[15], —Christopher Nolan on Ledger's performance.[16]. [26], Ledger developed the Joker's voice and mannerisms slowly over time and during camera tests. [14] In an interview with MTV, Ledger said he regarded the experience playing the Joker as the most fun he ever had, "and probably will ever have". To prevent Wayne Enterprises M&A law accountant Coleman Reese (Joshua Harto) from revealing Batman's secret identity on TV, the Joker announces that he will blow up a hospital if Reese is not dead within 60 minutes. The Joker is a fictional character who appears in Christopher Nolan's 2008 superhero film The Dark Knight, based upon the DC Comics character and supervillain of the same name. Nolan acknowledges this unpredictability to be part of the character's slinky physical movements as well, saying that Ledger's performance "[is] always a surprise". When hunky, twenty-year-old heart-throb Heath Ledger first came to the attention of the public in 1999, it was all too easy to tag him as a "pretty boy" and an actor of little depth. [5], Director Christopher Nolan had met with Ledger over the years for different roles. Heath Ledger turned down playing the … "[64] "It's just one of the most iconic movie performances of modern times", declared chief film critic of Variety Scott Foundas. He was played by late Australian actor Heath Ledger. The Joker, incarnated with chilling authority by the actor, is simply one of the most twisted and mesmerizing creeps in movie history.". Wearing the character's traditional color palette, the Joker is dressed in a light purple shirt, a thin medium toned purple tie and a green waistcoat, topped by a dark purple overcoat. Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an Australian actor, photographer, and music video director. [20], Steve Alexander, Heath Ledger's agent, said the actor had a "pay-or-play" deal on The Dark Knight, "so he felt free to do whatever he wanted to do as the Joker, no matter how crazy." "[4] However, later impressed with Batman Begins,[8] Ledger sought the part of the Joker from Nolan. A psychopathic criminal mastermind and mass murderer with a warped, sadistic sense of humor, the Joker is hired by Gotham City's mob bosses to kill the vigilante Batman (Christian Bale), and also comes into conflict with Batman's allies, Gotham police officer James Gordon (Gary Oldman) … It has a bit of, "Inside. Still, Phoenix brings exceptional artistry to his Joker. He spent several years trying desperately to sway this image, but this was a double-edged sword. [10] Heath Ledger was cast before there was a script. [9] O'Sullivan acknowledged how Ledger, Nolan, and makeup artist John Caglione all gravitated towards a Francis Bacon painting Nolan was referring to. [56], "I can only speak superlatives of Ledger, who is mad-crazy-brilliant as the Joker", wrote Peter Travers of Rolling Stone, stating that the film is deeper than its predecessor, with a "deft" script that refuses to scrutinize the Joker with popular psychology. The worst of the worst were sent here, except for the Joker, who, rumor had it, was locked away as Arkham’s sole remaining inmate. Caglione called the application work "a dance". 79 wins & 60 nominations. Joker is the Dark Knight's most iconic villain, but who will play the character in The Batman? [6] Gilliam helped Ledger put on a clown act for that film, an experience the actor later acknowledged as an influence for his performance as the Joker. His face is covered in a cracked and runny layer of white clown makeup, with his sunken eyes thickly rimmed in black. ", "The Dark Knight: Heath Ledger Talks Joker", "A look at how Heath Ledger viewed his career, "Christopher Nolan Reflects on His Batman Trilogy, Heath Ledger & More", "Christopher Nolan Spends the 'Knight' at Lincoln Center: 5 Things Learned About Batman and Beyond", "Movies: In Stetson or Wig, He's Hard to Pin Down", "IESB Exclusive: Heath Ledger Talks the Joker! American Batman writers Paul Dini and Jeph Loeb both chimed with the positive reactions. By Ben Sherlock Nov 16, 2020 This corruption, this decay in the texture of the look itself. Bale confirmed that Ledger did not perform the Joker's voice during rehearsals, waiting to get in character when the cameras rolled. Do I really look like a guy with a plan, Harvey? [4], As a starting actor, Heath Ledger did not attach himself seriously to the roles he was playing. The Joker is a fictional character who appears in Christopher Nolan's 2008 superhero film The Dark Knight, based upon the DC Comics character and supervillain of the same name. Later, the Joker kills Gambol and takes over his gang. ", "Everyone Was Also Furious with the Initial Casting of Heath Ledger As The Joker", "Del Toro's, Dini's and Loeb's Reaction to Heath Ledger's Joker", "Slumdog Millionaire wins Oscar for Best Picture; the late Heath Ledger is Best Supporting Actor", "Golden Globes 2009: Heath Ledger wins best supporting actor for The Dark Knight", "PGA and SAG Bow to Peer Pressure, Name Slumdog Millionaire Best Picture", "Heath Ledger honoured by Australian film industry", "The critics' verdict on Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight", "Movie News: Ledger's Knight Costars Call for Posthumous Oscar", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joker_(The_Dark_Knight)&oldid=995019187, Pages using citations with format and no URL, CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 18 December 2020, at 19:40. [9][28] She gave the image for the Joker of someone who is "very sweaty" and who "probably doesn't have a proper home". [45][46] Nolan remembered the cynicism he endured surrounding Ledger's casting, saying that "the whole world turned around and said 'What are you doing?' The Fire Rises: The Creation and Impact of the Dark Knight Trilogy, 2013. [24], Ledger highlighted the importance of finding an iconic voice and laugh for the character, relating the voice as "the key to the demented killer". [19], – Scrawlings from Heath Ledger's Joker diary[22], During a span of six weeks, Ledger "locked" himself away in a hotel room, forming a character diary and experimenting with voices. The Joker's hair is stringy, unkempt, and dyed green. Nolan was impressed enough with the first video shoot that he chose to not be present when Ledger shot the video with a kidnapped reporter (Anthony Michael Hall). Furthermore, it contains a list of things the Joker would find funny, such as AIDS, landmines, and geniuses suffering brain damage. No one was more surprised by the demise of Gambol in The Dark Knight than actor Michael Jai White, who played the menacing gangster. John Caglione described Ledger as helping others around to relax, never letting "the intense nature of the roles overwhelm him". [17] Nolan later acknowledged the scene to be his favorite in the film, saying "I had never seen anybody sell a punch the way Heath was able to do with Christian. It is a towering performance. The physicality reminds me of the great silent comedians. It also earned him a posthumous Oscar nomination, one of 15 nominations the Batman films have received over the years. Here are his 10 best. 23 ] the diary contains scrawling and cuttings inside can perfectly, this! `` prologue '' a test screening sway this image, but who will Play the character mannerisms! Noted, `` we gave a Francis Bacon spin to [ his face is covered in a and., did n't make any sense to people at all do, according to Caglione, to... 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