MattBrady

by Daniel Robert Epstein

I recently got the chance to talk with Heath Ledger at a press roundtable for the movie Candy. While on the hot seat I got the chance to grill Ledger about his upcoming role of The Joker in The Dark Knight.

Daniel Robert Epstein: Have you started to think about how you will play The Joker?

Heath Ledger: Yeah. I’ve been trying to delay my commitment to the preparation process on that because I’m trying to extend my holiday time. I definitely have an image in my head. I definitely have something up my sleeve. I want to be very sinister. It’s so early that I’m trying to be open at this point. I don’t want to be glued down to anyone.

DRE: Have you read many Batman comics?

HL: No and I think that’s kind of helping me a little bit. I was never really a fan of comic books or comic book movies. I never despised them but I was never one to read them. I never sought out the films but I would sit down and enjoy them. So because of that I really feel that I’m not carrying much pressure.

DRE: Have they given or asked you to read certain comics?

HL: The Killing Joke was the one that was handed to me. I think it’s going to be the beginning of The Joker. I guess that book explains a little bit of where he’s from but not too much. From what I’ve gathered, there isn’t a lot of information about The Joker and it’s left that way.

DRE: Is doing the role of The Joker scary after Jack Nicholson did it so well?

HL: I’m not going for the same thing he went for. That would be stupid. It is also two very different directors with different styles. Tim Burton did a more fantastical kind of thing and Chris Nolan is doing nitty gritty handheld realism. I love what [Jack] did and that is part of why I want to do that role. I remember seeing it and thinking how much fun it would be to put on that mask and attempt to do something along those lines. But it would obviously be murder if I tried to imitate what he did.

DRE: They’re talking about bringing in the co-creator of The Joker, Jerry Robinson, as a consultant on The Dark Knight. I don’t know if it would be more of an honorary title.

HL: It probably is [laughs].

DRE: Have you ever wanted to do superhero movies before?

HL: Not really. With the tights and undies and the boots, I would just feel stupid and silly. I couldn’t pull it off and there are other people who can perfectly. But I just couldn’t take myself seriously. I feel like this is an opportunity to be in one and not do that. I just gravitated towards the villain role because I felt I had something to give to it. I instantly had an idea.

DRE: Have you done screen tests with The Joker makeup yet?

HL: No, but I did do 3-D image scanning. I don’t know what they’re doing with it. This Bat truck turned up at my place in L.A.. It had these gadgets and cameras that zoom around you and up and down you. It instantly projects a three dimensional image of you. I’ve never used anything that high tech before in a film. I felt like I was in the truck from Knight Rider.

EvilErnie13

I'm totally scared!

Ye Olde Iowa

Am I the only one getting a real prick-ish, holier-than-thou, condescending vibe from Ledger in this interview?

I mean, granted, he is one of the better actors out there and I'm sure he will do a great job with the character, but he seems to have a pretty negative outlook on the genre.

Considering this is the guy who made the abysmal and pathetically laughable Knight's Tale, I wouldn't exactly go around calling comic book movies silly and implying that they shouldn't be taken seriously (one look at the box office receipts for the Spider-Man films would say otherwise).

I'm not saying he should become a fanboy because he is playing the Joker, and I'm hoping that he does a great job because he has all the talent to do so, but he should at the very least have some respect for the genre and the material.

smitch

Me too! It could go either way. He could be great, or really lame! AHHHHH!

EvilErnie13

I got that whole vibe as well. I'm putting my faith in the director on his decision with Heath.

SportyFork

You're not the only one, Iowa. This isn't the first interview that I've gotten that same feeling from him.

Oh, well, hope he does a good job. He's a decent enough actor. I don't quite get his casting, but I'll be rooting for him to do well.

smitch

True, well said.

syxxpakk

He's a really good actor, I won't deny that. Nolan will get the best work possible out of him.

That said he was a bit of an asshole in that convo.

CodeGuy

I got a little of the condescending vibe too, but not too much. I don't think he really meant that the genre is silly, just that he'd feel silly in tights. So that's why he was glad to have a different type of character. He could have said it a little better, but oh well.

KyleCowstar

Sounds fine to me. He'll probably be pretty scary.

DBHughes

After Batman Begins, I have complete faith in Nolan; so I trust his choice for Joker. I'm also sure that Goyer is having input even though he isn't officially writing this one.

As for Ledger's comments, I think it's probably better that he comes into The Dark Knight with a clean slate. Without preconceived notions of the Joker, Ledger is more apt to accept actual direction instead of his own interpretation. In fact, the "clean slate" aspect may be a small part of the reason why Nolan chose Ledger for the role.

In the final equation, I believe this is a good example of waiting to see footage of Ledger in the role before we make a judgment. In many cases, we can make reasoned judgments before seeing the film or reading the book; and in its own way that also applies here. Batman Begins was a good film, so it's reasonable to expect that we will get another good film from what is essentially the same production team.

Ragnarokker

I don't get that feeling from him at all really. He says he doesn't read comics and never really took to the genre. No big deal. I would rather he say that then try to pull it off like he was a fan (ie. Julian McMahan and Dr Doom.) But, he feels that he has something to bring to the role of Joker. Which, to me, speaks to the strength of the Joker character. That it could get a guy who isn't in comics to want to play that part.

He is a great actor. He is going be surrounded by amazing actors and an incredible director. I'm not putting the cart before the horse. But, I am saying that it is one hell of a recipe for success.

pseudosham

nah, that's what i'm getting too

MikeD

I don't see his attitude as a problem. He says he's not a fan, but can appreciate the genre.
And he's not wrong about the silliness in many comic book films: see-saw fight in Daredevil, Hulk-Dogs, Batman&Robin, Green Goblin's "Power Rangers" suit...

EmeraldGuy32

hmm...I still trust Nolan but I was not impressed by this interview.

DreamKing

Sounds fine to me too. I'm very much looking forward to his portrayal of the Joker.

Royharper

I dunno this guy could either be great or horrible and I am leaning for horrible. I think that there should be a certain level of fanboy in anyone who is in these movies. I was just watching the Adam West Batman Movie and remembering how everyone and their brothers wanted a cameo walk-on on that show. ledger should at least study Mark Hammil's Joker (and Hammil's performance) for a little behavioral study. I don't want another Mr. Freeze performance.

MValentin

Actually, he seems to have taken his remarks down a notch. Doesn't really matter to me, either way. With Chris Nolan at the helm and his brother, Jonathan, working on the screenplay (not to mention Christian Bale in the lead role), I'm optimistic that The Dark Knight will make comic book fans happy. Nolan will get exactly what he wants from Ledger and it won't be an over-the-top performance like Nicholson gave way back in the day.

My main concern with the sequel is a problem the earlier films had: too many villains, too little screen time for Bruce Wayne/Batman. Hopefully, that won't be the case here and whatever additional villains get introduced in The Dark Knight will either have minor roles or be in the sequel as pure setup for subsequent entries in the franchise.

MPV

jaredgood1

Heath is a good actor, and him not having any pre-conceived notions about the role only helps. Jack's Joker wasn't very good anyway (it just seemed more like a coked out version of Jack).

BlackDog

He's honest and I like that. He'll make a good Joker I think, but I don't think we'll see the Joker in more than one film, which in a way, it's good.

SaturnKnight

There is something to be said for being a good sport and clearly, Ledger is taking the low road by looking down his nose at the source material. If it were a regular novel instead of a graphic novel, would he read it? I'd like to see other interviews with him for other films where he discusses the source the movie was based on.

If he was willing to read the genre that originated the film before, then THE DARK KNIGHT shouldn't be any different.

Frankly, I think the movie will be good, but Ledger is going to be very dismissive and toward fans. That's the way he's coming across--and I don't care for his attitude anymore than he does for comic books.

whippis

I got no such vibe. Let's face it most comic based movies suck and not just because they weren't true. Given the brillance of Nolan's Batman Begins I think he know swhat he's doing- NOT approaching Batman as a comicbook movie but just as a movie. Who cares if Ledger never read a comic, hates them and the people who read them. If he read the script and saw something in the way the character was written that he wanted to do I'm all for it. It tells me that the screenplay or director's pitch or whatever he based his decision on is NOT because he'sa comicbook fan but because he's an ACTOR. And Since he's a good actor I think it will be just fine.

leafinsectma

I didn't get the feeling that he was condescending to the genre, just indifferent or 'meh' which is how I feel now since I haven't seen any footage of him playing the Joker. I'll have to wait and see.

LaughingJak

[quote= It tells me that the screenplay or director's pitch or whatever he based his decision on is NOT because he'sa comicbook fan but because he's an ACTOR. And Since he's a good actor I think it will be just fine.[/QUOTE]

Amen brother.

And a Knight's Tale was AWESOME. You can all go hang (c;

venus_redsca

Definately an elite tone with his words.

He will probably do a good job, but I will still not like him after Dark Knight.