Author Topic: Heath Heath Heath  (Read 3699063 times)

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Heath Heath Heath
« Reply #1280 on: November 21, 2006, 05:03:45 am »


Heath loves ya, Ru!  Thanks for setting the good example of posting here.

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Heath Heath Heath
« Reply #1281 on: November 21, 2006, 05:07:15 am »

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Heath Heath Heath
« Reply #1282 on: November 21, 2006, 05:24:15 am »
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/story/470166p-395703c.html

New order

Actor Heath Ledger isn't joking about his career path


BY JOE NEUMAIER

The addiction drama 'Candy' gives Heath Ledger another serious role to savor.
Heath Ledger is still young - 27 - and has done barely a dozen films since coming to America from Perth, on the Australian coast, in the late 1990s. But audiences can be forgiven for thinking there are two Heath Ledgers: the pretty but unpromising kid with the Bob Geldof-circa-1985 hair who starred in "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999) and "A Knight's Tale" (2001), and the mature young father who truly broke out in 2005, and, in "Brokeback Mountain," gave an Oscar-nominated, heartbreaking performance.
It's a revelation that isn't lost on Ledger, who despite his newfound gravity begins an interview by jokily pretending to go out the window when a reporter walks in. Then sitting down and rolling a cigarette, he discusses his new film, "Candy," opening Friday, and mulls a career change others might wait decades for - and which is about to include playing Batman's archvillain.

"When I was making those [early] roles, I was really youthful and careless and I wasn't attached to anything," he says. "I didn't even really care about performance - it was silly and commercial, and I would [have felt] way too concerned with myself if I took it seriously. Where the film was shot was more appealing to me than what it was.

"And so it was just a reflection of a time of my life. From 18 to 22, I was alone, living in L.A. with a bunch of friends, partying. It was more a direct reflection of that. I don't know if I knew, or cared to know, what I was capable of back then. And I guess I'm just starting to, for lack of a better word, care more."

And that, it seems, has made all the difference. Ledger - who started his career on Australian TV in his teens - first gave intimations of deeper things in "Monster's Ball" (2001), in a small role as Billy Bob Thornton's ill-fated son, but that film's turnaround belonged to Halle Berry. Four years later came "Brokeback," a film several actors had passed on during years of development. Ang Lee's movie, starring Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as ranch hands who fall in love, spawned a minor cottage industry of jokes, but it earned Lee a Best Director Oscar and was one of 2005's most critically respected films. And Ledger was the dark horse in the Best Actor race, ultimately losing to Philip Seymour Hoffman for "Capote."

"When I started to watch some of the films I'd done, I realized I was doing movies that I might not actually want to see," Ledger says with a small smile. "I thought, I need to be more cautious about my choices - it reflects on who I am. So I became more respectful of that.

"While I was doing press for 'Knight's Tale,' I felt like a product ... and it felt like a 'Here for a good time, not a long time' kind of thing. It dawned on me that I was sitting at this junction, and these choices would dictate my future, and I just put the brakes on it."

So rather than do more empty action like "The Four Feathers" (2002) and "The Order" (2003), Ledger got serious (even last year's romp "Casanova" was a step up). In "Candy," which he filmed prior to "Brokeback's" release, he plays a young Aussie whose heroin addiction is also taken up by his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) before both are nearly destroyed by it. The gritty indie film's depiction of drug use is tough instead of bleak chic, more "The Man With the Golden Arm" than "Trainspotting."

"It was like I diverted off the map and took a back road to the place I wanted to get to," Ledger says.

The actor, who'd previously dated Heather Graham and Naomi Watts, met his fiancee, Michelle Williams, on the set of "Brokeback" (she also was Oscar-nominated for it). They now live in Brooklyn, and being a dad - their daughter, Matilda, just turned 1 - and living in New York instead of L.A. has helped ground him, he says.

He'll be seen in Todd Haynes' upcoming "I'm Not There," and he's starting to perfect his cackle for his role as the Joker in "The Dark Knight," director Christopher Nolan's followup to 2005's "Batman Begins." Christian Bale will again be the Caped Crusader.

The Joker was last played onscreen by Jack Nicholson in 1989's "Batman," but Ledger isn't white-faced when he considers the challenge.

"I think [getting the role] was tougher for other people to comprehend than it was for me," Ledger says, giving a crooked grin as he smokes out a window. "I'm looking forward to it. A part of me feels like I've been warming up to [playing the Joker] for years. In 'The Brothers Grimm,' [director] Terry Gilliam helped me put on a sort of clown act and adjust to that sort of pace. And I feel it's something within me I know how to do. I like putting on a mask. It'll be dark and sinister and exciting.

"Not being a huge comic book fan, and not one to really follow comic book movies, I'm relaxed about it," he adds. "The kids in the neighborhood are on to me, though."

Originally published on November 14, 2006

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Heath Heath Heath
« Reply #1283 on: November 21, 2006, 05:29:42 am »
http://movies.ign.com/articles/744/744649p1.html

The Dark Knight: Heath Ledger Talks Joker
The Brokeback star plans to have the last laugh.

by Scott Collura
November 7, 2006 - Heath Ledger isn't very scary in person. In fact, he's a soft-spoken sort who at times seems almost intimidated by the gaggle of reporters who surround him at press events. Still, the Brokeback Mountain star is set to play the potentially very scary role of the Joker in the soon-to-be-shooting Batman Begins sequel The Dark Knight. IGN caught up with Ledger earlier today in Manhattan, where he's promoting his new film Candy. And, of course, we lobbed the Joker questions at him like Batman would lob batarangs at his arch foe. For starters, the actor explained that he does not plan on taking inspiration from the Jack Nicholson version of the character from the original Batman film -- and neither is he anxious at the prospect of following in Nicholson's shoes.

"If he was drowning in a pool it would be [scary]," the actor cheekily says. "I'm obviously not going for the same thing he went for. That would just be stupid, and it's also two very different styles of directors and filmmaking. Tim Burton did a more fantastical kind of thing and Chris Nolan is doing the nitty-gritty kind of handheld realism thing. I love what he did and it is part of why I want to do it, and I remember seeing Batman and thinking how much fun it would be to put on that mask and to attempt to do something along those lines. But it would obviously just be murder if I tried to imitate and pointless to the project."

Ledger says that even though The Dark Knight is in preproduction and has yet to see a finished script for the film, he does have a good idea of what his Joker will be like.

"You know, I want it to be a very sinister kind of thing," he says. "It's so early that I'm trying to leave it open at this point and I don't want to be glued down to any one idea. … I've been kind of trying to delay my commitment to the preparation process on that because I'm just trying to extend my holiday. I definitely have an image in my head and I definitely have something up my sleeve."

   

Heath Ledger in Candy



With the sequel set to start shooting in early 2007 (with a 2008 release date), Ledger confirms that the picture is next on his slate. He also adds that he has little experience with the world of comic books, and prefers to keep it that way, though he has been provided with one particular comic to help him prepare for the part: Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's seminal The Killing Joke.

"I think that's kind of helping me a little bit, the fact that I was never really a fan of [comics]," says the actor. "I didn't exactly despise comic books or comic book movies but I was never really one to read them that much. I never sought out the films too often but I would enjoy them if I sat down and watched them. So because of that I really feel that I'm not carrying as much pressure. … The Killing Joke is the one that was handed to me. It's really good. So I think [the film] is obviously going to be a bit [about] the beginning of the Joker. I guess [The Killing Joke] 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 kind of left that way."

      


The soon-to-be Clown Prince of Crime can't comment on any of the technical details of the film yet, as he doesn't know what his character will look like or how closely the film will hew to the Joker of the comic books in terms of visuals. But Ledger does say that he's already been introduced to the very thorough and detailed technical side of making a film like The Dark Knight.

"I did do a 3-D kind of image-scan kind of thing, but I don't know what they're doing with it or where they're taking it," he laughs. "I had this like Bat-truck turn up at my house. It was just this massive truck and inside it had all these gadgets and all these cameras that zoom around you up and down and instantly project a three-dimensional image of you. I've never used anything high-tech like that before in a film and I felt like I was in the back of the Knight Rider truck or something!"

As for the question of why he's playing a super-villain while most of his fellow Hollywood leading men are looking to play superheroes, Ledger explains that he has an edict fanboys have come to know as "no flights, no tights."

"It's just the tights and undies that I have a problem with, and the boots," he smiles. "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. And I feel like this is an opportunity for me to not take myself too seriously, and for some reason I just gravitated towards [the Joker] and I knew I had something to give to him. And I just instantly had an idea of how to do it."

Offline Meryl

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Re: Heath Heath Heath
« Reply #1284 on: November 21, 2006, 01:49:23 pm »
Quote
"And I feel like this is an opportunity for me to not take myself too seriously, and for some reason I just gravitated towards [the Joker] and I knew I had something to give to him. And I just instantly had an idea of how to do it."

That sounds like what he said about Ennis, so I think we might be in for something good.  8)

Thanks for posting those articles, Clarissa!  8)

Ich bin ein Brokie...

Offline Mikaela

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Re: Heath Heath Heath
« Reply #1285 on: November 21, 2006, 03:59:30 pm »
Thanks for the articles. Good reading, although I get a little bit peeved on Heath's behalf when he's there to promote Candy and all they seemingly asked about was the Joker.

I acknowledge what he's saying about that role, and I'm sure he's telling the truth or at least part of the truth concerning the attraction of the role.....  I just can't manage to be especially enticed by the prospect of him acting that kind of comic role, which isn't my cup of tea at all. At least I hope they won't make him eat his "no tights, no flights" wow.

Then again.........   ;)
« Last Edit: November 21, 2006, 06:19:38 pm by Mikaela »

Offline Sheriff Roland

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Re: Heath Heath Heath
« Reply #1286 on: November 21, 2006, 05:21:51 pm »
Meryl I just LOVE!!!!!!!! your little animated Heath-starts-smiling thingie.

Makes me want to go back & watch the Opra interview again.

Sheriff Roland
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Offline Meryl

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Re: Heath Heath Heath
« Reply #1287 on: November 21, 2006, 07:09:28 pm »
Roland, I'm glad you like the little Heath gif.  I really should credit cappa8 from LiveJournal.com, whose work that is.  :)
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Offline RouxB

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Re: Heath Heath Heath
« Reply #1288 on: November 21, 2006, 09:32:53 pm »
Thanks for the articles. Good reading, although I get a little bit peeved on Heath's behalf when he's there to promote Candy and all they seemingly asked about was the Joker

I get peeved on his behalf over a lot of things  >:(

 O0

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Offline ednbarby

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Re: Heath Heath Heath
« Reply #1289 on: November 21, 2006, 11:15:05 pm »
You and me both, sister.

I tell ya, he reminds me of my eldest brother (the heroic one) in so many ways, it's almost frightening.  To see the two of them together would be a real trip.  And/or would really freak me out.

No more beans!