Ten Years After Heath Ledger's Death, THE DARK KNIGHT Director Christopher Nolan Remembers His Performance

Ten Years After Heath Ledger's Death, THE DARK KNIGHT Director Christopher Nolan Remembers His Performance

It's been a decade since the death of The Dark Knight's Heath Ledger and director Christopher Nolan talks here about his performance as The Joker and his unique approach to the Clown Prince of Crime...

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By JoshWilding - Jan 23, 2018 02:01 AM EST
Filed Under: The Dark Knight
Source: BBC Radio 1 (via ComicBook.com)
Yesterday marked the tenth anniversary of Heath Ledger's death and even a decade on, his performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight remains every bit as iconic. Now, director Christopher Nolan has weighed in on how the actor went about approaching the role of the iconic Batman villain and reveals just how private he was when it came to preparing to play the Clown Prince of Crime. 

"A lot of what Heath did he would discuss with me," the filmmaker revealed in a recent interview about Ledger. "He'd sort of give me hints of what he was going to do and we'd talk about it a bit and I would try to be an audience for him, sort of gauge with him what he was doing but a lot of it was about unpredictability and I think he wanted to play his cards a little close to the chest."
 
Nolan went on to explain that Ledger took his time developing each part of his performance as The Joker and the director actually had little insight into any of that as shooting continued. "He would very gradually reveal to me the voice and the way he was going to do things, but not in one go, not 'here's the Joker.' We sort of watched him develop it with the wardrobe and the makeup and everything. I got to be a part of that creative process which was great fun, but on set there were always moments like that clapping or things he would do with his voice. His voice was always so unpredictable."

"I took huge pride in having been in any way involved with this great performer, this legacy," he added, praising Ledger's work as the villain. "He was an extraordinary person, an extraordinary actor and for him to be recognized in that way I think it was very meaningful for his family and meaningful for film history that what he contributed, and he contributed in many different ways to film history, but that it be marked in that way I was very proud to have been part of that," Nolan concluded.
 
What did you guys think about Ledger's take on The Joker? Does it still hold up for you a decade on? As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts on that and Nolan's remarks in the comments section.
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CaptainElrond
CaptainElrond - 1/23/2018, 2:32 AM
LSHF
LSHF - 1/23/2018, 2:34 AM
He seemed to throw everything into his performance. The film was worth watching for that alone.
case
case - 1/23/2018, 3:02 AM
@LSHF - Agreed man. I didn't love the film that much when I first saw it but his performance - frikken outstanding.
clornelas
clornelas - 1/23/2018, 2:50 AM
GOAT. I felt insulted by both the inclusion and portrayal of Leto's Joker in SS. I'm not usually one to say "too soon", but yeah, too soon.
As for Ledger's performance there's something about being terrified and mesmerized by a character to the point of pure awe. A rare experience in my life so far. I so selfishly wish he were still around.
LeonNova
LeonNova - 1/23/2018, 3:14 AM
@clornelas - I wouldn’t say 8 years later is too soon. Too bad it was a poorly written, over-the-top, waste of the character.
Philip
Philip - 1/23/2018, 8:48 AM
@Jhuntdaprodigy - waste of the actor as well. Leto was one of the few actors out there that I believe can do the Joker justice after Heath, but Ayer really tried his best to make sure this Joker would suck.
BIGBMH
BIGBMH - 1/23/2018, 2:57 AM
It's very interesting to me that Nolan didn't know what Ledger was going to do with it. I'd imagine Ledger was able to convey how much he'd put into it when they were having their talks about him coming on board. Still, pretty incredible casting instincts. He wasn't the obvious choice, but I can't imagine there being a better choice.
RealSpiderMan
RealSpiderMan - 1/23/2018, 3:01 AM
Nolan is such a genius, yet articulate and humble. So much class. Wish more directors are like him.
Hardfelt
Hardfelt - 1/23/2018, 3:36 AM
As a "completely unbiased Australian", I watched Ledger's career from his early role playing opposite Rose Byrne in Two Hands all the way through to The Dark Knight. He was always growing and developing his craft. His Joker is sublime. A mesmerising and ultimately unsurpassable performance, marked by swings in mood and physical fits entirely befitting the character.
Bokis
Bokis - 1/23/2018, 3:56 AM
I like how the title seems to imply that Nolan had forgotten about the performance and was suddenly reminded of it again haha
ELAYEM
ELAYEM - 1/23/2018, 4:03 AM
In my opinion Heath Ledger was the greatest CBM villain in the greatest CBM of all time, and honestly probably my favorite movie villain of time.




Man, what a performance

R.I.P.
MotherGooseUPus
MotherGooseUPus - 1/23/2018, 4:45 AM
@ELAYEM - Agreed on all accounts my man. Watched it Friday night...what a f*cking movie and performance
ELAYEM
ELAYEM - 1/23/2018, 6:34 AM
@MotherGooseUPus - Right on. Rewatched it this July for probably the 6th to 8th-ish time, and after 9 years it still blew my mind.
MotherGooseUPus
MotherGooseUPus - 1/23/2018, 6:50 AM
@ELAYEM - Right now...you just dont see performances like that anymore...regardless if its a CBM or not.
NotoriousWolf23
NotoriousWolf23 - 1/23/2018, 10:51 AM
@ELAYEM - 100%
Kadara
Kadara - 1/23/2018, 11:20 AM
@ELAYEM - Whenever Im lucky enough to catch this on tv from the beginning, I just sit down and forget all about what I was looking for originally!
DEVWoulf
DEVWoulf - 1/23/2018, 11:29 AM
@ELAYEM - Pretty much GOAT.
bcom
bcom - 1/23/2018, 12:04 PM
@ELAYEM - The scene where he's hanging his head out the cop car is one of my favorites. I also love when he's addressing the gang leaders in their meeting and one of them calls him crazy and he seriously looks at him and says "no I'm not. No I'm not". It just reminds you that he's fully aware of himself and is calculated, not crazy.
MrReese
MrReese - 1/23/2018, 4:04 AM
Time to rewatch TDK!

Arguably the greatest movie villain.
MiKi
MiKi - 1/23/2018, 4:16 AM
Probably my favourite movie villain performance of all time (my time!)

Incredibly talented
RolandD
RolandD - 1/23/2018, 4:35 AM
A ridiculous choice in casting, I thought to myself; one of many thousands of reasons that I am not a director. I never tire of watching this movie and especially any see with Ledger. This was not really the Joker from the comics. In many ways Nicholson nailed that in Burton’s movie. The less said about the latest live action Joker, the better.
Philip
Philip - 1/23/2018, 8:51 AM
@RolandD - Eh, Nicholson nails some parts of the Joker. But IMO, he's not any closer to the Joker from the comics than Ledger or Leto is.

We haven't seen a full-blown comic book Joker yet.
Supes17
Supes17 - 1/23/2018, 1:51 PM
@Philip - I think that having different interpretations is part of it. Even in the comics, the Joker has been portrayed in many different ways.
Philip
Philip - 1/23/2018, 2:02 PM
@Supes17 - Oh I totally agree.

The basic idea for Leto's version was a decent one I believe, but Ayer [frick]ed it up.
RolandD
RolandD - 1/23/2018, 2:42 PM
@Philip - Okay, I agree. Nailed it was too strong a term. Ledger’s performance was very different from what I saw as the Joker, but it was awesome.
RolandD
RolandD - 1/23/2018, 2:44 PM
@Supes17 - Yes, too true but I’m not sure what Leto was supposed to be.
Philip
Philip - 1/23/2018, 3:05 PM
@RolandD - The easy way to describe would, IMO, be:

Romero - clown/fool
Nicholson - gangster
Ledger - anarchist
Leto - psychopath

Leto can be salvaged, I think. And Leto is perhaps one of maybe 3-4 actors working today that could potentially portray a Joker of Ledger's capabilities in my opinion, so I'd like to see him redeemed.
ODanil
ODanil - 1/23/2018, 4:44 AM
He's the reason The Dark Knight is The Dark Knight. Otherwise it would just be like, a good CBM.
knocturnalzen10
knocturnalzen10 - 1/23/2018, 5:33 AM
@ODanil - agreed !
MotherGooseUPus
MotherGooseUPus - 1/23/2018, 4:47 AM
Rewatched it Friday....Still the Best CBM to date, imo.

Now that i think of it, i'll watch anything Nolan directs...Watched Inception yesterday, what a great f*cking movie that is too
Ryguy88
Ryguy88 - 1/23/2018, 4:53 AM
@MotherGooseUPus - did you get a chance to see Dunkirk in theatres? I think thats my favourite movie of last year.
MotherGooseUPus
MotherGooseUPus - 1/23/2018, 6:49 AM
@Ryguy88 - Saw it in IMAX....it was f*cking EPIC. It's def in my top 3 movies of last year, no doubt. Such a good flick
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