Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning portrayal of one of the darkest characters in cinema will be remembered forever.
Nobody expected that the pretty boy from 10 Things I Hate About You could pull off such a demanding and taxing role, but the preparation he put in really paid off.
The actor put himself into a self-imposed exile so that he could really delve into The Joker's chilling psyche and put his own memorable stamp on the character.
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"He pretty well locked himself up in a hotel room for weeks. He galvanised the upcoming character. That was typical of Heath. He would do that. He liked to dive into his characters, but this time he really took it up a notch." Heath's father, Kim, said on the documentary Too Young To Die.
It was while he was hidden away that he developed tics, the deep voice and the famous sadistic laugh. He also began rolling his tongue around in a mannerism that he took to the screen.
Rumours have emerged online that The Joker's distinctive voice was based on a 1979 TV interview with actor and musician Tom Waits.
Waits and Ledger both had roles in the 2009 movie The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus. However, it's not known whether the pair ever met.
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The similarities between the two are eerie. Check this out:
If Ledger did base the voice on Tom Waits, he absolutely nailed it. As he did with the role itself.
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Words by Liam Bond
Featured Image Credit:Topics: The Joker