A Tribute to Heath Ledger

Five years ago today, the film industry sadly lost one of its finest and most promising actors to an accidental overdose of prescription medications. At the far-too-young age of 28, Australian actor Heath Ledger passed away, leaving a legacy of extraordinary performances behind him. But what makes his absence in the industry so tragic is not so much what he had done, but what more he could have gone on to do.

Ledger’s career gives us a glimpse of a naturally talented actor, whose phenomenal performances (especially those later in his career) stand as some of the greatest performances in modern cinema. Ledger’s memory will be forever remembered, going down in cinematic history with the likes of James Dean.

In tribute to one of the most consummate and transcendent actors of our time, here are my top five performances by the late, great Heath Ledger.

5) A Knight’s Tale (2001)
This was the first example of Ledger’s work that I ever saw. Ledger plays the role of William Thatcher (under the pseudonym of Ulrich von Lichtenstein) in a traditional tale of rags-to-riches as he falsifies his past - claiming to be of noble birth, hence the pseudonym - to become a knight. It’s very loosely based on Chaucer’s The Knight’s Tale from The Canterbury Tales, and despite it’s deviation from Chaucer’s work it is an enjoyable film nonetheless.

Whilst this may not be Ledger’s most multi-faceted or emotively diverse role, it is nonetheless a superb performance. Considering he was only just 22 at the time, the way in which he perfectly captured the role and carried off the part of charismatic leading-man is nothing short of phenomenal.


4) The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fantasy film plucked straight from the ever-fascinating mind of Terry Gilliam, in which a theatre troupe (lead by the impossibly ancient Doctor Parnassus, who’s made a bet with the devil-incarnate, Tom Waits) takes their audience members through a mirror into their imaginations.

Production of Doctor Parnassus was disrupted by the untimely passing of Ledger halfway through filming, and for a while it seemed as if the film would have to be aborted. However, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law were eventually cast to take on Ledger’s role in certain scenes - each embodying the character as he’s transformed in different magical realms, whilst the footage shot with Ledger remained in the film as the character’s real-world appearance. The film was ultimately dedicated in memory of Heath Ledger.

Although Ledger’s presence in the film is sadly limited to the segments set in the real world, his performance is nonetheless captivating and emotive. In many ways, his role in this film is as a metaphor for his career; a truly remarkable and tantalising glimpse of what more he could have done had he been with us longer.


3) The Four Feathers (2002)
In The Four Feathers, Ledger plays the role of Harry Faversham, a young British officer during the British Army’s Nile Expedition of 1885. Newly engaged to Ethne (Kate Hudson), Harry learns that his regiment is being deployed to the Sudan, and decides to resign his commission. Having been branded a coward and disowned by his father, Harry learns that his former regiment has come under attack from Mahdi rebels, and makes the perilous journey to the Sudan alone.

In my opinion, this film is up there as one of Ledger’s most emotive performances of his career. His ability to capture and project emotion on a genuine level is truly transcendent; the raw, tangible emotions drawing you in, becoming completely immersed in the narrative and Ledger’s spectacular realisation of his character. It is rare to find such great examples of genuine emotion in film, to the extent it feels as if the actor is baring their soul, but Ledger was one such performer.


2) The Dark Knight (2008)
It may sound like a cliche, but Ledger is completely unrecognisable in the role as the Joker. Arguably one of the most philosophically complex characters of modern cinema, the Joker is the embodiment of calculated anarchy and unhinged nihilism, dedicated to tearing down humanity’s facade of civilised society.

One could reel off a stream of synonyms for ‘brilliant’ or ‘sublime’ to describe his performance, but none would do him justice. The role is so perfectly realised, with his expertly-delivered demented dialogue and constant visual ticks, it is clear that Ledger committed every molecule of his being into portraying this psychopathic clown. Ledger’s Joker is truly the definitive agent of chaos.


1) Brokeback Mountain (2005)
As a man constantly in torment, fighting an internal war between his emotions and society’s expectations, Ledger’s performance as Ennis Del Mar is nothing short of sublime. Emotionally closed off and isolated from the world, Ennis is wrought by his inner conflict with his sexual identity, pushing away anyone who comes to care about him and only capable of expressing himself through explosions of violence.

Whilst this role is nowhere near as exuberant as the Joker, Brokeback Mountain contains Ledger’s greatest performance. His emotively acute portrayal of this tortured soul is truly tangible, and is simultaneously a joy and thoroughly heart-breaking to watch. This, in my opinion, is Ledger’s finest performance.


When Heath Ledger passed, the world lost a magnificent actor and an amazing and inspirational soul.

Rest in peace, good sir, you are greatly missed.