Mt. Rushmore- Heath Ledger
Unfortunately, there is a very long list of actors who had bright careers ahead of them before their tragic demises. Perhaps none more so than Heath Ledger. One of Australia’s best acting exports he gave some very solid performances in his dreadfully short career. Some honorable mentions I’d like to honorably mention before we get into the Mt. Rushmore include Corporal Gabriel Edward Martin in ‘The Patriot,’ Giacomo Casanova in ‘Casanova,’ & Harry Faversham in ‘The Four Feathers.’
William Thatcher in ‘A Knight’s Tale’- In this medieval action comedy, Ledger plays the lead of a peasant who dreams of being a knight. So he makes himself a knight by the name of Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein of Gelderland in one of his funnier performances.
Ennis Del Mar in ‘Brokeback Mountain’- What would’ve been Ledger’s best performance, his role in this Neo-Western as a man struggling with his sexuality when he meets Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal). The film is critically acclaimed, considered by many to be a snub for Best Picture at the 78th Academy Awards, and is considered to be the first movie to bring ‘queer cinema’ to the mainstream.
Patrick Verona in ‘10 Things I Hate About You’- This film made Ledger both a star & a heartthrob. He’s a cool, charming bad boy that secretly has a bet going to get Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) to date him. Ah yes, the classic bet-rom com setup executed to perfection here. Ledger brings a secret warmheartedness to Patrick, based on Petruchio from Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew.’
Joker in ‘The Dark Knight’- This is hands down Ledger’s career performance & the one he is most synonymous with. Upon the announcement of his casting, many doubted he could play the psychopathic archenemy to Batman, but he pulled it off better than anyone else ever has or will. This is not only one of the best comic book film performances, and not only one of the best villain performances, but also one of the best acting performances ever, point blank period. The role won Ledger his Oscar, though it was awarded posthumously due to his untimely death. He, like many other actors, lives on through their performances, this one most of all.
