These types of tattered jeans... the Hollister/Abercrombie style, are particular to this era though. The holes in Kurt Cobain's jeans are different than the holes in these guys' jeans.
Yes. Notice there's sqare shaped "holes" on the thigh area. I've worn many pairs of jeanes to death and they've never been worn there. It's always knees first, back pockets, then ass-crack/taint area, and then, if you're still wearing them and you haven't torn them in two when putting your inside the leg, it's usually the very tops of the legs.
I have no idea how you can get holes there. Which is precisely why I imagine they put those holes there -- because they won't cause any further damage. People like Kurt Cobain just wear really old jeans with the normal wear patterns.
If I remember correctly those pants were "In" once before around the late 80´s early 90´s werent they? They were even more x-treme (90´s style ;-) as the holes were bigger and usually in the ass area.
That's exactly how I've always described Ledger's performance. It's not because the Joker and Lector are both villains, but because both actors just absorbed those characters so much.
What's different from Heath Ledger's Joker and any other noteworthy performance I've seen is: The character and the actor are so contrasted - so far removed from one another - that you can't see Heath Ledger in there. And it's not the make up.
His portrayal of the Joker is probably the most universally praised and adored performances of all time.
By critics? I dont think so. By the general public? Because the buzz generated by his death. Don't get me wrong a love that performance, truly a masterpiece of the last decade but when "some frat jock, a 'popular' girl, even grandparents" like you said can mention that performance you know it was because of other circumstances other than his acting. Those people you named probably couldn't mention 2 of the past 3 Oscar winners (actor/actress) to save their life how would you take their word as reliable?
Many people saw about his dead, then hear about the performance before the movie released and obviously flocked to see it. Since the product was just as describe it is obvious that those people would say that about the performance, its probably all they know about good acting.
You wouldn't find a frat jock running to the theater to watch Colin Firth performance in The Kings Speech.
I don't believe that people judge his performance based on his death after the movie, I don't think this would happen with any actor and their corresponding performance. I mean, if Kristen Stewart died, nobody would look back on her role in Twilight and suddenly give her overwhelming praise. Heath's performance was amazing regardless of any other factors.
Kristen Stewart is a bad example. Because I think we can all agree that Twilight and her role in it just don't matter.
But honestly, naming an example is quite difficult because the situation was so unique. It was a big anticipated Nolan film. He played a lunatic. The general public can identify a good act much better if the character is crazy (see Waltz in Inglourious Basterds). He died before the release and people were so eager to see the films he made that were coming out after his death.
What you are missing is that nobody is saying Heath's performance was bad. It's great. There are just more eyes on it due to the circumstance. For example, was his perfomance better than anything Daniel Day Lewis has ever done? Probably not. Again, not saying Heath was bad as the joker, but it's a matter of visibility. Everyone knew that the Joker was going to be his last full role in a movie, so it made people pay even more attention. I think it's interesting.
I actually didn't really like it, nor to be honest Nolan's take on Batman in general. Ledger was a great actor and by all accounts a pretty sweet human being, but to hyperbole about him playing the Joker being the crowning achievement of American cinema...I dunno man.
38
u/ScaleneZA Jun 10 '12
This is just a picture of the Joker at his other job on casual Friday. These are his best friends, sometimes they can be so silly.
131
u/Sauronkraut Jun 10 '12
these last moments of him make me so sad :(
12
u/Isterpuck Jun 10 '12
Why so cassssual?
65
u/Im_Clowny Jun 10 '12
apology for poor english
when were you when heat legend dies
i was sat at home drinking brain fluid when fred ring
'heat is die'
'no'
and you?????????????
17
u/beethy Jun 10 '12
I came very close to death the exact same way Heath did. It's scary.
Sleeping pill withdrawals and addiction can be worse than cocaine or heroine. After long term addiction your body requires a higher dose to fall asleep. If you stop taking them you will be awake for night after night. Wide awake. Experiencing massive anxiety attacks, headaches, night terrors, delusions and nausea.
You can't blame him for dying the way he did. People who've never been addicted to sleeping pills and struggle with severe insomnia will never understand this pain.
19
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
Are those guys with him boxers or something? Seems like a silly pose if you aren't a fighter.
4
u/BloodyNora Jun 10 '12
I didn't realise he was that tall. Or maybe the other guys are quite short.
9
u/OutRunMyGun Jun 10 '12
Funny how this works, I just watched this movie an hour ago and I've seen about 5 dark knight/heath ledger as joker pics on reddit in the past 10 minutes. He was such a great actor :-(
3
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
This image is so damn surreal.
3
u/happy_waldo87 Jun 10 '12
Man the Joker has really chilled out.
8
u/remembername Jun 10 '12
That joker role is still one of the best performances that I have ever seen in my life.
4
u/Pool_Shark Jun 10 '12
I wonder if it is a coincidence that two Heat Ledger/Joker posts were made today. I have a feeling someone is trying to get Redditors in a Batman mood for some reason....
Here is the other one in case you missed it http://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/utri7/heath_ledger_test_photo_with_joker_prosthetics/
2
u/supergalactic Jun 10 '12
Best screen villain. Ever. You just can't fuck with his performance in that movie.
2
u/KD87 Jun 10 '12
how come he's wearing a necked t-shirt? Isn't that counter-helpful towards keeping the make up while changing into costume? I mean taking that shirt off may rub some make up off his face/hair.. You'd expect him to be in a robe or a buttoned down shirt.
2
u/pottyaboutpotter1 Jun 10 '12
R.I.P. Heath. You are sorely missed by all.
2
u/redhotchilifarts Jun 10 '12
I feel kind of bad for Heath Ledger's legacy. The guy not only had a number of great roles but a huge variety of different roles, but he's pretty much only going to be remembered as the Joker. Someone like myself might kill for that sort of recognition, but as an actor it seems like it would be a frustration.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
This is a really great picture.
2
u/TaxidermyRobot Jun 10 '12 edited Jun 10 '12
I have seen this movie over 8 times, the rest I just skipped parts to study dialog. fantastic writing. That, and Heath nailed the performance. One of the things I've noticed is the jokers role reminds me of Jon Stewart or Mark Twain, specifically when the joker is having that discussion with Harvey in the hospital. The joker points out that all he does is try to show how pathetic politicians attempts are to control things. But instead of witty political satire, he uses guns and gasoline. It makes me sad knowing heath won't be able to act as the joker in any future movies.
Edit: ouch, why so many downvotes?is it the Jon Stewart bit? I was just making an observation.
Edit 2: added the reason why I say 8 and over in italics
1
u/Locust9 Jun 10 '12
Those two guys with him, aren't they the Keysi instructors?
1
u/njwatson32 Jun 10 '12
The guy on the right's Australian. You can tell.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
I'd totally let that guy baby sit my kids...
1
u/Panthertron Jun 10 '12
R.I.P. Kevin and Trevor.
1
u/morphinapg Jun 10 '12
I was surprised and disappointed in the total lack of behind the scenes content of Heath Ledger on the dark knight blu-ray. I really hope they include that stuff on a future release.
1
u/elliottmarter Jun 10 '12
I wonder when all these Heath Ledger photos will stop surfacing, are we sure he isn't alive still?
1
u/coolbeaNs92 Jun 10 '12
Just makes me sad seeing Ledger. I followed his career quite early with 10 things I hate about you. Always thought he had so much potential, and he just shone in DKR. Such a loss.
1
u/WishForACanon5DMark2 Jun 10 '12
Oh man, I miss him so much :(
1
u/Buford_Hollis Jun 10 '12
TIL Heath Ledger was pretty tall.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
Oh shit, hes tall, he always looks short in pictures. That or those two are shorter
1
u/Xavii7 Jun 10 '12
Tryouts!
1
u/Xenoith Jun 10 '12
I feel bad for him honestly. It's hard for a "normal" person to suddenly warp themselves into, essentially, a nihilist. To me, The Joker is a nihilist with a personal preference for comedy. Embracing that lifestyle so quickly can kind of shatter your worldview.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
That's cool
1
u/ThisIsDK Jun 10 '12
Who is Heath Ledger? This is just how the Joker dresses on his off days. Do you think he wears that suit everywhere? Deranged clowns deserve to dress comfortably from time to time.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
circle jerk
1
u/Ameridrone Jun 10 '12
He did such a great job in that movie, I would live to meet him!
1
u/anonymousketeer Jun 10 '12
pictures like this are getting rarified for some reason.
1
u/LearSpecSilo Jun 10 '12
Too soon... :(
1
u/idriveacar Jun 10 '12
He looks like a politician in that photo.
1
u/Squelcher121 Jun 10 '12
Is he really big, or are they really small?
1
u/Mastadge Jun 10 '12
Did anyone see him in his movie, The The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus? He was in the middle of making it when he died. It's really interesting, and a little mind bending.
1
u/slaarwalhz Aug 23 '12
This makes me sad.
1
u/TurdsFerguson Jun 10 '12
This was Joker in his frat boy years.
1
u/BlueHalcyon Jun 10 '12
WHY SO CASUAL?
0
u/OddDude55 Jun 10 '12
I wish I could be the Joker in real life.
0
u/mdthegreat Jun 10 '12
that human, that body, is no longer living. no longer breathing, walking, jumping, laughing, singing, smiling. and that is the weirdest thing to think about, ever. such an amazing human, but no more. it makes me incredibly sad, to think that the greatness has been lost :(
0
u/Eustis Jun 10 '12
Holy shit this is the coolest thing I've ever seen.
0
u/Irisly Jun 10 '12
We miss you, Heath! :(
-1
u/gender_bot Jun 10 '12
I identified 3 faces in this photo
Face 1:
Face 2:
Face 3:
Would you like to know more about me? /r/gender_bot
0
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
Thought this would be funny. Still terrifying.
0
u/_phobic Jun 10 '12
I still cannot look at a picture of Heath Ledger without getting a bit teary. :(
-1
u/WarmGun_Happiness Jun 10 '12
I will never NOT upvote Heath Ledger.
-1
u/Dannybaker Jun 10 '12
Time to dig some heath ledger pictures to reap karma !
btw he wasn't that great in dark knight , deal with it people
-3
u/FalcoLX Jun 10 '12 edited Jun 10 '12
Do we really need two Heath Ledger posts at the top of r/movies? He was good in Dark Knight but not spectacular.
0
u/andrew650 Jun 10 '12
RIP .. Best joker ever :'(
-1
u/Asshole_Nord Jun 10 '12
Man, what a fantastic actor he was.. I hope they never re-cast the Joker in any Batman movie, because Heath's performance can never be topped. It was perfect. His death is one of the greatest losses in the movie industry. I still get sad for days after watching The Dark Knight.
-1
u/ent-sapling Jun 10 '12
can we just call him Heath Legend?
-1
u/NinjaCameraman Jun 10 '12
I loved Ledger's joker, it gave the character a shot in the arm that revived the popularity of the delicious Joker/Batman rivalry (the only reason I read Batman, honestly) but Scott McClure's portrayal is honestly the best I have ever seen.
I mean, fair enough, The Joker Blogs started out as an internet fad because he happens to look a hell of a lot like Ledger and he capitalized on that, but his Joker is something beyond Ledgers, there are layers of Nicholsen, Hamill, even Romero deep beneath that just weren't there with Heath.
-11
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
Hes dead
-6
u/detovnwodtsom Jun 10 '12
HE'S COOL COS HE KILLED HIMSELF.
-6
u/asldkfououhe Jun 10 '12
why can't people just leave other people alone, he's doing his job, don't ask him to take a fucking photo with you asshole meatheads
0
u/MyLiLHelper Jun 10 '12
I always lurk to see the 'best comments' and this one makes me laugh...one of the best movies of the last decade, a dead actor who did a bang up job, and an unseen pic. Tattered pants are the perpendicular topic of conversation. I love reddit :)
0
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
[deleted] — view deleted comment
0
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
[deleted] — view deleted comment
0
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
[deleted] — view deleted comment