Heath Ledger Died 7 Years Ago Today

Heath Ledger was the definitive Joker. Not only that, but his performance looked to launch a career of acting legitimacy after years of teen heartthrob roles and popcorn films. Sadly, this transformation may have cost him his life.

7 years ago today, Heath Ledger died in his sleep of a drug overdose.

Though there’s really no way to find out the truth about what really happened, one theory about what lead to his Ambien abuse was tied directly to his award winning performance. Ledger had wrapped himself into the role completely, adopting ‘method’ acting to bring the Joker to life. He famously kept a diary of sadistic activities that the character would find hilarious, writing obsessively and giving himself insomnia.

Here’s an excerpt from Rolling Stone following his death:

"“Ledger had no formal training, and there’s this to be said for acting school: it teaches you to approach a role as foreign, as a language you’ll temporarily speak. Ledger didn’t appear to have that. He needed to dig for (and inhabit) the part of himself that was the character. ‘Performance comes from absolutely believing what you’re doing,’ he said. ‘You convince yourself, and believe in the story with all your heart.’ It didn’t always shut off when a production did, and I think it ground him.”"

His disturbed obsession was tangible, even to others on the production:

"“As The Joker in next summer’s The Dark Knight, he will appear as a man severed from all connection. A ‘psychopathic, mass-murdering clown with zero empathy,’ is how he described it to the New York Times. On set, Michael Caine said the performance sometimes turned so frightening he forgot his own lines.”"

There’s little doubt in my mind that his role lead directly to his death, but in the end, it doesn’t matter. It was a brilliant performance by an actor who had dedicated himself to his craft and he left the Earth too soon. Whatever the reasons why, his death was a tragedy, but we should celebrate his life by appreciating the Joker he gave us.