We’ve already covered a lot of the EW cover story remembrance feature of actor Heath Ledger who died one year ago, Thursday (January 22, 2008). It’s an amazing piece, with really emotional, wistful and candid interviews with many friends and filmmaking allies. Ledger’s agent and friend already has said he’s convinced there would have been a ‘Dark Knight’ sequel with Heath as the Joker again had he lived. And director and close friend Terry Gilliam admitted he almost folded up his plans to finish “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus,” after his death.
We decided to grab some more quotes that are still interesting, though possibly not news.
On being asked to play “Spider Man”
CAA agent Steve Alexander: “Sony asked me to come over and read the script for Spider-Man. It was going to be a really cool tentpole movie. But as soon as I said Spider-Man, Heath said, ‘It’s not for me. I would be taking someone else’s dream away.’ He never second-guessed his decisions or said ‘what if’ — which was amazing, because I certainly did!”
In 2004, Ledger floundered with critical and financial flops like period epic “Four Feathers,” the Australian Western “Ned Kelly,” and the horror film “The Order.”
Friend and actor Wes Bentley who co-starred in “Four Feathers”: “Heath didn’t give himself enough credit for his talent as an actor. He didn’t know what he had so he decided to enjoy what was being offered to him. I wanted to explain to him, ”Please wake up to how great you are.” He didn’t have any classical training. He didn’t have anyone making him feel like he had credibility. The only voice he listened to was his own self critic, because it was the loudest.”
Terry Gilliam’s cinematographer Nicola Pecorini seemed to become very close with Ledger after working with him on “The Order” in 2003, and then again on “The Brothers Grimm” in 2005 and his final film, ‘Doctor Parnassus’ in 2007. Johnny Depp was impressed when he saw his work.
Terry Gilliam: “Nicola Pecorini was working on ‘The Order,’ and he called me and said, ‘This kid is extraordinary. He’s fearless.’ I went out to L.A. and met Heath and just liked him immediately. As we were talking, he was constantly jiggling around. I was like, ‘That’s great — you’ve got to keep that.’ He just had this incredible energy that was intense but very vulnerable at the same time. Heath was determined to be his own man, despite his success. Johnny Depp was someone he really admired. I introduced them at the Toronto Film Festival. Johnny has a good sense of competition. Right from the start, he was just, like, ‘Ooh, this guy — watch out!’
Catherine Hardwicke directed Heath on “Lords Of Dogtown” in 2005: “In most of ‘Dogtown,’ Heath’s character is drinking or high, so that’s a state he had to get to every day. I did find out that most times when he was drinking a beer in a scene, he’d ask the prop people for a real beer, not a fake beer. So I’m thinking, Is this anything I should worry about? With other actors, it was a problem. They came on the set too f—ed up and couldn’t say their lines. For Heath, that was never an issue. But you just never know. There was one scene where his character is losing it at a party. He got up on the roof, and we didn’t know if he was going to fall off and kill himself or throw his surfboard at somebody or what. Everybody was semi-terrified. You just didn’t know where his chemistry was. I literally prayed. Heath’s up there on the roof, hanging over the edge. I was like, ”I want somebody behind him to grab his leg if he needs it and somebody below him.” You feel that in the film. You don’t know how far this guy is going to go. That’s how we felt in some ways about Heath.”
Bentley: I had the offer , like, five years earlier, when Gus Van Sant was going to direct it. I was definitely interested but it didn’t come together
Feeling out of sorts in the late summer of 2007 when his relationship was crumbling.
“Brokeback Mountain” cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto: “I saw Heath at the Venice Film Festival when he was there with ‘I’m Not There.’ He was accepting an award for Cate Blanchett. And he was just totally different from when we worked together. He was dressed very oddly. He had these little shorts and this funny jacket with the pockets turned inside out. He seemed different. His vibration was much higher. He went up to receive the award and he was making jokes about the absurdness of it all. It felt like he was making fun of the whole awards thing, the red carpet, everybody dressed up. He didn’t seem comfortable in his skin that day. Months later: I called a friend and he said, ”How’s Heath [on ‘Brokeback’]?” I said, ”He’s breathtaking. He’s going to be astounding.” I could tell just working for five minutes with him.”
On the difficult period of working on ‘Parnassus’ while breaking up with Michelle Williams and worrying about losing his daughter Matlida.
Pecorini: “I’m convinced Heath caught pneumonia at the end of that year. I remember I forced him to see a doctor, even though he didn’t want to. The doctor said, ”Yes, you have the beginning of pneumonia. You’d better get antibiotics and go home and sleep.” He got the antibiotics, but he refused to go home and sleep. And that very night, he delivered one of his best performances I have ever seen him deliver. He went on nerves, mainly.”
On the alleged drug use.
Pecorini: “He was so solid into keeping clean, it was quite stunning. I really think he died of a broken heart. I know it can sound very romantic, but it’s very tragic. I think that’s what killed him.”
On his Hollywood-like funeral.
Pecorini: “I remember when we went to the memorial service, most of the people there had nothing to do with Heath. He used to despise most of them, and there was no reason for them to be there. I understand the family wanting to give the ”Hollywood community,” so-called, the opportunity of saying goodbye. But I’m telling you, 85 percent of the people in that room had no right to be there. It was pretty disturbing for me.”
Give it a full read. It’s really sad to read, but it’s powerful stuff.