1. of course.... most Hollywood folk are moved / motivated by emotion. think of how many oscars have been awarded previously based purely on "sympathy".

Posted at 10:37PM on May 14th 2008 by matchbox1966

2. His death, unfortunately, increases the odds greatly. I think a nom is in the cards if the rest of the year falls flat.

Posted at 10:45PM on May 14th 2008 by Joe

3. That's a very hollywood move and infuriating to say the least. The damn movie hasn't come out and the guy made exactly two movies that can be termed hits.

Stop babbling about him. It was old a day after he committed suicide and a few media people canonized him. At this point it's just annoying.

Posted at 10:54PM on May 14th 2008 by YouFaceTheTick

4. Not a suicide. And box office success has no bearing on talent.

Whether or not this performance is award-worthy is yet to be seen, but I will say I hope they don't just throw him one just because he died.

Posted at 1:39AM on May 15th 2008 by Scott K

5. Find it hard to believe it was an accident. An intelligent person doesn't mix multiple downers (oxycontin, xanax, etc) and sleeping pills unless you're trying to kill yourself. Ledger may have been an average actor (mumbler, really) but I can't believe he was an idiot.

Posted at 6:41PM on May 15th 2008 by YouFaceTheTick

6. Might be an idea to actually wait until AFTER you see the film to start debating whether or not he deserves Oscar recognition don't you think?
Sure he looks good from what we've seen so far, but they're only trailers - not like they'll show the scenes where he sucks!
IF he warrants an Oscar nod then so be it. But considering none of the either actors that have been in 'mainstream' comic adaptations have put in Oscar worthy performances, I'm pretty confident Ledger won't have pulled it off either.

Posted at 11:05PM on May 14th 2008 by Schuey19

7. Heath Ledger didn't commit suicide "YourFaceTheTick". The definition of suicide is INTENTIONAL death. He overdosed on sleeping pills because he was trying to get to sleep (he had horrible insomnia problems), not because he was trying to kill himself. Oh, and just because an actor doesn't have a lot of blockbusters doesn't mean he or she isn't a great actor.

Posted at 11:33PM on May 14th 2008 by Gregory Rubinstein

8. You know what's funny? I was thinking the exact same thing as I ate dinner tonight- and this is the conclusion I came to. Let's see: A) Heath Ledger's performance looks great and it saddens me that I can't look forward afterwards to seeing him take on another role and B) Films like this rarely get oscar nods for anything but sfx, etc. but in Ledger's case, partially because the role looks good and partially because of the tragedy surrounding his death, might get a nom.

For the record, I've never been a huge fan of Ledger, but I've been looking forward to seeing what he's done with the Joker and it seems like he had been improving with every film and was going to be an actor to watch.

The Academy Awards definitely need to start giving more credit to roles like these- one film that I felt was sorely missed at the oscars a year or two back was The Prestige, a film I really enjoyed, but that only got like one nomination because it didn't fit the "drama/witty comedy" profile they always go for.

Posted at 11:56PM on May 14th 2008 by Zach S

9. He will have one more performance in "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus", or at least that's what Terry Gilliam has stated.

Posted at 9:32AM on May 15th 2008 by LiqwidZero

10. Sigourney got a surprising & much deserved nom for ALIENS, so hopefully the Academy will at least have the guts to look @ Ledger's Joker seriously.
The 2 trailers from The Dark Knight show him giving a tour de force performance. And comments from Nolan, Eckhardt & Caine confirm it.
I just hope that a certain part of "Hollywood" doesn't pre-judge this work & auto-writes it off because they don't want him remembered as The Joker --which he will, anyway, because of the "average" hard working stiff like me who can't wait to see it.
Unless I'm very wrong TDK will be bigger than "...Begins".

Posted at 12:09AM on May 15th 2008 by Jerald Brewer

11. Honestly, I'm surprised I haven't seen or heard this subject broached anywhere outside private conversation between myself and other hardcore movie geeks.

The first thing I thought after the initial shock of Mr. Ledger's passing sunk in was that, in light of his sudden, tragic death, he could very well posthumously go from Academy Award-nominated to Academy Award-winning actor come next year with his increasingly high-profile, sure-to-be explosive (or implosive?) portrayal of the Joker after he racks up his now-guaranteed Best Supporting Actor nod.

It's sad but true that in his death and subsequent media-frenzy speculation/grieving/martyrdom/deification/etc., he now stands such a great shot at Oscar gold. As mentioned above, the Academy has historically jumped at the opportunities to bestow such sympathy-fueled honors. His nomination should be a slam-dunk, just maybe not necessarily for all the right reasons.

I was never a particularly huge fan of Mr. Ledger's and I can't really grasp the staggering reaction to his passing seeing as, at his age and at the stage of his career, he really hadn't accumulated a whole lot of experience, established himself as an icon or had very many esteemed films.

I mean, I listened in disbelief as a friend of mine equated his passing with that of James Dean. On very basic level, there are parallels to be drawn, sure but they're incomparable otherwise. This coming from a guy that I had to strong-arm to see "Brokeback Mountain". What's amazing to me is that I know my buddy isn't alone in this and it's all kind of outrageous to me.

It sadly seems as if, just like my friend, (A guy who really couldn't care less about Mr. Ledger outside of "A Knight's Tale", "10 Things I Hate About You", and now "The Dark Knight".) everyone is all of a sudden Mr. Ledger's biggest fan....now that he's dead. And, also like my friend, everyone's championing his performance and screaming brilliance before they've seen a frame of footage outside of the trailers. It's just a bit sickening and tiring.

I'm not saying Mr. Ledger wasn't a gifted, dedicated, and bold actor. He most definitely was and was undeniably rife with potential and primed to explode; thinking of all the many, many wonderful peformances his death robbed all of us of is extremely painful. It's just unfortunate that he was cut down so soon, before he could even hit his prime and become truly great. And now it seems as if he's destined to become overrated and overblown. It's ridiculous.

All that being said, I will say that what little I've seen of Mr. Ledger's Joker looks rock-solid but his performace is simply one of the myriad reasons I look forward to seeing "The Dark Knight" so immensely.

As a sidenote, I can't say I agree in any way, on any level with comments such as Schuey19's which imply that no actor in any movie based on a superhero or graphic novel has delivered a credible, Oscar-caliber, quality performance as a part of one. When was the last time that guy saw a comic book movie?

Posted at 12:13AM on May 15th 2008 by L.G.

12. Damn, a guy dies and suddenly being the guy from First Knight and 10 Things I Hate About You qualifies you as "one of this generation's great actors"

But this post sort of proves it's own point, people gloss over the fact that the guy's only really good film was Brokeback Mountain because he died. So there's a high chance that if the Batman role turns out good (and it looks like it will) there'll be a sympathy Oscar for supporting.

Posted at 12:21AM on May 15th 2008 by Jason Harris

13. Doubt it. If he gets a nod, it would be out of sympathy, and he won't win. He will be in the "In Memoriam" film and they might show a bit of "The Dark Knight" it being his final fully finished filmed role. Yet a Oscar nod/win is highly doubtful. I again, bring up Brandon Lee's preformance in "The Crow" in which his performance and his death elevated that film to being just another comic book movie. Yet he saw no recognition either from awards. If Ledger's performance is exceptional, he could get a Best Supporting nomination in the Golden Globes, in fact I can very much see that happening, but an Oscar is much more unlikely.

Posted at 1:08AM on May 15th 2008 by Midnight13

14. OH, okay. . .so if DIE that makes your performance better? I mean he didn't even die Admirably, it was a f'n drug overdose he caused.

Posted at 7:49AM on May 15th 2008 by chris graber

15. i agree with the posts above and think he will get the nod. unfortunately it will be more related to his death than his talent (which as displayed in this movie is outstanding).

Posted at 7:53AM on May 15th 2008 by Prhime

16. Last year the Academy recognized the work of two brilliant actors playing two of the most heinous villains ever put to film (Javier Bardem and Daniel Day-Lewis). There is now clearly a baseline with which Ledger's Joker will be compared. How does "Joker" stack up against "Anton Chigurh" and "Daniel Plainview"? We'll see, but at least now we know that the barriers have been broken and the voters will take a second look at "the bad guy".

Then there is the argument that Ledgers career has been mostly comedy work in the past. Plenty of actors have made of career of mindless comedies only to win or be nomimated by the Academy for their dramatic chops (Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, Will Smith), so it's not totally out of the realm of possibility that the kid from "First Knight" could be recognized.

Also it wouldn't be the first time that Oscar buzz surrounds an actor before the film is even released. It happens all the time in Hollywood. Go watch Chris Guest's "For Your Consideration" which is a parody of that entire process.

Posted at 8:22AM on May 15th 2008 by techstar25

17. Hey guys, (#10 & 14) the movie was A Knights Tale, not First Knight.
That unfortunate movie starred Sean Connery & Richard Gere. At least know which movie you're talking about.

Posted at 8:47AM on May 15th 2008 by lw

18. i have never been a fan of his and brokeback mountain did not help his case with me (i did not watch the movie). butttttttt this movie and the previews of him doing the joker has made this the only movie i am DYING to see this year. i havent been this amped for a since 300 and the matrix.

i think if he does as good as hes looking in the previews he deserves it then

Posted at 8:57AM on May 15th 2008 by Riley Freeman

19. I don't think he was "one of the great actors" and I think it's a bit unfair to say that.

I think he was one of the highest potential actors, but greatness requires a body of work that he did not have. He was likeable in everything he did, and showed some flashes of greatness, but he never really had a meaty role to prove himself, nor a quality movie to push him forward. Sorry, I don't consider Brokeback either of these things.

I really have no doubt that, had he not passed, and had he continued making improved role choices (as well as being offered better parts), he'd have gone on as one of the greats of the generation (as I pretty much assume his 10 Things costar will, if GI Joe doesn't torpedo him.) But, for right now, he was a great potential more than a great actor.

Posted at 10:35AM on May 15th 2008 by MosquitoControl

20. More importantly, we must remember that Johnny Depp got nominated for being Jack Sparrow...

Sure great acting, but that character is no Anton Chigurh. From the trailer clips alone Heath Ledger's performance is inspiring. He deserves a nomination without a doubt, and of course there will be people who say that he received a nom because he died, but that shouldn't and wouldn't be the reason at all.

If the academy doesn't recognize his stellar performance it truly reiterates how out of touch the Academy is with their audience. If the dwindling Academy Award viewers are any indicator, its clear that while the Academy may acknowledge achievements in filmmaking, they certainly turn their nose up at certain films like the Dark Knight. I for one would have been stoked if The Bourne Ultimatum had been nominated for Best Picture...movies like this have been nominated before (French Connection, The Sting) Why can't a movie that was ridiculously popular, well reviewed, and well crafted get anymore than an editing Oscar. This is just the same way that every year's indie "little comedy that could" can get a best picture nomination (Juno, Little Miss Sunshine), but basically just for show...granted they get a nice pat on the back with a Best Original Screenplay award, but c'mon Academy. Wake up.

This role for Ledger was a complete transformation and I hope it is recognized as it deserves to be.

Posted at 11:13AM on May 15th 2008 by Bradford Oman