Batman : The Dark Knight - Release Date:18 July 2008 (USA) Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker.(IMDb)
Chris Nolan remembers Heath Ledger
These are some very kind and interesting words recanting Heath Ledger’s on set aura, as told by Chris Nolan (via Newsweek)
One night, as I’m standing on LaSalle Street in Chicago, trying to line up a shot for “The Dark Knight,” a production assistant skateboards into my line of sight. Silently, I curse the moment that Heath first skated onto our set in full character makeup. I’d fretted about the reaction of Batman fans to a skateboarding Joker, but the actual result was a proliferation of skateboards among the younger crew members. If you’d asked those kids why they had chosen to bring their boards to work, they would have answered honestly that they didn’t know. That’s real charisma—as invisible and natural as gravity. That’s what Heath had.
Heath was bursting with creativity. It was in his every gesture. He once told me that he liked to wait between jobs until he was creatively hungry. Until he needed it again. He brought that attitude to our set every day. There aren’t many actors who can make you feel ashamed of how often you complain about doing the best job in the world. Heath was one of them.
One time he and another actor were shooting a complex scene. We had two days to shoot it, and at the end of the first day, they’d really found something and Heath was worried that he might not have it if we stopped. He wanted to carry on and finish. It’s tough to ask the crew to work late when we all know there’s plenty of time to finish the next day. But everyone seemed to understand that Heath had something special and that we had to capture it before it disappeared. Months later, I learned that as Heath left the set that night, he quietly thanked each crew member for working late. Quietly. Not trying to make a point, just grateful for the chance to create that they’d given him.
Those nights on the streets of Chicago were filled with stunts. These can be boring times for an actor, but Heath was fascinated, eagerly accepting our invitation to ride in the camera car as we chased vehicles through movie traffic—not just for the thrill ride, but to be a part of it. Of everything. He’d brought his laptop along in the car, and we had a high-speed screening of two of his works-in-progress: short films he’d made that were exciting and haunting. Their exuberance made me feel jaded and leaden. I’ve never felt as old as I did watching Heath explore his talents. That night I made him an offer—knowing he wouldn’t take me up on it—that he should feel free to come by the set when he had a night off so he could see what we were up to.
When you get into the edit suite after shooting a movie, you feel a responsibility to an actor who has trusted you, and Heath gave us everything. As we started my cut, I would wonder about each take we chose, each trim we made. I would visualize the screening where we’d have to show him the finished film—sitting three or four rows behind him, watching the movements of his head for clues to what he was thinking about what we’d done with all that he’d given us. Now that screening will never be real. I see him every day in my edit suite. I study his face, his voice. And I miss him terribly.
Back on LaSalle Street, I turn to my assistant director and I tell him to clear the skateboarding kid out of my line of sight when I realize—it’s Heath, woolly hat pulled low over his eyes, here on his night off to take me up on my offer. I can’t help but smile.
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I’ve never met Heath and I probably never would have. Our lives were very different and I don’t know anything about what living in his world was like… but one thing I do know a lot about is death.
I’ve felt it more times then I should at my young age and have actually come very close to it myself. And if that weren’t enough I work in organ and tissue transplant so a new life or a new death is usually something I’m faced with every day. Some people I know, a lot of people I don’t but the one’s that manage to touch my heart and make me feel like I knew then even when I didn’t are the ones I knew were special and will continue to be special. There lives will live on in the ones they left behind and the stories and memories that they have left as preciious gifts to anyone that’s ever crossed their path.
Heath seems like he’d leave just the impression on someone that I read he obviously left on the now quiet set,
I pray that his family and firends find some comfort in knowing that Heath was seen as a possitive and productive person. He’s all of that to us but he’s still so much more to many others and I really wish that everyone would just let his family mourn in peace. Don’t leave this as the only moment that little Matilda remembers of her great father. All those flashing lights following her around at this time is bound to stick her her. Please just let her figure out what’s going on on her own and at her own time. My heart aches for that little girl. I pray one day she will learn what a great man her father was.
wow..thank you for the beautiful insight to Heath! For showing us sides of him that we don’t usually hear. He is missed terribly by all and my prayers to his family and his little girl…. who he lives thru now
Wow. What an incredibly genuine, well-written tribute. For the majority of the world who didn’t have the chance to know this talented young man, you have given us a glimpse into the true Heath Ledger. I am sorry for your loss…that you have to suffer through grief that must seem unbearable, especially when faced with daily reminders of him as you finish post production on this project. I look forward to seeing the finished film. I will think of your touching words and hope I will be able to catch glimpses of the real Heath behind the make-up.
That honestly brought tears to my eyes. It was so perfect in catching the exact character of Heath Ledger, or what I can only assume is the character of Heath Ledger.
Like millions that are mourning his loss, I never knew him, and he never knew me, but every night I pray for him, his little girl, and all the other friends and family he left behind. I cry watching his movies, realizing that I will never again be able to witness the brilliance that was he was.
He stood up in front of everyone when he acted in a movie, subjecting himself to the worlds opinion. He stood by what he believed, and I can not have enough respect with him for that.
Amazing is a word that is too often over used. Its real definition is to strike awe into someones heart, and I believe Heath, and all of his creations deserve this defintion more then anything else. Brilliance. Brilliance, genious, and inspiration are all words that can be used to describe this wonderful man that was taken from us much to early.
I am truly, and sincerely sorry that I, and thousands of others, will never be able to see Heath again. To see him for who he really was. Not a celebrity that went out gallavanting for attention, but someone that was truly dedicated to his work, and someone who inspired many.
You will always be with us Heath, and we will remember you. You will live on, through your beautiful daughter and the wonderful works you have created.
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Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Your tribute has captured the essence of our Australian son. Touching, deep in the soul. Thank you. I have no other words. We will miss him.
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Beautiful human being. Poetic young man. Full of feeling for life and his daughter and love of his life…light a candle and don’t put him on a pedestal he would not want that…but put those special things in your own family’s lives…put something colorful, maybe a flower or a crazy hat with paper mache or flowing silk colorful kaftans…take in the music of life and feel the nature of your surroundings…maybe that is a start for all of us to remember the people we love in life…feel the hills that talk to you and give you that feeling like poetry that you cannot explain in words and feel it…maybe play John Lennon’s last musical creation of living on thin ice…might give you goose bumps…create!!!
Nice, very well said. It’s all that needs to be said in fact. I’m speechless.
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That was very very touching!! It is a sad thing that we have to say goodbye to a brilliant actor and wonderful soul like Heath! One thing, Heath, you are our knight! R.I.P. and our prayers with your family and friends.
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, OI, Oi……….
[…] came across this blog post: Chris Nolan remembers Heath Ledger One night, as I’m standing on LaSalle Street in Chicago, trying to line up a shot for “The Dark […]
[…] came across this blog post: Chris Nolan remembers Heath Ledger One night, as I’m standing on LaSalle Street in Chicago, trying to line up a shot for “The Dark […]
Boo.
Like all of you, I have never met Heath either, but I have always been drawn to him. 2 of my all time favorite movies, A Knights Tale and The Patriot. We always hear of celebrities passing and what not, but this time I was brought to tears and I am still baffled by it. I lost my younger brother 2 years ago to Leukemia and although I can’t compare the pain that I feel everyday because of the loss of my brother, there is a sense of pain losing Heath. Maybe it is because he has left behind a young daughter and a family that adores him, or maybe it is that we felt like we knew him because he was such an extraordinary actor, I don’t know. Either way he will be greatly missed and I hope that the autopsy will prove that he wasn’t on drugs and he didn’t commit suicide. Hollywood has so many screw ups, I would hate to see the media drag one of the TRULY gifted and talented through the mud, simply because they THINK it is what people want to hear.
That was really beautiful the world has suffered a great loss
So beautiful ican´t stop reading it. It gives a beautiful picture of Heath. He will be so missed. I am writing with tears in my eyes. Why why?? a question that would never be anwered. I wish that there was someway to bring u back. to give you a chanse , to grow old. but that won´t happen. I wish there was someway to take away the pain from your family. I really hope that they can find a way to move on.All i can hope for is that you can see the love that so many people feel for you and that you can see your family and little daughter growing up .One day you will see eachother again. Ican´t find the right words to express my pain for you Heath . all my love
Wow. Reading this brought tears to my eyes. Such a great loss.
[…] of the “batman: the dark knight” movie, chris nolan, writes a very touching, intimate piece on the movies blog about heath ledger. among all the shitty entertainment news […]
Thank you for sharing this with us. I think HL was a very talented actor and it reflects in all the movies he’s chosen to do. He was young and his death, I think, really opened a lot of people’s eyes to how easy it is, for something so unexpected to happen. God Bless and thank you again!
that was really touching. it made me cry.
i’ve always thought Heath’s a amazing actor and one of those celebrities you actually would like to know. his death was a really big loss especially for those who knew him but a loss for every fan, for the movie industry, for the whole world. there’s no other Heath.
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