Guide Note

According to film reviews, the late Heath Ledger has emerged as an early Oscar contender for his performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight, the sequel to Batman Begins.¹

Fast Facts

1. Film: The Dark Knight
2. Role: The Joker
3. Release date: July 18, 2008
4. Ledger nominated for Best Actor for role in Brokeback Mountain
5. Ledger found dead in New York City apartment on January 22, 2008
6. First posthumous Oscar: Sidney Howard for screenplay of Gone with the Wind²

Even before his untimely death, Ledger had earned praise from those who had seen his work as the maniacal Joker in The Dark Knight. In the role, first made famous by Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson, Ledger plays Joker as a twisted psychopath, his face smeared with lipstick.

The film premiered in New York City on July 14, 2008. The red carpet, which traditionally forms the path into the theater during a premiere, was replaced by a black carpet in honor of Heath Ledger.³

At the premier, Christian Bale, who plays Batman, said that Ledger "steals the movie, I'm quite happy to say that he absolutely does," while co-star Gary Oldman commented that "he was intense. Look at the performance, it's stunning...he'll get an Oscar."⁴