“A US director has revealed the surprising way Heath Ledger secured his breakout role.”, — write: www.dailymail.co.uk
The Australian star shot into the global stratosphere after his performance in the 1999 teen romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You.
The film’s director Gil Junger has revealed that Heath’s addition to the cast, that also included Julia Stiles and Joseph Gordon Levitt, was quite last minute.
Speaking with Barry Katz on his Industry Standard podcast recently, Gil said that the quest to fill Heath’s role of Patrick Verona had been exhaustive.
‘I had read 253 guys and that means casting has read 2500,’ Gil explained. ‘I was three weeks out and I didn’t have the guy.’
Gil added that Heath was added to the audition list at the last minute as a favour to the film’s casting director.
‘Marcia Ross who was the head of casting, she said to me, “look, I don’t know this last kid honestly is a favour for an agent I respect,’ he said. ‘If he sucks just cut him off at page one and forget about it.’
After the surprising admission, the director went on to reveal that he was immediately taken by Heath’s undeniable presence as soon as he entered the room.
‘The door opens and Heath walks in – he took about four steps towards me,’ Gil explained.
‘This is exactly what I thought. “If this f***er can read English I’m going to cast him.
‘Why? because there was just a presence, there was a confidence. He just walked in as if to say, “this is who I am”. Period.’
Gil added that Heath made such an impression during his audition that he was ‘hired immediately.’
‘The instant the door closed, I said, “Ladies, I have never wanted to sleep with a man, but if I had to sleep with a man – that would be the man. Hire him immediately”,’ he said.’
‘He was hired before he got to his car.’
Released in 1999, 10 Things I Hate About You – a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Taming Of The Shew – became an instant cult classic and launched Heath’s burgeoning career in the US.
He went on to star in a raft of critically acclaimed fare, including A Knight’s Tale, Monster’s Ball and Brokeback Mountain.
He is perhaps best known for his iconic performance as The Joker in Christopher Nolan’s Batman epic The Dark Knight.
Heath died in a New York City apartment on January 22, 2008, after accidentally overdosing following months of physical and mental exhaustion.
The Dark Knight actor died aged 28 after taking a fatal cocktail of drugs, leaving behind his daughter, who was two years old at the time.
Michelle Williams, who was in a relationship with Heath from 2004 to 2007 after meeting on set of Brokeback Mountain, decided to raise Matilda away from the spotlight.
Gil’s admission comes after Heath’s 10 Things I Hate About You co-star Julia Stiles revealed her thoughts on the late Aussie star.
‘He was amazing. He was such a bright light. He just walked into a room and lit it up,’ she told E! News in January.
Julia added, ‘He was very kind and generous to me, which you know, when you’re an actress in your first leading role in a big studio movie, you need to feel comfortable with the other person.’
She then said that Heath ‘was very generous that way.’
The Hustlers actress then added: ‘The scene where I read the poem, I did not expect to start crying or tearing up or choking up, whatever.
‘It just happened because it was the movie was coming to an end, the production was coming to an end. And I think I was just so moved by the whole experience.’