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The Dark Knight Fans Remember Heath Ledger On The Anniversary Of His Death

On January 22nd, 2008, Heath Ledger passed away after taking a fatal mix of prescription drugs, and on the eleventh anniversary of his death, fans of The Dark Knight took to social media to remember the actor and his most celebrated role.

Heath Ledger Joker

On January 22nd, 2008, Heath Ledger passed away after taking a fatal mix of prescription drugs, and on the eleventh anniversary of his death, fans of The Dark Knight took to social media to remember the actor and his most celebrated role.

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Though the casting of Ledger as Bruce Wayne’s most famous adversary was met with heavy fan backlash when the news was first announced, it became all too clear that these objections were premature once Christopher Nolan’s film made its way to cinemas six months after Ledger’s passing. And in these last 24 hours, the social media outpouring makes it evident that the star still holds a special place in hearts of many a filmgoer:

https://twitter.com/haIseyivy/status/1087839021848350721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1087839021848350721&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fdc%2F2019%2F01%2F22%2Fheath-ledger-death-anniversary-the-dark-knight-fans%2F

https://twitter.com/spdrvrs/status/1087781745024528384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1087781745024528384&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fdc%2F2019%2F01%2F22%2Fheath-ledger-death-anniversary-the-dark-knight-fans%2F

With The Dark Knight hitting its tenth anniversary last year, 2018 saw several of Ledger’s friends and associates reflect on his turn as the Joker. Maggie Gyllenhaal, for instance, recalled her first time seeing her co-star immersed in character when she spoke on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, arguing that it’s rare to see a performance in a big budget action movie that manages hold your attention amidst all the “explosions and huge stunt scenes.”

The Dark Knight co-writer Jonathan Nolan, meanwhile, told The Hollywood Reporter back in August that neither he nor the studio really “got” why his brother wanted Ledger for the role, but Christopher Nolan “just stuck to his guns,” arguing that “It was a question of not giving the fans what they’re asking for but what they want.” Needless to say, the fans were ultimately pretty thrilled with the Joker they got, and Ledger’s take on the character has continued to influence comic book villains and screen psychos ever since.