Heath Ledger Swore He'd Never Star in Superhero Film; Here's What Changed His Mind
When talking about the greatest performances in a superhero film, no list is complete without Heath Ledger as the Joker. His portrayal gave him his sole Oscar, but he almost refused the role.
The film's director, Christopher Nolan, said in a 2012 Q&A that Ledger told him he'd never work on a superhero movie.
"He was quite gracious about it, but he said, 'I would never take a part in a super hero film," Nolan revealed.
He shared that he initially met with Ledger not to cast the Joker, but to cast Batman years before. Nolan talked to Ledger about his ideas for 2005's Batman Begins, a film that eventually had Christian Bale cast as Batman. Nolan explained what he wanted to do, making it different and deeper than the average comic book movie. It was to no avail, as Ledger swore he wouldn't work on any comic book movie.
With the success of Batman Begins, Ledger quickly changed his mind.
Nolan believes it was because he completed what he set out to do with Batman Begins – he made a comic book film that transcended genre. It wasn't as much a traditional "superhero film" as a great film that featured superheroes; the entire trilogy has been well received by critics and redefined how studios approached adapting comic books to film.
Nolan approached Ledger for the upcoming role of the Joker – maybe the most famous comic book villain of all time. Ledger didn't hesitate to say yes, signing on before the script was even finished.
Nolan said that his early casting gave Ledger a lot of time to "obsess" about the role. He'd work through different hairstyles, mannerisms, tones, and everything else until it was perfect. Ledger infamously delved deep into method acting for the dark, disturbing role – an acting choice that reportedly had a negative impact on the young actor's psyche. Preparation for the role resulted in Ledger's insomnia, which wasn't helped by his preexisting health issues, drug abuse, and mental health scares.
Ledger ultimately passed away in January 2008 from acute combined drug intoxication in New York City, six months before The Dark Knight's release. Nolan has continuously praised Ledger for his performance, saying he'd amazed at Ledger's acting process and curiosity. More than anything, he was impressed with the 28-year-old's charisma in his work.
At the 66th Golden Globes the following January, Nolan accepted Ledger's award for Best Supporting Actor on the late actor's behalf. Co-stars Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Caine, and Christian Bale joined Nolan in predicting an Oscar win; his nomination for the award was announced on the anniversary of his death.
He became the first actor in a comic book film to win an acting Oscar, and the second person to win one posthumously.