Actors Who Never Recovered From Their Most Distressing Roles

Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight

Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight landed him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, but Ledger never got to claim the award. He passed away suddenly in 2008. The actor was only 28 years old.

Ledger pushed himself further than he had ever gone for a role. In the years following his passing, it was speculated that the mental and physical exhaustion of preparing for the role had contributed to Ledger's demise. Members of his family vehemently disagree with this theory—but it's hard to deny that Ledger may have embodied the Joker beyond the point of return.

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The More You Know

  • The Dark Knight made more money in its first six days in the US than Batman Begins made in its entire domestic run.
  • Sean Connery wore a toupee in every "James Bond" movie.
  • The names of the taxi driver and the policeman in everybody’s favourite Yuletide outing, It’s A Wonderful Life, are Bert and Ernie. The writers working on Sesame Street at the time claim it’s merely a coincidence.
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first American film to have a soundtrack.
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