Nine years after his untimely death, we take a look back at Heath Ledger and his short but wildly successful acting career.
As we approach what would have been the 37th birthday of Academy Award winner, Heath Ledger, we'd be remiss to ignore the fact that April 5th will also be the 23rd anniversary of the passing of Kurt Cobain; two giants of their respective crafts who left this world way too soon. Now nine years after the death of Ledger, we take a look back at his filmography and reflect on the magnificent career that was, and what could have become.
At the age of 28, Heath Ledger was still a ways away from hitting his professional prime. Unfortunately, he was never able to celebrate the numerous accolades he'd receive for his portrayal …show more content…
He soon put the motion picture industry on notice that he was indeed the real deal and more than ready to carry his own weight alongside Gibson, one of Hollywood's biggest names (at the time). As the young revolutionary soldier Gabriel Mann, Ledger stole each and every scene he was in. A boy turned man trying to step out of his father’s shadow, we waited with baited breath each time Gabriel set out for battle. When he ultimately met his maker, you as a viewer couldn't help but get swept up in the emotion.
Showing his versatility, the extremely fun action/comedy "A Knights Tale" was next on the docket. Perfectly cast as a squire turned heroic knight, Ledger proved he was now a leading man, making men want to be him, and women want to be with him.
As the son of Billy Bob Thorton's character in "Monster's Ball," Ledger continued to grow as a thespian. In a film chock full of elite performances, Ledger shined in limited screen time, as his Sonny Growtski spoke to all audiences. By now, the Academy knew this gentleman was someone to be reckoned …show more content…
I have no doubt in my mind that if he were still here today, he'd have easily doubled that number by now -- if he wanted to.
It wasn't about the money or the fame for the Australian product. For Ledger, it was about the craft of acting, and who he was fortunate enough to bring to life. The possibilities of new and exciting roles for him to conquer would have been endless for a man of such precision, timing, and sheer talent.
So as we remember an incomparable figure of the silver screen, think about a fascinating character from a film you've seen in the past nine years and how Heath Ledger would have done it differently. How would he have looked inside the Marvel Universe? As a Jedi in the continuing “Star Wars” saga? A new and improved Indiana Jones?
Maybe Ledger would have even been offered juicy roles destined for the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pratt, or Leonardo DiCaprio; eventually garnering a second or third Academy Award. I guess the one takeaway is that we should all be glad we were at least lucky enough to watch the work of a one of a kind actor while we had the opportunity
As we approach what would have been the 37th birthday of Academy Award winner, Heath Ledger, we'd be remiss to ignore the fact that April 5th will also be the 23rd anniversary of the passing of Kurt Cobain; two giants of their respective crafts who left this world way too soon. Now nine years after the death of Ledger, we take a look back at his filmography and reflect on the magnificent career that was, and what could have become.
At the age of 28, Heath Ledger was still a ways away from hitting his professional prime. Unfortunately, he was never able to celebrate the numerous accolades he'd receive for his portrayal …show more content…
He soon put the motion picture industry on notice that he was indeed the real deal and more than ready to carry his own weight alongside Gibson, one of Hollywood's biggest names (at the time). As the young revolutionary soldier Gabriel Mann, Ledger stole each and every scene he was in. A boy turned man trying to step out of his father’s shadow, we waited with baited breath each time Gabriel set out for battle. When he ultimately met his maker, you as a viewer couldn't help but get swept up in the emotion.
Showing his versatility, the extremely fun action/comedy "A Knights Tale" was next on the docket. Perfectly cast as a squire turned heroic knight, Ledger proved he was now a leading man, making men want to be him, and women want to be with him.
As the son of Billy Bob Thorton's character in "Monster's Ball," Ledger continued to grow as a thespian. In a film chock full of elite performances, Ledger shined in limited screen time, as his Sonny Growtski spoke to all audiences. By now, the Academy knew this gentleman was someone to be reckoned …show more content…
I have no doubt in my mind that if he were still here today, he'd have easily doubled that number by now -- if he wanted to.
It wasn't about the money or the fame for the Australian product. For Ledger, it was about the craft of acting, and who he was fortunate enough to bring to life. The possibilities of new and exciting roles for him to conquer would have been endless for a man of such precision, timing, and sheer talent.
So as we remember an incomparable figure of the silver screen, think about a fascinating character from a film you've seen in the past nine years and how Heath Ledger would have done it differently. How would he have looked inside the Marvel Universe? As a Jedi in the continuing “Star Wars” saga? A new and improved Indiana Jones?
Maybe Ledger would have even been offered juicy roles destined for the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pratt, or Leonardo DiCaprio; eventually garnering a second or third Academy Award. I guess the one takeaway is that we should all be glad we were at least lucky enough to watch the work of a one of a kind actor while we had the opportunity