Jack Nicholson on Heath Ledger’s Death: “I Warned Him”
With the results of Heath Ledger’s autopsy coming back inconclusive and legions of fans still desperately searching for an answer, it seems people are turning to some rather unlikely sources to help explain his tragic death. Sources like… Jack Nicholson? A photographer reportedly broke the news to Jack while he was dining in London, and his ambiguous response left many people scratching their heads: “That’s awful… I warned him.”
Nicholson would not go into greater detail at that point, but some people seem to think the implication is that he warned him about the heavy toll that a dark and tortured character like The Joker could take on his psychological health. Ledger had previously stated in interviews that he wasn’t sleeping well while shooting The Dark Knight, and he also said that he locked himself away in a hotel room for a month while trying to get into the mindset of the psychopathic character. Is it possible that his dedication to bringing The Joker to life on the big screen actually resulted in his death?
Personally I find this theory pretty outrageous, and maybe even a bit insulting to Ledger. While I’m sure he took the role very seriously and immersed himself in it, let’s not forget that the man is a professional actor. I don’t think Nicholson had problems returning to reality after playing The Joker. Need I mention that this is a comic book movie?! Come on now. If anything, I would think Nicholson may have warned Ledger about the career repercussions of playing such an iconic character and starring in a massive blockbuster. Fox News also offers another explanation: Nicholson frequently warns people against using the sleeping aid Ambien. Now that seems to make a little more sense to me.
Comments (36)
I agree with this post.
Posted by Henrik on January 24th, 2008I also concur
Posted by Mike on January 24th, 2008I wonder what Mark Hamill’s take on this is?
Posted by Ian on January 24th, 2008Agreed. I think the news outlets took Nicholson’s response way too seriously. If he did in fact warn him about anything, I’m sure it was about the Ambien. I hate sensationalism like that.
Posted by Jon Rocks on January 24th, 2008the most sickening thing said in teh aftermath of this came from John Gibson of fox news.
http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/01/24/john-gibson-mocks-heath-ledgers-death/
Posted by Goon on January 24th, 2008Hahahaha holy shite… This John Gibson is the John Waters of radio.
Posted by Henrik on January 24th, 2008I think that the Jack Nicholson comment was deffinitly a exarteration, from what i heard he just said that he warned heath that the role would take a toll on his sleep.
Posted by Drew on January 24th, 2008I agree that the situation with Nicholson is a bit preposterous, but what I don’t see eye to eye with you on is the statement: “Need I mention that this is a comic book movie?! Come on now” What does it being based on a comic book have to do with anything? Just because Batman is a comic book doesn’t mean the film should be looked down upon.
Posted by Rian on January 24th, 2008Fox News. Good god.
I’m with you on this one too Sean. This sounds outrageous.
Posted by Marina on January 24th, 2008The first and only thing that came to my mind was that Jack warned Heath about drugs… i.e. knowing the limit, staying in control, etc.
Because Jack has been known to be quite the partier and that’s what I got out of his quote.
Posted by Jonathan on January 24th, 2008Rian: I wasn’t trying to put down on Batman or comic book movies, in this case it just felt like people were looking at Ledger’s death as another reason to hype up The Dark Knight as this deep and psychologically disturbing movie. I am so sick of people wanting dark comic book movies.
Plus, if anything I would think his role in Brokeback Mountain would have caused a lot more personal stress.
Posted by Sean on January 24th, 2008Fred Phelps is going to picket his funeral.
Sick society.
Posted by Goon on January 24th, 2008I think Jack is being way too dramatic. Lets be honest, Jack was terrible as the Joker and seemed as if he hardly researched the character at all. I’m willing to bet Nicholson didnt even do half the research Ledger did to prepare for the role.
As for why he warned him, clearly he was hoping that Ledger would turn it down so that he could get the role
.
Posted by Captain N on January 24th, 2008Jack Nicholson a terrible Joker?! Are you kidding me? His performance as the Joker from the point of view from the original comic books were spot on which was what the original movies were based off of. Seeing as there are different variations of the comic book (i.e. the GRAPHIC NOVELS that the new movies are based off of)comparing the two roles is unfair. They are two completely different roles. I’m sure that Jack Nicholson didn’t want the new Joker part because he’s too old and I’m also sure that Heath Ledger did the graphic novel version justice, but to compare the two just means your an idiot.
Posted by twilightfox008 on January 25th, 2008I personally disagree with this post; wholeheartedly.
First, I believe that what Jack Nicholson was referring to was the use of ambien; of which I have used and stopped taking, it is dangerous. Second, sleep deprivation; which Heath suffered, and I have been through, can really mess with your mental and physical health (ie. heart palpitations, cardiac arrest..)
Posted by Dan on January 25th, 2008So, couple the demands of a demanding movie role and prescription med’s and you’ve got a deadly mix!!!
I enjoyed Jack Nicholson’s take on The Joker as well, but I wouldn’t say someone’s an idiot for not digging it.
Posted by Sean on January 25th, 2008The mainstream media usually don’t cover all the full story.
‘Heath Ledger – Tragedy, with Controversy to Follow’
http://www.newstarget.com/022544.html
Posted by Nemesis on January 25th, 2008Come on, Sean . . . get angry!!!
Posted by Joel on January 25th, 2008I am very angry. Can’t you tell?
Posted by Sean on January 25th, 2008Jack warned him about the intensity of the Joker…the reson Jack came out of it at all was because he had already gone through his heavy drug phase and was much older. Sometimes gettign into character requires extreme sacrifice.
Posted by Artemis on January 25th, 2008Heres my take, to get into a roll and really bring it to life actors sometimes live the roll, they keep an accent or mannerisms or even a thought process its like taking on another personality, for as long as it takes to shoot the movie. with that being said. as dynamic and interesting a character as the joker is. if one were to actually try and feel what the character feels and see through the eyes of the character, and to do it for such a long time, a person could not only start to loose base with whom they are but could also surely start to have psychotic delusions. that combined with the narcotics ledger was taking to calm down..could probably have resulted in an O.D. taking to many from building up a tolerance and otherwise not giving a damn from being so mentally screwed up. just my two cents..
Posted by ANIMAL on January 27th, 2008Just as a response to people who say, “Come on, it’s a COMIC BOOK movie!”, The Joker, if accurately portrayed, is not ‘comic bookish’ in any sense of the word. If anything, he is as unique as Hannibal Lecter, with only a backstory, not a nature, that has had to change with the times, given the many decades of Batman’s popularity.
What would you say to a man who shouted that something was more hilarious to him “…THAN A BARREL FULL OF MONKEYS OR A [Nazi] GAS CHAMBER!!”? That is complete paraphrase, and I don’t think he’s ever actually said that…But He Could Have; he’s The Joker. The real Joker comes close to (or goes well beyond) violating the “Comics Code.” He is not the 1960s camp television show character; that is the worst of all characterizations of him. The original, murderously dark one of Bob Kane’s original imagiantion only reemerged in the late 1980s graphic novels…the ones that are less regulated (thankfully) than the comic book serials, and allow for more movie-like theatrical storytelling. “ARKHAM ASYLUM” is one of the best at collecting the true kinds of enemies Batman is supposed to encounter. Ideally, they are intended to be the stuff of nightmares, and Joker is, of course, “…above even the Ace of the deck!”
Now imagine immersing oneself in such a mind. Working to think like he does. This would be no mere political or religious-minded terrorist; this would be a cool, calm, calculating, resolute PSYCHOPATH. Move over, Freud, he doesn’t do it out of sexual frustration; move over Jung, he doesn’t seem to have fear…of anything at all (once sprayed with Scarecrow’s gas in the stories, he began laughing, nonstop, and tried to murder Jonathan Crane; go figure). Again and again, he has defied so much logic and rationality that many people “retreat” to the simplest, and stupidest, charge to be made against him as a character: “He’s from a freakin’ comic book.” Would we say that if the comic book showed him laughingly murdering Homeland Security personnel or U.S. Federal Marshals? Joker has done the equivalent in the DC world several times over, and always with the calm deliberation, mixed with cackling madness, of a man “who just wants to see the world burn,” to quote the brilliant Michael Caine voiced verbalism.
Did it do Ledger in? I doubt it was all of it, or even most of it. But I would accept as much as half of it, because of the simple fact that when you start drenching yourself in that…in thinking about the most effective ways to “slaughter people as a punch line”…for multiple months on end, nonstop…it can SERIOUSLY mess you up. Why not try it for a week, working at being just like the real characterization of Joker…and see what kind of sleep levels YOU have?
Posted by Chris Kelley on January 28th, 2008i think the idea of the character being such a strong, almost entity makes the movie more alluring. jack nicholson also had sleep issues whilst portraying the joker. not as an insult to either actor as they are both brilliant. i just suppose i like the idea of something else, like an aura around the character. the comment was most likely about the sleeping pills though.
Posted by gmigs on July 15th, 2008I agree with animal I think that when you put so much of yourself into a psychopathic character such as the joker I believe that it can start to consume you mentally and because Heath was probably not a psychopath he probably had alot of confusion and emotional and mental battles going on in his mind. Along with medicine that is supposed change or correct certain chemicals in the brain to calm you down or make you go to sleep just as Animal said it can be a deadly mix. I really think that this is the mixture the Jack Nicholson was talking about.
Posted by Lori on July 19th, 2008Yes, My real name is Joker keith. That is why ive had a strong relationship to Heath Ledger in the movie. Not only did he play my name. but out names are only alike. Heath Keith…you see. When I was growing up, my mom always called me the joker because i would create these diabolical boobie-traps , (if you will), in my room. And ive always loved the Caracter. So when i turned 13 i asked if we could change my name to Joker, and we did. Then as i was growing with that name i realised that heath’s caracter was the joker, and then i fell inlove with it.
Posted by Joker Keith on July 23rd, 2008R.I.P heath ?
love- Joker
Alright then, here’s my whole spiel on the Heath Ledger death. You may take this as you please(or not), but I’m open for discussion!
When Jack warned him, about drugs, being able to limit yourself, having control and what not, I bet you anything that he warned him about the role..If you psycho-analyze the basic mindset of the joker, in ANY of the series, go to the root and you’ll find a deep, twisted and somewhat farcical personality. To quote Alfred(Michael Kain) from the Dark Knight: “…Some men just want to see the world burn.”
Now, that isn’t something you can just do at the tip of a hat…yes, every role needs prep work, ‘getting into character,’ all of that jazz, but when one gets into character, do they not need to bring that somewhat into their self, their person? Imagine having to do some of the things any of the jokers have done in a series, imagine getting into that character, and tell me that wouldn’t be emotionally distressing.
Well, those are my two cents in the pot.
Posted by Star Gazer on July 29th, 2008You guys have no idea how tough and demanding acting is. It does and always has taken a toll on the actors mental health. That fact that Heath Ledger might have been brought to insanity, and eventually lead to his death is not a ridiculous statement. Don’t speak about something you have no idea about, and most likely never ever will.
Posted by Kyle on April 23rd, 2009Heath’s death was drug abuse not a Joker related issue, look at the dates:
Beginning of Post Production for The Dark Knight: 11/14/2007
Found Dead: January 22, 2008
That’s over a year.
Furthermore, Heath was on to another role after Dark Knight. You telling me he was carrying the weight of the Joker while doing another character, come on.
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassusâ€
A Cannes screening, however, is expected to give media and fans a first look at the Terry Gilliam directed movie, which was midway through production when Ledger died unexpectedly in January 2008.
It restarted shooting March 11, 2008 after his death:
Posted by rus in chicago on April 23rd, 2009http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1583152/20080311/story.jhtml
oh, its not over a year. o.k. he did die because he was still the Joker, my bad!!
Posted by rus in chicago on April 23rd, 2009This is good “Melatrol will not only help you fall asleep, but you will stay asleep.”
Posted by Ella on June 8th, 2009Maybe jack did warn him about the role, and how heavy and depress it can get. they said when cameras were off, he was still in character which is pretty weird…lets be rational, if someone comes up to you and says “hey i think you perfect to play the joker, its gon be the best batman movie yet.” how would you react?, millions going all to you, but then you got someone who warns you about the role, but yet he managed to survive. maybe ledger thought if jack survived why cant i? he thought it was dream come true, why would he turn it down. something to think about. just to add on, yeah he died later on after but, death has no date…depression can last years…probably convincing himself he was alright, but in reality he wasnt, adds on to more depression.
Posted by Duh on June 14th, 2009For a writer to just dismiss the fact that playing a role good in affect end a person’s life, goes to show how stupid that said writer is. You have no idea about anything and should lose your job . How the fuck could you possibly know what an actor goes thru when preparing for a role. And why would you think Jack would say something like, “I warned him” after hearing he was dead, if it had wasn’t meant to mean he warned him that the role may mess with his mind. You are a fool for giving your opinion in such a callous, matter-of-fact way. You need to be ashamed of yourself, and yeah…stop writing. You’re an idiot. Open your eyes and look around you. It might help. But then again probably not since you’re so freakin’ stupid.
Posted by matters on October 22nd, 2009God… I just cannot get over how narrow minded this writer is. Makes me sick.
Posted by matters on October 22nd, 2009there have been villins portrayed in cinema forever and alot worse then the joker. none of those acters died because of their portrayls. he died of drugs, not an inibility to get over a evil vicious vindictive, ficticious roll.
Posted by Rick on October 22nd, 2009hang on a minute, i find this ‘article’ right here, 3rd april 210 at 2.21am.
come ON this is just brown stuff some one asked jack in a eatery in london and he said such and such. this is such shit. also not sure if this will go to moderation but COME ON there’s enough shit on the www without MORE like this trash, not everythings as written hardly anything at all, but this ‘news story’ reads and feels like something out of the CHEAPEST AND TRASHIEST UK RED-TOP TABLOID.
viva la.
Posted by eastwick on April 2nd, 2010Leave a Reply