Of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, everyone agrees that “The Dark Knight” is by far the most successful chapter of the package .

In addition to being remembered as one of the best action films of the last twenty years, the title received the Oscar for best supporting actor, awarded posthumously to Heath Ledger after his tragic death . What won over viewers was his incredible performance as the Joker: very different from the equally iconic one of Jack Nicholson in Tim Burton's "Batman", and which remained impressed above all for that incredible mix of irrationality, recklessness and macabre sense of humor.

Although Ledger's work is now considered by critics to be one of the most brilliant in the history of cinema, and by most audiences to be the best version of the Joker ever seen on the big screen, it is interesting to remember that initially there was little confidence in his abilities. Before the title saw the light, there was much criticism of Nolan by fans and the press for having considered him as the first choice for the villain. After all, Ledger's previous appearances in the cinema did not suggest that he was capable of embodying such a sadistic and disturbed character.

In defense of his choice, Nolan recalled Ledger's figure ten years after his death during an interview for the BBC. Among the many curiosities, he mentioned his extraordinary skills in improvisation, which gave rise to the iconic scene of the applause in the prison. But what was also striking was his desire to take care of the costumes and make-up independently, in addition to having studied a specific vocality for the character that, in hindsight, turned out to be inimitable by his successors.

Also praising the incredible qualities of the star was British actor Michael Caine, who has returned to the forefront of the media after publishing his memoir “Don't Look Back, You'll Trip Over”. Among the many anecdotes that make up the text, we find some interesting references to the experience he had in 2008 with “The Dark Knight”; in this regard, Caine underlined his admiration for Ledger, describing identifying with the Joker as a real metamorphosis.

On his acting choices, he recalled for example: “He was a wonderful guy, kind and without any presumption. I was curious to see how he would approach the role, especially considering how iconic Jack Nicholson's interpretation was. Heath chose to emphasize the pure madness of the character instead of relying on the jokes. His Joker was a deeply disturbed individual, whose true purpose remained a mystery” .

On how his first meeting with the star took place, he revealed: “As Alfred says to Bruce, some men just want to watch the world burn. And that was Heath’s vision: the smudged makeup, the messy hair, the creepy voice. He was chilling. The first time I saw him act I was shocked: he really scared me!”

Deeply impressed by his colleague's incredible transformation, he said: "He and Christian Bale were great friends and had a lot of fun together. Then, in front of the camera, he became this terrifying figure, capable of throwing an entire city into chaos. Looking back, his talent pushed us all to give our best. The mental duel between Batman and Joker is magnetic: are they so different or, ultimately, two sides of the same coin? Joker wanted Bruce to believe that they were two versions of the same concept."

Finally, thinking about the unfillable void that his loss has caused, he added: "We all knew he deserved an Oscar, even while we were filming. His passing was devastating, but the posthumous recognition has done justice to a performance that will remain in history. Although his career was cut short too soon, he will be remembered as one of the greatest actors of all time."

John Scanu

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