Did Heath Ledger Purposefully Try to Sabotage The Dark Knight?

John Campea 106 Comments

I came across this little story that is so hard to believe and shocking, I just had to share it here. There are accusations going around that Heath Ledger wasn’t really brilliant playing The Joker in The Dark Knight… but rather he was trying to be so over the top and ridiculous that he’d get fired.

Basically, Ledger had a contract that would pay him the huge salary he got for The Dark Knight even if he got fired. Listen to this:

According to Ledger’s agent Steven Alexander and cinematographer/friend Nicola Pecorini, the actor had a pay-or-play deal on “Knight,” which means that he would be compensated no matter how terrible he ends up being. This gave Ledger the freedom to do what he wanted with The Joker.

But the real decision to take the role was because of the film’s unusually long shoot, which would give Ledger an excuse to turn down other offers. And since he was guaranteed to collect a paycheck, Ledger was hoping that his performance would be so “far-out” that he would end up being fired and become the beneficiary of a lengthy, paid vacation.

His agent added that while Ledger wanted to get paid, he didn’t want to be part of the massive blockbuster that “The Dark Knight” turned out to be. “[Ledger] was always hesitant to be in a summer blockbuster, with the dolls and action figures and everything else that comes with one of those movies,” Alexander explained. “He was afraid it would define him and limit his choices.”

WHAT!?!?! Seriously?!?!?!

I honestly don’t know what to think about this. Worst Previews is citing Vanity Fair as the source, which is no rag.

So let’s wait for more to come out about this odd situation… but let me ask you this… if this is true… would it change how you saw his performance in the movie?

And let me ALSO ask you this… if you don’t believe the story… are you thinking Vanity Fair is lying… or is Ledger’s agent lying?

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106 thoughts on “Did Heath Ledger Purposefully Try to Sabotage The Dark Knight?”

  1. :O:O:O shocker! Really strange…. but I mean Ledger is after all a renowned actor, why would he do something like that? and wouldn’t it effect his reputation?? as well as piss of A LOT of Batman fans because the movie would have been prosponed when they needed to find a new joker?? Sure I haven’t read the full artivle, but in what you are quoting the agent isn’t saying that he tried to get fired only that he was HESITANT, big difference ;) and no it wouldn’t effect my view on the movie, it was soo great nothing could spoil it. and besides, it’s just a stupid rumor… which he will never get the chance to counter so I think it’s kinda low to write something like that when he is dead.

  2. i think maybe that could have been his initial reason for taking the job, but when he realized how fun the role could be, he took it serious

    and to the people saying the role led to his death….stop it, stupid

    1. [On playing “The Joker” in The Dark Knight (2008)] The Joker, so far, is definitely the most fun I`ve had with any character. He`s just out of control — no empathy, he`s a sociopath, uh, a psychotic, mass-murdering clown. And, uh, I`m just thoroughly, thoroughly enjoying it. It`s just exceeded any expectations I had of what the experience would be like. Heath Ledger

  5. This is bullshit. He didnt post himself up in an apartment all by himself for a month to become the joker just so he could then get fired. BS.

    He took it VERY seriously and it led to his death.

  6. Theres no fucking way his agent would lie, i cant buy that, thats fucking stupid

    Of COURSE Vanity Fair is fucking lying, they get paid to do this shit, Ledgers family probably knows his agent, they were probably friends, it wasnt his agent

    So what im saying is, that this is a huge misunderstanding and his agent meant something else (maybe?) and Vanity Fair is twisting this story

  9. If you actually bother reading whats on the vanity fair article. It’s not ledger’s agent that says he wanted to be so over the top and be fired but rather Nicolas Pecorini from The Imaginarium. So it seems to me to rather be the speculations of a third guy… Not sure where he take’s that from.

    And here’s the exact quote from the vanity fair website:

    “According to Pecorini, Ledger hoped his performance would be so far-out he’d be fired, and thus become the beneficiary of a lengthy, paid vacation.”

    If you read the whole thing, it never mentions the agents as source for that stuff but rather friends of ledger and Pecorini. So my guess is that most of it is personnal interpretation of events..

  11. Regardless of the actual fact, I’m relieved that a few general truths here seem unscathed:
    (1.) The Dark Knight was just GOOD, plain and simple
    (2.) Heath Ledger damn well earned his Oscar playing The Joker
    (3.) All of this adds further tension/anticipation to the inevitable release of the next Batman film…which I am drooling for. Hoping for Bane or Dr. Strange

    There are things known and things unknown…and in between they’re called rumors.

  12. Oh come on, this story is bullshit.
    He wasn’t even close to being over the top…you can’t even see over the top from his performance.

    If he really wanted to be fired he could have REALLY gone nuts, and done every scene with his cock in his hands.

  14. Yes, this sounds very chilling, because there is a site called Heath Ledger Is Still Not Dead on the internet, which may point to a lot of quirky things at the time of his supposed death. And yet why would he even need to fake his own death. That’s up for grabs, anyway.

    I thought he was great as the Joker as I know others did as well, and no wonder with going through that messy divorce that he needed to protect his own interests which is just as well.

    And if he is alive and well, he could be anywhere, doing just about anything, maybe even close to where he had last lived in New York on Broome Street, or in your own town.

    Of course speculation is just that and only that. Check out that aforementioned site, you’ll be sure to find it intriguing…….

  15. i don’t think this is the case, but also don’t think anyone is lying here. if he wanted to get fired, he would have went REALLY over the top. i mean come on, if he wanted to get fired, and noticed that what he was doing thus far wasn’t getting him fired, then don’t you think he would keep going more over the top to get fired?

    the reason that i don’t anyone is lying here, is because prior to dark knight i did hear about Heath’s hesitance in doing big blockbusters, so i don’t think his agent is lying. but, with that being said i heard the same thing about johnny depp. from what i have heard that’s the reason depp turned down the role as Neo (don’t know how true that is). Nonetheless, Depp did Pirates, and came back to do two others after the major success of the first one, why? Because he fell in love with the character. That is what i believe happened with Heath. Was he hesitant in doing big blockbusters yes. Well he was, until he read the script and fell in love with this Joker.

  16. ya just like elvis isnt dead he just went home, the titanic wasnt really sunk but her twin sister ship was on purpose to collect the insurance money, people never really landed on the moon, 9/11 attacks were known about before hand, there was a second gunman on the grassy knoll, oh and the Holocaust didnt happen at all…

    1. Yes; talk is just that…but conspiracy theories can make almost everything more engaging. Heath’s performance will be clearly remembered no matter what.

      I’m just glad his take on The Joker is as worthy of memory and pop culture significance as it is.

  17. it wouldnt change my opinion on the performance. but frankly it wouldnt shock me at all if this was the case. either way i dont really care, ledger is dead. its not like it gonna change his career in any way. i question this because why would anyone take the job if they didnt wanna be in this movie? that doesnt make any sense…..its not like he needed the money. so that doesnt add up

  20. Bull.

    Why would anyone WANT to turn in a bad performance? Doesn’t your career hinge on you actually being good? People who can’t act typically don’t stick around for long, so why would Heath try to sabatoge his own career by pulling a stunt like this? Wouldn’t people be less inclined to hire him for prestige pics if they thought he couldn’t act?

  21. Didn’t he spent a month in a hotel room, working out every little twitch and quirk the character had? That may or may not be true, but still – I don’t believe he would do something like try to sabotage his own role. Ledger was a professional, and a fantastic actor; if he took the role, he took it because he probably thought it would be a interesting direction to take his acting skills, summer blockbuster or not. The desire to bring their career in new and interesting directions is a desire almost every actor has. I don’t think Ledger was any different.

    Besides, even if he was trying to go over the top, he still managed to create one of the most memorable villains of all time, so who cares?

  23. I really hope this story is a huge chunk of bullshit. Why would he go to all the trouble to simply want to get fired? That makes no sense. Honestly, I hate to say it though, I bet his agent is lying through his teeth. When Heath died, it rocketed the movie to sights never imagined but now things are starting to fizzle out and people have stopped talking about Ledger for the moment. Heath was probably this guy’s greatest talent and wants to keep his name in the headlines for as long as possible in order to ride the cash cow which Heath’s performance of the Joker.

  24. As I mentioned above in my agreement with Alfie (!!!) , I think that nobody is lying, but it is strongly taken out of context. Vanity Fair has two sources, not just one. Yes, Ledger probably could have went over the top, but he chose not to, in addition, his “research” is well documented. It could be said even that this was Ledger’s intent at first, but he changed his mind.

    As to the question if he lived, would he had done the junkets, the hype etc. I think that’s possible, some actors don’t do that sort of thing. But seeing how, before his untimely death, Joker related merch was already being done, I find it unlikely. Then again, that’s “after” and not “before”.

    I doubt Ledger would have been “typecast” playing the Joker seeing how the year before he was in Brokeback Mountain; how diverse his other roles were, good and not so good.

    The question of why the story comes up now is probably due to the upcoming Parnassus, because in my view, this isn’t much of a story.

    Note: Jack Nicholson also had a play or pay clause woven into the first two Burton Batfilms, did he not? Did we really care?

  25. There are much better ways to try and get fires than being over the top with an over the top character. I’d be a lot more likely to believe this if Ledger simply didn’t do what he was told during production, or something of that sort.

  26. I have to say that this seems like a load of total BS.

    If Ledger was genuinely trying to get fired, and he was actually “screwing-up” his role the entire time, then he may have easily been one of the most talented actors to walk among us.

    There are much easier ways to get fired than pulling off a brilliant performance. I highly doubt that Ledger would have locked himself in a hotel room to prepare for his performance if he wanted to screw it up.

    In the end, Ledger gets the last laugh. He’s got his Oscar and he’ll forever be remembered for his iconic performance.

  27. I would think that his “freedom to do what he wanted” was really what set him apart in the character.

    If he just did a copy of the campy 60s Joker or Jack Nicholson, no one would have the same faith in him.

    If anything I think that his unique portrayal of the Joker would have skyrocketed him to write his own ticket and open him up to many more roles. Sad that just as the masses were starting to recognize how good he was, that he left us.

    1. Yeah, nobody wanted to see the “gay cowboy” play comic book lore’s greatest villain and it wasn’t until we realized that Nolan and co. were going in a totally separate direction from Burton that we started to trust thim.

  28. Ah, another pay-or-play deal. If Ledger wanted to screw up his role in the film, he sure had a funny way of showing it. Of course he locked himself in a hotel room for a month, it’s called preparation. I could see him though not turning down the role for the obvious money and maybe even a chance to work with Nolan. We can’t say for sure. We weren’t in Heath’s head space ever. There are alot of talented actors out there who pretty much only really work for a paycheck. Though I called the article post from Vanity Fair bull, most of the times you don’t know what they’re trying to get at with this stuff.

  30. I think Ledger’s agent is lying for attention.

    I don’t doubt that at one point they had a conversation where Heath talked about the possibility that he could get fired, and it would become a free vacation. When he was initially hired, and everyone was ragging on his selection and screaming, “No way Heath Ledger could play the Joker!!!”, he was probably considering the possibility he could get fired.

    I think he then met Nolan and realized he was going to be given free reign to craft the performance he gave, and deservedly won an Oscar for, and ran with it, never commenting on it again.

    His agent is embellishing the truth for attention, or just misinterpretting an older conversation about the role.

  31. This all could simply be a ploy to have some more media light shine on Ledger and any movie associated with his name. Lets not forget that this “news” is dropping relatively close to the release of his latest and last movie ever made. The only part of this story that i do buy is the part wherein his agent states the Heath hated doing summer block busters and maybe the agent is simply trying restore that image of “Serious method actor only interested in acting not big bucks” (long winded i know, but i hope you get my point hahaha).

    but then again, even thats a stretch. we might not ever fully know the truth.

  35. I think this is ridiculous. It is one thing to say this while he is alive, but he is not around to defend such a statement so I think it is very much a low blow to him.

  36. Why taking this story so seriously? If it’s true (which I honestly don’t know), why would it change our opinion on his (genius) performance? I’m sure it happens more than we think. It’s even more fun that he got an Oscar for this! And you must admit that it fits the character so well… :-D

  37. Well if being one of the best characters in the last ten years was what he did when he was screwing around, I would hate to see what he could accomplish if he was trying. ;-)

    PS – Yes, total BS. Dark Knight inc. The Joker was an amazing film that only didn’t win an oscar because of his death (and being a “comic book movie”).

  38. By the way, did it cross anyones mind they might be doing this to ‘clear the air’ for the next Batman where the Joker will appear being played by a different actor? By saying all of this, it will take the pressure off the Joker and let the Batman franchise continue normally without playing tribute to anyone.

  39. We will never know for sure and it should not be commented in my opinion. His agent does not know for sure what was Ledgers point of view, he should be there talking for Heath.

    I personally do not think Joker was ‘over the top’, to be honest, I was one of the few that thought of The Dark Knight as a ‘normal’ movie. I didn’t think Ledger was AMAZING. He was just playing his part of a crazy psyco. I bet many other actors could do the same. Why was this Joker different to the Rest? Becuase it is portreyed in a dark scenery, and not like the old ones where characters look like plastic. That basically made the difference.

    Just my opinion.

    3. You could say it was collaborative. Ledger himself stated that he had some new ideas about how to integrate The Joker into Nolan’s films and Nolan, without a doubt, accomodated that. But I don’t think it takes away from Ledger’s performance in any way.

  40. Wow, that’s a shocking article. I mean he did have stuff going on in his life. He hates the media and all that, but…I can’t imagine him doing something like this. Someone’s not telling the truth here.

  41. I don’t believe the story. I call BS on the agent. You could tell Ledger was passionate about the roll from what was said. There are even pictures of him with the scars he made himself.

  42. well i just have a little bit to add to that.
    firstly i believe his agent is full of it and just trying to buy himself some spotlight…

    its pretty well known that Heath Ledger had separated himself for about a month in order to prepare for the role…where he simply was in a room for much of the time aiming to bring out a character that would in fact define the joker and distinguish it from the jack nicholson version.

  43. maybe it wasn’t an accidental OD then? Maybe he didn’t want to deal with the rigors of a pub tour around the world? Its scary if you think about it. So sad what a great actor.

  46. I’m pretty certain his agent is the one bullshitting his way into some kind of ‘spotlight’ as dim as it may be… we don’t know the whole story. As far-fetched as it may be, maybe the agent simply needs the publicity to attract more clients? Eh??

    1. if anything, this will deter any potential future clients from working with him BECAUSE evan in death he may have breached any amount of trust between him and his now deceased client….

  47. wasnt there a story about Heath Ledger turning down the role of spiderman cause he knew it was gonna be a blockbuster movie? pretty ironic…

    also, i would think that would have wanted to spend time with his daughter, so it could be true…

    however, an actor who wants to get fired from a movie wouldn’t spend a month in a hotel room perfecting his character…

  49. Huh, I honestly don’t care because if this story is true then I think it’s a good thing he tried to screw up because it made the performance great.
    Oh and also Heath definitely got what he wanted as far as staying out of the Blockbuster hype goes. But I think he may have gone about it the wrong way because I’d have to say that dying definitely limited his career options.

  50. If Ledger was trying to get fired, he had a funny way of showing it. I shis agent saying that Ledger was such a bad actor, that when he trie acting bad, he was brilliant instead.

    THIS IS CRAP!

  51. For me it’s unbelievable, due to the fact, that he worked for a long time to get this character right. Sure, he never liked blockbusters, but come on, he once said in an interview, that he liked Batman Begins. And, I mean, really, everybody who has seen “The Dark Knight” – do you think it was possible, that Ledger tried to screw it up?

  53. a complete load of BS. a non story.
    no one is lying.

    pay or play deals are standard and someone has taken something way way out of context to come up with this horseshit.

  54. My question is why is this coming out now. If the agent had something to tell the media it would have been after Ledgers death and the agent in my opinion has know right to slander his name by saying he was trying to blow the role because he was already getting paid. People liked the movie and the character that Ledger brought to life and Ledger did a good job. This mess won’t mess with what I think about the film. And I think it’s a shame that his agent would tell this worthless lie But if the people that posted this are the ones to blame then you guys are pathetic and probably need more readers. This was his last proformance one that people are going to remeber the audience and his family and friends the last proformance we will charish. No one has a heart in Hollywood.

  55. This doesn’t really have many quotes from the agent.

    Whats in bold was said by the agent, then there is some stuff that comes from out of nowhere, then back to the agent saying that Ledger didn’t want the roll. So the agent says that Ledger would have got paid regardless and that he didn’t (I am assuming originally) want the roll.

    Where did Ledger acting over the top to get fired come from? Nothing there claims the agent said that.

    1. The agent can’t be lying. If he revealed this information, and if it was true, then he’d be tarnishing Heath’s memory, but more importantly, HIS OWN as well.

      If some guy went into a burning building to save a child and died from injuries sustained during the rescue, he did a noble deed. He’s mourned by friends, family, and the public as a hero.

      But imagine that someone told you he actually went in to save a stash of stolen money and just happened to stumble into the child while inside. He didn’t get the money, but he accidentally did something more important. WHY WOULD ANYONE REVEAL THIS INFORMATION?! Who, in their right mind, would think they could benefit from telling the AWFUL truth about someone whose heroic actions might not have been intended as such?

      Not even someone who HATED Heath Ledger would reveal this truth if they were aware of it.

      So, I say, the agent CAN’T be lying, but he CAN’T be telling the truth, either. It’s not a truth that would be revealed. But it’s neither a lie that would be told. Something is INSANE about this. There is no reason for this predicament.

    2. Ledger may have just been joking (He may have been in character) and his agent took it seriously.

      For instance, I frequently tell my little brother that I’m going to “kill” him when I’m angry at him but I never actually mean it. But someone could easily interpret it as a genuine threat against his life.

  58. This story is bullshit. There are much easier ways to get fired. Why would acting over the top be a bad thing for a character like the joker? I thought Vanity Fair was a fairly decent publication, I’m surprised they’re dumb enough to believe the Agent’s story.

    2. I feel that it could be a misinterpretation of some sort. Almost like you say something and begins to go out of control because someone overheard you say it and took it out of context. Maybe Heath said it as a joke to his agent and that’s where it could have started. I don’t think that Vanity Fair is lying just reporting of what they heard. But who knows….meh.

    3. I think his agent is lying. It’s pretty stupid to even release this information on his agent’s part. Couldn’t he have kept his mouth shut about something like this if it were true in respect for Ledger’s last performance? That is what causes me to believe he’s lying.

    4. Lets first go with this is from the Agent:
      I wonder why his agent would even bring this up – if it is or isn’t true.
      If he were my agent and I were to get word of this statement, about a guy that received an Oscar for his “crappy, over-the-top, wanting to get fired performance” then I would fire him. Again, it matters not if it’s true, as this disparages the actor. I see my manager handling Ledgers account like this I’d be concerned for what private matters he and I would discuss.
      For me, I see this as an opportunity for the agent to get black listed. There are too many positive sources that remarked at how Ledger was so into the role of the Joker at times that they’d continue their shoot well past “it’s a rap” “time” that statements about Ledger’s lack of desire for the film seems downright silly.
      Furthermore, although, I’m unsure of when the Patriot with Mel Gibson came out, it was something of a blockbuster style movie. Just because he’d been on the fringe with several of his films, it didn’t mean that he was hoping to stay there (Brothers Grimm?).

      If this is a False Statement by Vanity Fair:
      First, VF is a very well respected magazine and not just a Hollywood new source, but often ground breaking and news breaking resource. However, many, many, many stories in VF, Wallstreet Journal and other well respected news organziations (I’m not talking Fox News or National Enquirer) have utilized Wikipedia as a factual source when indeed the news was completely fabricated.
      This doesn’t mean that VF is purpousely attempting to paint Ledger with a black mark. It could mean that their source is attempting this, and is using VF. This seems slightly rare, as VF is assumed to have checked their sources. But again, Wikipedia happens.

      So from my limited point of views it really could be either way. If it is the agent, I see this hurting his business in the short and long terms with very little to gain from posting this information (other than to be in the news for a time). If this is a real post from VF, I’d have to say that their research is likely faulty and their source is the one with something to gain by this negative information (whether true or not, but assuming it’s false). Thus, in the end I’d have to say that VF is lying (by being lied to and used). Even if VF is clearly lying and they find out and decide not to retract the story (as often times this is the case – they stand by their story) VF will not lose too many viewers/readers. This is a minor story to VF in the overall scheme of things.
      Thus, if VF is lying – no real hurt is done to their overall image. If the agent is lying/telling the truth the agent has more to lose.
      So my verdict is that VF is guilty of posting incorrect information.
      Be Well. Be Well Informed.
      Theocrat Issak

  60. well if that was him trying to be at his worst then i guess the world did lose a premier actor in his death. but i just cant believe this because he could have been flubbing lines or looking at the camera even. and oh yea hes gonna take actual hits from christian bale to in the interrogation scene because he wants to sabotage the film.
    “I dont like that, not one bit”

  63. What about the stories about him focusing so much on the character he locked himself in a room alone for days to try and get into the Joker’s head.

    That doesn’t sound like someone trying to get fired from the film.

    1. I agree with Tapley. This is such utter BS. There is a difference between over the top and intense and Ledger’s performance was the latter. His line reading of “No, I’m not,” in the kitchen still gives me chills. And didn’t Nolan and Ledger discuss the performance to great length before shooting? I doubt that Ledger would sabotage months of getting into the character just to get fired.

    1. chapelle wasnt blacklisted….chappelle chose to leave the spotlight behind and live on his farm in ohio with his wife and kid…hes paid….he jus didnt think he could live up to the success of the first 2 seasons of his show..,

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