Heath Ledger Refused to Mimic Jack Nicholson’s Version of The Joker — Here’s Why
Many actors have played the Joker in Batman films, but few have done it as memorably or successfully as Heath Ledger. Ledger gave an unforgettable performance in The Dark Knight. Before Ledger, veteran actor Jack Nicholson took on the role in Tim Burton’s Batman. Ledger did not want his performance to resemble Nicholson’s, though. Here’s why.
Heath Ledger didn’t want to base his version of the Joker on Jack Nicholson
By the time Ledger began filming The Dark Knight, Nicholson was a three-time Oscar winner with even more nominations under his belt. Despite his predecessor’s proven success as an actor, Ledger didn’t want to model his performance after him.
“If he was drowning in a pool it would be [scary],” Ledger told IGN in 2006. “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.”
While he admired Nicholson’s performance, Ledger didn’t think he would have the same success playing the role that way.
“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,” he said. “But it would obviously just be murder if I tried to imitate and pointless to the project.”
At this point, the film was in pre-production, but Ledger shared his early plans for the part.
“You know, I want it to be a very sinister kind of thing,” he said. “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.”
Jack Nicholson admitted he wasn’t sure if he’d watch ‘The Dark Knight’
When asked about Ledger’s casting as the Joker, Nicholson admitted that he was upset he hadn’t had the chance to take on the role again.
“I’m furious. I’m furious,” he told MTV. “[He laughs.] They never asked me about a sequel with the Joker. I know how to do that! Nobody ever asked me.”
He explained that he always felt drawn to the part. Because of this, and because director Tim Burton wasn’t involved, he wasn’t sure he’d watch The Dark Knight.
“I’m not inclined to watch it because of what I said,” he explained. “But if it’s a good movie, I’ll catch up with it somewhere. I don’t think they ever really captured Tim Burton’s spirit [since he stopped being involved]. They kind of drove the franchise into the ground. Tim Burton’s a genius. He had the right take on it.”
Heath Ledger won a posthumous Oscar for his performance as the Joker
Given the success of The Dark Knight and Ledger’s performance, it wouldn’t be surprising if Nicholson decided to view the film. In 2009, Ledger received a posthumous Oscar for his supporting role as the Joker. His mother, father, and sister accepted the award on his behalf.
“This award tonight would have humbly validated Heath’s quiet determination to be truly accepted by you all here – his peers – within an industry he so loved,” his mother said.
