Sir Michael Caine reflected on his time working with the late Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight and the press tour that took place after his untimely passing.
The Oscar-winning actor notably played Alfred Pennyworth in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy, and it has become one of the most popular roles in his illustrious acting career.
Michael Caine Reflects on Working with Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight
In his new memoir Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over: My Guide to Life (via an excerpt from NME), Caine wrote about his experience working with Ledger in The Dark Knight.
He admitted that he was "terrified" of the late actor when he saw his transformation as the Joker.
"The smeared makeup, the weird hair, the strange voice. It was chilling. Absolutely floored me the first time I saw him in action – I was terrified," the retired Oscar winner wrote.
He added that Ledger's committed performance made the rest of the cast "raise our game" during filming.
As we all know now, Ledger's take on the Joker has been considered one of the best villain performances in cinema history (not just in the comic book world). He also won a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
The Impact of Heath Ledger's Untimely Death on Michael Caine
Caine also reflected on the impact of Ledger's untimely passing on his memoir and how it affected the press tour for The Dark Knight.
"Heath was only 28 when he passed away. I hadn’t even made Zulu when I was that age. You think of what he might have gone on to achieve, it’s just heartbreaking," he wrote.
"We were all terribly shocked, and it made doing the publicity for The Dark Knight that summer much more intense, because all the journalists wanted to talk about his death."
The Oscar winner added, "It still makes me sad to think of it… [it’s] a performance for the ages. Even though his career was cut short so soon, he’ll be remembered as a great actor, I believe."
While it is sad that Ledger was gone too soon, there is no doubt that his legacy continues to live on to this day, and his work is still being looked to as an inspiration for young actors today.
What do you think of Caine's remarks about Ledger? Let us know in the comments!
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