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January, 23rd, 2008:
A tragic day in the lives of all Harley Quinn and Joker fans. Actor Heath Ledger passed away at the tender age of twenty-eight due to as yet unknown causes. Heath had just finished filming the role of The Joker in the new Batman film, The Dark Knight. By all accounts, the performance is a staggering one, brilliant and groundbreaking. Heath sequestered himself in a hotel room for a month with Joker comics, developing the role, the characteristics, voice and attitude of one of the world's most fantastic fictional villains. So psychologically daunting and strenuous was the role that it affected Heath's sleeping, but all who saw it said that it was wonderful and terrifying. Here, fans share their thoughts on Heath Ledger and make their final tributes to him. Send yours in. 
I never knew much about Heath
Ledger. As far as I was aware, he was just a spunky teen-idol type actor.
When he was announced as The Joker, I was incredibly disappointed, sure
a mistake had been made.
My opinion began to change with the first image of The Joker, a close-up shot with smeared makeup and a scarred face. It embodied the essence of The Joker - insane, maniacal, creepy... and I began to feel the first stirrings of excitement. When I saw the first full-length image of Heath's Joker, on the cover of Empire magazine, I felt a chill run through me. Even though this Joker was being portrayed as wearing makeup, rather than having naturally coloured white skin and green hair, it was The Joker, no doubt about it. The smug, sly, cold grin, the eyes lit deep within with malice and a joke only he was privvy to - I knew then that this Joker was going to fulfill all the dreams I'd ever had about a liveaction Joker. When I saw the first trailer, my heart sung. The voice, chilling like a fingernail drawn gently down one's spine, again with that dark humour ensconced deep inside it, the mannerisms, the laughter, the sheer mirthful viciousness... it all came rushing back to me, everything I've always loved and been intrigued about with The Joker... finally coming to life on the big screen. I cannot claim to be a big Heath Ledger fan, or even really a fan at all. I'm not that familiar with his work. I'm a Joker fan. The character of The Joker is incredibly important to me, and has played a huge role in my life for many years. I love the character passionately and it is incredibly important to me to see him portrayed in a way that honours and embodies him. Everything I saw of Heath's performance indicated that he was doing this, and doing it magnificently. Prior to seeing Heath's Joker, the Haven had stood, dead and frozen in time, for the last six years. It was thanks to Heath's portrayal that I came back to this fandom and started updating this website again. The fact that Heath put so much into it, devoted so much of himself and his energy into doing justice to this challenging and fascinating role, makes him a hero in my eyes. I am so incredibly sorry Heath will not be around to see the legions of Batman fans enjoy and revere what I feel will be the penultimate liveaction Joker to date. I am sorry his talent will not be able to go towards creating other roles and delighting other people. I'm very sorry his friends have to say farewell to him and sorry all of his devoted fans will not be able to see him in future roles.. I'm so incredibly sorry his little girl has to grow up without her father and that his family have lost his beloved presence in their lives. May all his loved ones find peace and solace together during this terrible time of mourning. But thank you, Heath, for all that you have done and all the lives you have touched during your too-brief stint on this earth. Thank you for what you have done with Joker. I claim no knowledge of the afterlife, but wherever you are I hope you have peace, joy and laughter. You will always be remembered. Love and blessings from Elise, webmistress of Harley's Haven.
I wasn't his biggest fangirl
in the world. Don't get me wrong, I still loved him, but- and I slightly
regret this fact now- I didn't have pictures of him plastered all over
my walls. (Well...non-Joker ones anyway. ;) )
I've always kind of had a crush on him since The Patriot. He was a damn fine actor and not too hard on the eyes! But when I heard he had been casted as the Joker, I - and I now sorely regret this as well- was outraged. Being a HUGE Joker fan, I immidiately jumped on Hollywood for just wanting a big name to draw crowds. I resisted his casting up until the moment I finally saw the first trailer. Even from those brief snippets of voice clips, I was sold. I put my foot in my mouth and took back everything I'd said. Imagine my joy when the theatrical trailer came out. I watched it so many times, I was hearing it in my head for days afterward. I participated in the viral marketing, taking pictures of people and places as per instructions from an internet stranger, recieving packages of the Gotham Times, and even hunting down a cake at a bakery. (Someone beat me to it- damn!) Getting so into it. The news of his passing hit me with such shock, I don't think I've ever felt this way before. I fell to my knees that very instant, crying and trembling, and unable to speak or even move. So many thoughts and feelings racing through my head; and a voice screaming this can't be real. This is a joke. It's just too surreal to even try and accept the reality that he's gone- so suddenly and far too early. But I take it and move on, knowing that he would be happy to have those who love him even in such dark times. I'll always miss him, and my heart goes out to his family and his fans everywhere. Heath <3 -Christina
.
Heath Ledger brought keenness
to the roles he chose whether it was as Sonny Grotowski in Monster?s Ball
or Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain. Those roles of his made us think
about life and the world around us. His other roles such as Sir William
Thatcher or Patrick Verona that made us laugh and smile. He exuded a great
variety in the field of acting that at times people can feel is a scarcity.
His acting legacy will live on in all of the wonderful movies he was able
to grace with his presence. I can only hope for the best today and in future
for his daughter and family that have lost him on this day.
~Rachel
Stark, a fan .
thought Heath was an amazing
actor. He could really transform into any role he took on, and it's such
a shame to see great talent like that gone. So sad that a gorgeous daughter
of his was left behind...
I doubt that he committed suicide...I think it was just an unfortunate accident. Such a shame that the role of the Joker took such a huge toll on him...he will most certainly be missed. - Name
Withheld .
The passing of Heath Ledger
has me pondering one question: Why do we care? Because the answer to
that question will ultimately express what we're all feeling.
We see people pass away on the news on a daily basis. Yes, it's always unfortunate. Yes, we always feel bad for the loved ones left behind. But we typically don't give it two seconds thought and change the channel to something more upbeat. However, that was not the case for many of us today. If you were like me, you felt emotionally shaken to some degree and found yourself glued to news for hours, waiting for any new tidbits of information. Did I like the actors work? Sure, but I would have never considered myself a huge fan. Did I care about the man? I never knew him, so how could I make such a claim. It leads right back to original question, doesn't it. Why do I care? The very simple, most shallow reason is because he was about to play a character very important to me, and there's nothing wrong with that really. Heath Ledger was professional and understood being seen as a character alone. In fact, he's said that he wouldn't want anyone to go to a movie to see 'Heath Ledger', but to see the character he was portraying, which is why he is seen as such a dedicated actor. I'm sure he'd actually appreciate the though of me being upset at 'the Joker's' passing. But it goes deeper than that. Artists touch people. A particular artist isn't going to touch everyone, but those that are will feel that person's passing in some way. No, it's not a personal loss of a loved one, but it is losing the person that made something you loved and I'd think you'd have to be inhuman not to experience sadness at that. I'm glad that this happened before the movie's release rather than after. It takes his actual portrayal of the character out of the equation, which, let's face it, could still be disappointing. We don't know and it's not really important right now. What I do know is that, from the little I've seen, I've gone from despising the thought of him in the role to being genuinely excited about it and that was quite a feat. His willingness to stretch himself as an actor and taking the role seriously spoke volumes to me. And that is why we care: We know he gave his all for something we all cared about deeply and now he's gone. I'll see you all 07/18/2008. - Gladrial
.
I was devastated upon the news
of Heath’s death. Honestly, my head’s not in the right state right now, but
I have to say a few words… I’ve been a fan of Heath since “10 Things I Hate
About You” and was amazed by the versatility from film to film such a young
actor could possess. He did command the screen effortlessly; his facial expressions
and attitude said it all. His career truly had not hit his peak. He was so
young, and I wish his family and friends all the best in this sad time. My
deepest condolences.
-Tiera
G.
Heath always reinvented himself.
Every single character he portrayed, he poured his heart, soul, and energy
into making those characters believable. Joker is a prime example. He didn't
just jump right into the role, but got into the state of mind to prepare
for this role. He deserves to be commemorated in The Dark Knight. I wasn't
a huge fan of Heath Ledger, but I do know a dedicated good actor when I
see one. He will be missed, but never forgotten.
-Elena
Spiderbait - Calypso
Sunshine (This song was played during the movie "10 Things I Hate About You", and it was a song that Heath Ledger desperatley wanted on the movie.) Usually when a celebrity passes away I don? take much notice. Nevertheless, when I found out only this morning that Heath Andrew Ledger had passed away in his apartment I was speechless. I found it hard to believe that someone so unique, young and innocent could be snatched away from the world. He was only 28. It is somewhat ironic that his last role was to be that of the Joker, a sadistic clown villain for the newest Batman movie. Looking at the interviews and filmclips now, some of the things he says are uncomfortably eerie and forshadowing, particulary his last interview, where he talked about how he is happy to die now that Matilda is part of him. I was always a fan of comic books, but I never really edged into Batman and the like. But as images of Ledger's Joker began to appear, I became FASCINATED with the idea of this new Joker, and Batman. It was a breath of fresh air, a change from the goofy, clownlike Joker and a step into a spinechillingly insane character. I loved it. I didn't realise until about a week before his death what a fantastic actor Heath was. Many of the media are pinning the blame of his death on the emotional struggle of portraying the Joker, seeing as he spent a month alone in a hotel room perfecting the physcology of his role, and suffered insomnia as a result. I guess you got sleep eventually. My heart goes out to his family, his friends and especially little Matilda, who will never know her father. Maddison
.
I thought Harley Quinn was
an appropriate representative for the Batman fan community's collective
sadness over the untimely death of Heath Ledger.
In a short period of time, Heath went from being an out-of-left-field choice to play The Joker to being the definitive Joker of our generation, all before the movie even came out. All it took was a 2-minute trailer of his performance to win over nearly the entire fan community, so well did he embody the character. He entertained us, thrilled us, moved us. For me, personally, I have been dreaming of and waiting for a faithful live action Joker movie performance for nearly 10 years. Heath's portrayal promises to deliver all that I could have ever hoped for, and more. It is a small thing, perhaps, but seeing a favorite character embodied on the screen so perfectly means a lot to me, as I know it does to many others. Heath's performance was already inspiring me. I never draw real people, but last month, my sheer excitement from The Dark Knight trailer compelled me to draw the picture of Heath as Joker that I used, desaturated, in this tribute. All we can do now is thank him for bringing joy to us fans, and honor his memory. R.I.P. Heath Ledger.
I don't have a poem or a picture
of the man in his honor, all I have are my words. Heath Ledger always caught
the corner of my mind. He was never an object of my obssession, yet I
always had the utmost respect for him. Looking back at his roles, I can
confidently say that he is the closest thing to perfection in acting. Well,
he was.
I feel peculiar about this situation. I've never felt like this about any "celebrity", even those who I have spent more time dwelling on than Heath. Perhaps time is they key here. It was so short a career, let alone life, yet he managed to fill it with so much good. When it's time to die, it's time to die, it's just so sad that his time came so soon. Heath made me fall in love with the Joker. While I'm a drop-dead fan of the animated series take, Heath is truly what set the spark on fire for my adoration of Mr. J. But that is just the sort of power we're talking about here. I am actually morning the loss as though he was someone I knew, that is how much soul and personality he put into his roles. He made you know those characters, he made them your friends, and in his own way, he gave a piece of himself to you with each performance. I suppose that's all I have to say on the matter. My best wishes go to his friends and loved ones. I don't know how the afterlife works, but I'm certain he is smiling and watching over his family. Thank you,
I don't know Heath Ledger personally,
but I know that he was a man of great talent that could achieve things far
beyond anyone else. I can tell that he was a simple man, but so unique in
character, and his passing was like draining the blood from my body and taking
my breath away. He was a good man, and we are honored to have been there,
watching him as he proved his worth to all.
My most heartfelt condolences to Heath’s family and friends, Michelle, Matilda, Jake Gyllenhaal and all others who knew him and stood by his side. Heath, rest in peace, knowing that we will all remember you Nata
James, Nicosia, Cyprus
Heath
Ledger was brilliant in so many different ways. A great man, a great father,
a great fiance, a great son, and of course a great actor. The dedication
of his work towards acting is a humongous inspiration to everyone out there
aspiring to do something in the creative arts. He is one of those 'one in
a million' type of people. Someone who can do so much with their life, but
were cut short of it. The tragedy did not hit me until weeks later; I was
crushed when I realized how much of an inspiration he is to me, and now he
was gone. As an aspiring actress I wanted to work with him, meet and befriend
him, and pass on acting techniques to really nail a character. Now I realize
i'll never be able to do that, but that didn't stop me from being friends
with him or him being my inspiration. Heath Andrew Ledger is the person I
talk to through my prayers, and when all the world crashes down on me, he
is the person who I can tell it all to. What an incredible man; talent just
vibrating off of him. His role as the Joker was astonishing, and there are
no words to describe it. He went through a month of writing an Emotional
Diary as the Joker, and mastering his voice and moving techniques all to
make sure the Joker would be memorable and real. And he was, he really was.
R.I.P Heath Ledger, we all miss you, and we all love you. You'll never be
forgotten.
Love one of many fellow actors, Nikki D.
I'd
seen the actor before, no clue who he was at the time, but I thought he was
great. When I learned he had died, I was like 'Isn't that the guy who was
playing The Joker?" and I wondered how the movie was going to do, he was
a terrific actor, and he was very dedicated, I'm sure. He was only 28, which,
I suppose, is what upset me the most, and while I never knew the guy(well...duhh),
he was one of my favourite actors, I trust his performance in TDK will be
just as good, if not better, than his previous ones.
sending out best wishes to those who knew him, Erica "Pippin" <3
Nick Cave's 'O Children' is the song I'm dedicating to Heath: Pass me that lovely little gun My dear, my darling one The cleaners are coming, one by one You don't even want to let them start They are knocking now upon your door They measure the room, they know the score They're mopping up the butcher's floor Of your broken little hearts O children Forgive us now for what we've done It started out as a bit of fun Here, take these before we run away They keys to the gulag O children Lift up your voice, lift up your voice Children Rejoice Rejoice Here comes Frank and poor old Jim They're gathering around with all my friends We're older now, the light is dim And you are only just beginning O children We have the answer to all your fears It's short, it's simple, it's crystal clear It's round about, it's somewhere here Lost amongst our winnings O children Lift up your voice, lift up your voice Children Rejoice Rejoice The cleaners have done their job on you They're hip to it man, they're in the groove They've hosed you down, you're good as new They're lining up to inspect you O Children Poor old Jim's white as a ghost He's found the answer that was lost We're all weeping now, weeping because There ain't nothing we can do to protect you O children Lift up your voice, lift up your voice Children Rejoice Rejoice Hey little train! We're all jumping on The train that goes to the Kingdom We're happy, Ma, we're having fun And the train ain't even left the station Hey little train! Wait for me I once was blind but now I see Have you left a seat for me? Is that such a stretch of the imagination? Hey little train! Wait for me! I was held in chains but now I'm free I'm hanging in there, don't you see In this process of elimination Hey little train! We're all jumping on The train that goes to the Kingdom We're happy, Ma, we're having fun It's beyond my wildest expectation Hey little train! We're all jumping on The train that goes to the Kingdom We're happy, Ma, we're having fun And the train ain't even left the station |