I Am Deeply In Love
An interview with Heath Ledger
by Michael Body
Sydney Live Magazine
26 January 2006 edition
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
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Heath Ledger is counting his blessings. After floundering in Hollywood hell, Ledger has established himself as an actor, with an Academy Award nomination coming his way on Tuesday for his career-changing performance in Brokeback Mountain.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
The blessings? First came the film, where he met his fiancee, co-star Michelle Williams, who moved him to New York's Brooklyn where they had their first child, Matilda.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
"My life has changed in every aspect. There's a massive sense of synchronicity [because of Brokeback Mountain]," Ledger says. "It's given me two beautiful girls who I fall deeper in love with daily. It's given me Brooklyn, a city I adore; it's just enlightened nearly every aspect of my life.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
"It really is quite profound to what extent this film has changed my life. I'm forever in debt to Ang [Lee, director of Brokeback Mountain] for choosing me."
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
Ledger made a conscious effort to "destroy" his career before re-creating it. After being cast as Hollywood's next big thing, he had to pull it back in smaller, riskier films such as Casanova [out in Australia on Valentine's Day], The Brothers Grimm, Australian film Candy, and Lords of Dogtown.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
Tall, young and handsome, Ledger wasn't quite ready when chosen to headline films such as The Patriot, A Knight's Tale and The Four Feathers, among others. He admits it's easier to deal with success or failure now because his destiny is in his own hands.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
"It is easier because pretty much from Brothers Grimm through to Lords of Dogtown to Casanova to this to Candy were all my choices, and if they're bad movies, they're my mistakes." he says.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
As opposed to the studios making choices for you? "Yeah, but I can't exactly blame them, because I ultimately said yes and made the choice to do them." Ledger concedes.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
"But definitely earlier on it felt more like a pre-packaged career handed out to me, and I guess I'm happier and more comfortable with it now, because I'm in a place where I can start being more creative with choices and being given more creative choices to choose from."
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
Ledger realised directors would be the reason to make a movie.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
So he chose Terry Gilliam [The Brothers Grimm], Company B director Neil Armfield [Candy], Lasse Hallstrom [Casanova] and Lee [best known for The Ice Storm and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon] for three films he shot in 2004. Surely some quality would result?
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
It did, and as Ledger admits, "there's a big difference now in the directors I can possibly work with."
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
Brokeback Mountain is the most unconventional of the three films. Based on E. Annie Proulx's short story, it tells of two '60's ranch-hands who fall in love while working together in the Wyoming hills. Ledger's character, Ennis Del Mar, fights and denies his attraction to Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) as he marries Alma (Williams) and raises a family.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
The New York Times described Ledger's characterisation as a "great screen performance, as good as the best of Marlon Brando and Sean Penn".
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
It shows an aptitude from Ledger that few believed he possessed. As he floundered in some ordinary fare, most of us ignored is brief, deep performance in Monster's Ball. And that performance sold the taciturn Lee.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
Ledger didn't even audition for the director. "He works under the philosophy that he pretty much knows from the second you walk in the room and when he meets you one on one whether you can do the role," Ledger says. He flew to New York for the afternoon to meet Lee and producing partner James Schamus. They met for 20 minutes, had a cup of tea, and Lee barely uttered a word.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
"Then he stood up; I shook his hand, and he left," Ledger says. "I was completely confused as to what just happened, completely baffled by him and then he rang up and said I had the job. And that was it."
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
Arguably Lee got more from Ledger than what he could have hoped for. The film is favourite to win the Best Picture Academy Award, although Ledger might lose the Best Actor prize to Philip Seymour HOffman. Not that he's into all the speculation.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
"It's a little over-hyped," he says of the film. "and the fact that it's controversial is a little silly. Where or not it's controversial is relative to the kind of person you are.
Transcribed by HeathHeathens.com
"I don't think the topic is controversial at all. It all got a little out of hand, but I am glad the movie has trancended the gay cowboy title and people are just seeing it as a beautiful story."


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