Director Will Continue with Production on Heath's Last Film
Source: ExtraTV Staff
January 29, 2008 8:19 AM




Heath Ledger's last work will live on.

"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" director Terry Gilliam is trying to figure out how to continue filming despite Heath's heartbreaking absence. Heath was still filming in London just days before his tragic death.

"Terry's throwing himself into the job of trying to salvage the picture," actor Christopher Plummer told People magazine.

Because the film deals with magic, Gilliam is contemplating using CGI to continue Heath's role.

"There is a way, perhaps, of turning Heath into other people and then, using stills and I think they call it CGI," Plummer said.

"Terry was a very good friend of Heath's. He very much wants to go on with the movie, and I can very much understand why. Because he wants to dedicate it to Heath, of course."

Heath was "wonderful in this role," Plummer said. He was supposed to continue filming in Vancouver over the next several days, and when he left the London set for Manhattan on Sunday, Heath appeared to be "in very high spirits" despite complaining of a lack of sleep and fighting a cold on the set.

Plummer revealed he suspects shooting The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus at night in London's cold, damp climate could have contributed to Ledger's passing.

"We had to shoot every second we were out there…there was hardly any time to go into the tent or the car to keep warm," Plummer explained.

"He was terribly likeable and obviously enormously talented…and the combination was terrific," added Plummer. "It's such a shame these things have to happen to the good ones."