I have most of the call sheets for the movie's filming in Alberta in the summer of 2004and I was browsing through them the other day. (Call sheets, by the way, are the announcements put out daily for the scenes to be shot the next day, the actors required, the time they're needed etc., etc. ). Curiously, three of the lead actors chose not to be identified by their actual name - Heath Ledger, for instance - but by another name they, presumably. had made up themselves. For instance, the first scene they started shooting (on Tuesday May 25) was the Thanksgiving dinner at Monroe's house and the actor required for that scene is duly listed as Heath Ledger. However, shortly after that the actor playing Ennis del Mar is no longer Heath Ledger but Keith Fletcher and a few days after that becomes Keith 'Fletch' Flecher and so remains for the rest of the movie. Jake G. wasn't needed until June 9 but the actor playing Jack Twist was never identified as Jake Gyllenhall; throughout the whole of the movie he's always identified as "Teddy Daniel". Anne Hathaway wasn't needed until July 26 and for that day's shooting she is duly identified as Anne Hathaway but by the next day she has become "Lucy Burnett". A number of the other characters, however, like Michelle Williams, retain their given or actual names throughout.
Quite what was going on in this merry game of names, I've no idea. Any suggestions?