Although Heath Ledger passed away in 2008, his work was so engrained with the identity of an entire generation that he's never far from our thoughts. Whether fans remember him best for his work in teen flicks like 10 Things I Hate About You, his role as a man grappling with his sexuality in Brokeback Mountain, or his Academy Award-winning performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight, there's no doubt that Ledger has left an indelible mark. Those same fans can get some deep insight into Ledger with the release of I Am Heath Ledger, a documentary that incorporates Ledger's home videos.
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"It's truly reflective of who Heath really was," Kate Ledger, the late actor's sister and the co-director of the film, told CBS This Morning. "The creative spirit, you know, he was more than just the celebrity persona that people saw. He was really multi-talented and just a beautiful soul, and I think that really comes through the film."
Kate explains that her brother had been documenting his life from an early age, using the home videos to perfect his acting skills. He never had any formal acting training, she says. Instead, he'd record himself performing various skits, watch the playback, and then adjust. Kate says that eventually, that exercise turned into a passion for photography, something that he shared with very few people.
"We had a strong interest in making a film about him and as we started learning about the depth of him being an artist beyond acting," added Derik Murray, the movie's producer. "This great artist that was interested in photography and filmmaking, we couldn't resist, we dove right in."
The movie also dispels the rumors surrounding Heath's role in The Dark Knight. According to his sister, he had a great time with the Joker. She says that he had "great fun" with the role and that the idea of Heath plagued by his time as the Joker is both unfounded and exaggerated.
I Am Heath Ledger will hit theaters on May 3 before Spike TV airs it on May 17. You can check out Kate Ledger and Derik Murray's interview, below.
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