Before Gilbert chose Heath Ledger, several actors—including Robin Williams, Lachy Hulme, Paul Bettany, and Adrien Brody—had all expressed strong interest in playing the Joker.
Especially Adrien Brody. This Oscar-winning actor was even willing to lower his salary to five hundred thousand dollars just to secure the role of the Joker.
But in the end, Gilbert still chose Heath Ledger. There was no other reason—his performance in Gilbert's memories from a previous life was simply too outstanding.
As for Adrien Brody, his acting carried too much uncertainty. There was no clear reference point, so Gilbert did not choose him.
Heath Ledger did not disappoint. When Gilbert saw him again, he was shocked to discover that Heath Ledger had completely changed.
"Where have you been this past month? If your agent hadn't stayed in constant contact with the crew, I would've thought you had disappeared off the face of the earth."
Heath Ledger looked noticeably thinner than he had a month earlier. His hair was somewhat dirty, as if he hadn't washed it in a week. He also looked mentally exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes.
In a strange and hoarse voice, he explained, "I locked myself in my apartment bedroom and read every Joker-related comic I could find, studying the character in the script.
I tried making all kinds of bizarre laughs to simulate the Joker's mental state, to bring myself onto the same wavelength as him.
I also kept a diary to record my psychological state, so I could immerse myself more deeply into the performance…"
Listening to the effort Heath Ledger had poured into the role, Gilbert felt worried for Christian Bale. With Heath Ledger in this state, he was genuinely concerned that Christian Bale might not be able to handle him.
Letting out a sigh, Gilbert said, "Heath, working hard is a good thing, but I don't want the actor I chose to collapse physically before filming even begins, understand?"
Heath Ledger revealed a strange and ugly smile. "Don't worry, Director Gilbert. I know where my limits are."
"No, I really don't want you to actually turn into the Joker," Gilbert thought for a moment and said, "How about this—take some time off. Do you have a girlfriend? Take her to Hawaii for a vacation."
Before Heath Ledger could say anything, Gilbert made the decision decisively. "You don't need to say anything. I've approved it. Go."
Heath Ledger could only thank Gilbert and promised that he would definitely perform the role well.
When Charles Roven walked in, he happened to see Heath Ledger leaving. He said to Gilbert, "Heath doesn't look quite right. What's going on with him?"
Gilbert told Charles Roven about how Heath Ledger had locked himself away to research the role. Charles Roven sighed. "He really is a great actor."
"Yes," Gilbert said. "But how do you make an actor like this stay around for the long term?"
Charles Roven didn't quite understand what he meant, but he replied, "Isn't that simple? Just keep inviting him to act in your films in the future."
Gilbert paused for a moment. They weren't talking about the same thing, but he still smiled and said, "That's true."
Gilbert believed that effort didn't necessarily guarantee rewards, but a hardworking person at least deserved appreciation. Moreover, Heath Ledger was an extremely talented actor.
In his previous life, Heath Ledger's death was not because he couldn't escape the Joker role, but because of an overdose of medication.
In Hollywood, this was actually quite common. Michael Jackson had also suffered severe mental stress and took large amounts of medication, including sedatives and painkillers.
But after receiving treatment at the Landrini–Jobs–Gates Medical Center, his condition had greatly improved. More importantly, his spirit had regained strength.
So when it came to saving Heath Ledger, Gilbert felt that Michael Jackson's approach was very effective.
Michael Jackson's inner world was revived through the love and admiration of fans all over the world. But for Heath Ledger to escape his pain, the key would likely lie in love and family.
So he said to Charles Roven, "Help me keep a close eye on Heath Ledger, especially his family situation.
Does he have a girlfriend?"
"Yes," Charles Roven replied. "They also have a daughter. But I've heard his girlfriend is planning to break up with him."
"Then go tell that woman not to break up for now. Say it's from me. I need her to take care of Heath Ledger."
After thinking for a moment, Gilbert added, "If she insists on breaking up, then there's nothing we can do. In that case, help introduce Heath Ledger to a new girlfriend."
Charles Roven looked at Gilbert strangely. "I say, are you sick or something?"
"I'm not sick. I'm serious."
"This is ridiculous." Although he found it strange, Charles Roven still carried out the request.
However, finding a new girlfriend turned out to be unnecessary. Heath Ledger went to Hawaii on vacation with his girlfriend Michelle Williams, taking their daughter along.
They stayed in a private villa provided by Gilbert, complete with a small yacht. While they were out fishing at sea, Heath Ledger proposed to Michelle Williams, and she accepted.
Heath Ledger promised that after finishing the filming of The Dark Knight, the two of them would begin preparing for their wedding.
After receiving the news, Gilbert personally called Heath Ledger to congratulate him. He also had Cameron Diaz act as a representative to deliver a gift to the newly engaged couple.
With the bond of family now in place, this was the first step.
Gilbert then specially invited Michelle Williams to take on a role in The Dark Knight, making it convenient for her to stay with the crew and take care of Heath Ledger.
What remained was treatment. In this regard, Gilbert's medical center had extensive experience and was confident it could help Heath Ledger overcome his dependence on medication.
Nicolas Cage also put in tremendous effort, as he was cast in the role of Two-Face, Harvey Dent. That summer, he further solidified his first-tier status with I Am Legend.
This time, playing Two-Face, Nicolas Cage took the role very seriously. After in-depth study, he believed that Harvey Dent eventually became a person with dissociative identity disorder.
As a result, he spent a great deal of time researching the condition, even living and eating alongside patients in a psychiatric hospital for two weeks.
When Gilbert learned of this, he couldn't help but sigh—being a good actor in Hollywood was never an easy thing.
In fact, when the role of Harvey Dent was first announced, many actors publicly expressed interest in the part of District Attorney Harvey Dent, including Hugh Jackman, Ryan Phillippe, Liev Schreiber, and Josh Lucas.
Perhaps facing competition from so many people was what drove Nicolas Cage to work so hard.
Compared to these two actors, Christian Bale's efforts seemed almost insignificant. He continued to train diligently in combat skills and planned to perform most of the action scenes and car chases himself.
Bale said he really liked the Batmobile, believing that if he didn't drive the Batmobile himself, he couldn't truly be Batman.
In reality, however, he rarely had the chance to drive the Batmobile himself. Most of the driving was handled by professional stunt drivers. In this installment, the Batpod would also make its appearance.
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