Just a thought. Heath Ledger apparently complained of sleepless nights while playing the role of the Joker in the next Batman movie, Dark Knight. Could playing such an insane psychopath actually drive someone over the edge and cause problems in their personal life? Many actors talk about “getting into the character” they’re playing so intensely that they feel as if they’re actually the person they’re acting as. To people like me who aren’t actors or involved in the film industry, it’s easy to watch a film and discount the emotional toll certain rolls take on actors. But given the amount of stress most people’s jobs cause them, I can see how playing a super-freak (I listened to Rick James the other day 
) could cause an actor to actually become one. But I guess I’ll never know, as I have no desire to act, nor acting talent, for that matter.
I wonder if Malcolm McDowell or Robert De Niro felt like they were minds were being negatively affected at any point while working on A Clockwork Orange or Taxi Driver, respectively…
That was my first thought too! He had plenty of reasons to be sad, but plenty to live for too- maybe the character in this grittier, darker Batman in our current world of suicide bombers and real terror was too much. This wouldn’t be the first time life and art combined tragically.
Wow, a comment from a real, live person!
Seriously though, Dono: my wife came home from class last night and told me he died, and the very first thing I thought of was a Dark Knight preview we saw at an IMAX theater a few weeks ago. At the time, I thought the trailer — a bank robbery scene with - who else? - the Joker at the helm — was odd, simply because I’d never seen a trailer that was basically a ~10 minute uncut excerpt from a film. But now I think it was even more bizarre because Heath Ledger’s Joker, in that short clip on the massive IMAX screen, was more unsettling, in my opinion, than anything I saw in the feature film that followed (I Am Legend.)
For some reason the Dark Knight clip really got under my skin. I suppose it could’ve been because the gunshots ringing through the digital surround-sound system were about to cause my eardrums to implode. But after Ledger’s death, I believe it could’ve been Ledger himself that made me so uncomfortable: he may’ve become a bit too close to the role…
I’ve only seen him in a few films, admittedly, but what I saw I enjoyed. It’s sad when young talent is extinguished at such an early age. When my wife walked in and told me about what had happened and I didn’t act as shocked as she was, she quickly put the shock into me by saying “He’s your age!”
Anyway, if it was suicide, it’s quite tragic. A little girl, a wonderful career, etc. I heard on TV that he wasn’t into the whole celebrity thing (I’m talkin’ to you, Tom Cruise!), and since I’m not famous, I can’t really tell what kind of pressure he’d be under. But if he was a down-to-earth guy, I’d imagine the stress could be great…
Ive been taking psychology classes at my local community college for quite some time. No, Im not working on a degree. Im just expanding my knowledge of humanity. Anyway, I would have to say that it is entirely possible that playing the Joker drove Ledger crazy. Insaine is not the word to use because its a legal term, not a diagnosis.
I haven’t seen the new flick yet, but I’m eagerly anticipating being able to do so. I’ve heard terrific things about it.
BTW, checked out Roosterteeth. Nice site, and creative content!
I think that’s plausible. I was reading up on him on wikipedia when I got home from seeing Dark Knight this afternoon and it said that to prepare for the role, Heath Ledger lived alone in an apartment and wrote diary entries as how the Joker would see them (something like that). By trying to get into character, I think he probably could have caused himself some harm…
The mind is a powerful thing, and if he was doing things like writing diary entries as the Joker, I could imagine it affecting him as well, Cate. Especially if he was under the influence of any drugs (prescription or non-.)
I really need to see this movie…
Also want to check out Wanted and Wall-E before they leave theaters…