Back in 2008, Oscar-winning actor Heath Ledger died tragically from accidental prescription overdoes. Now, over 5 years later, some insight to the months leading up to his death may reveal itself. A diary kept by Ledger while he prepared to play his role as “The Joker” in The Dark Night has recently been unveiled.
According to ABC 10 News, the notebook, features photos, drawings and writings inspired by the infamous Joker, as Ledger dove deeply into the mindset of his character. Illustrations and scribbled thoughts about his psychopathic character, clowns, particular scenes - such as that of hospital - and his elaborate makeup are some of the pages revealing the extremes he went to in order to personify his character. It was created before he filmed The Dark Night for which Ledger’s performance won him a posthumous Academy Award. The 2008 blockbuster was a hit in the box office, and fans marveled over Ledger’s portrayal of the villainous character.
The diary was revealed online as video footage of the book surfaced from the German documentary series Too Young to Die. The video shows Ledger's father, Kim Ledger, looking through the diary and reflecting on his son’s work as an actor, and particularly as “The Joker.”
His father says, "In order to inhabit his character, he locked himself up in a hotel room for weeks. He would do that. He liked to dive into his characters, but this time he really took it up a notch," according to NY Daily News.
The final pages of the diary feature the words, "Bye Bye," written across the page, possibly alluding to clues about Ledger’s sudden death. "It was hard to see this," his father said. No matter how much time passes, the late Australian actor certainly left his mark in the cinematic world, with the final role in The Dark Night to serve as a reminder of his dedication to his performances.