Actors Who Were Traumatized By Their Most Intense Roles

Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger's role as the Joker in The Dark Knight landed him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, but Ledger died before he got to claim the award. He passed due to an accidental drug overdose in January 2008 at 28 years old. In the years after his death, it was speculated that the mental exhaustion of prepping for the part had contributed to Ledger's early ending. Members of his family disagree with this concept—but it's hard to deny that Ledger's Joker wasn't terrifying to watch.

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The More You Know

Samuel L. Jackson has a clause in his film contracts that allows him to play golf during film shoots whenever he wants.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first American film to have a soundtrack.
The Little Mermaid was Disney’s first princess movie in 30 years.
In Saving Private Ryan, all of the main cast were given basic military training except Matt Damon, in the hope that the cast would build a resentment towards him necessary for the role.

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