Even 16 years later, the tragic demise of The Darkish Knight star Heath Ledger continues to weigh closely on Hollywood. Now, Academy Award profitable filmmaker Stephen Gaghan (Syriana, Site visitors)has mentioned the small print of Ledger’s passing and the impression it had throughout an look on Malcolm Gladwell‘s Revisionist Historical past podcast. Ledger, who handed away in 2008 after an unintended overdose of prescription treatment, was discovered with a replica of Gladwell’s guide Blink: The Energy of Considering With out Considering on his nightstand, in addition to a draft of Gaghan’s tailored screenplay.

The challenge had been in growth for a while, with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio additionally being eyed to guide. Following the demise of Ledger, Gaghan obtained an emotional name from Ledger’s father, Kim, after his cellphone quantity was discovered on the Blink screenplay.

“They had been there with the physique and our script was in mattress with him, and your guide was on the bedside desk. I believe my quantity was on the script, like written. These guys, as you possibly can think about, they’re in shock and so they dialed that quantity and I don’t know why.

I’m in an airport with my spouse [Minnie Mortimer] simply going from one place to a different, and I actually simply collapse, by no means occurred to me earlier than or since. My ft went out from below me. I simply actually sat down as a result of I used to be like, what? The emotion, what they had been going via, I mustn’t have been a celebration to in any method actually, and but as a human or as anyone who simply cares, I simply was there and I used to be listening and my spouse was me. I keep in mind her face and I used to be similar to, I used to be speechless. I simply listened and listened and listened. It was simply actually, actually unhappy. And it’s nonetheless unhappy. For me, I simply needed to put a pin in it.”

Stephen Gaghan Hoped to ‘Make a Bunch of Films’ With Heath Ledger

Launched in 2005, Blink: The Energy of Considering With out Considering is about “these moments after we ‘know’ one thing with out realizing why.” Gaghan reveals that he and Gladwell put the challenge along with DiCaprio signing on as a producer earlier than taking it round Hollywood. Blink ultimately ended up at Common, the place they got “primarily a inexperienced gentle” with Gaghan writing and directing.

After working extra on the script, DiCaprio realized he would not be proper for the function after Gaghan made the character “10 years youthful.” As an alternative, Ledger was sought-after for the half, with Gaghan rising near the actor and having “a sense they had been going to make a bunch of flicks collectively.”

“I’d gotten to be very, very shut with him immediately. I simply had an actual reference to him that was form of uncommon and actually particular to me. I obtained actually excited and I began seeing him as the primary character. As soon as I began seeing that I couldn’t unsee it, and clearly it was very delicate in a method. Leo’s completely cool. I imply, clearly, he has a thousand decisions, however in my thoughts it was an enormous deal.” s

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Each Heath Ledger Film Efficiency, Ranked

Because of one in every of movie’s biggest performances together with a number of notable others, Heath Ledger will reside on eternally within the historical past books of Hollywood.

Blink is probably going one in every of many initiatives that might have been fronted by Ledger, who rapidly rose to the highest of the Hollywood A-list because of his acclaimed, Oscar-winning efficiency in The Darkish Knight. A efficiency for which he was posthumously awarded the Academy Award for Finest Supporting Actor. Whereas nonetheless clearly affected by the actor’s demise, Gladwell concludes by saying that now may be the proper time to try to adapt Blink as soon as once more.

“Perhaps it’s time to deliver Blink again to life? If there’s somebody listening in some huge workplace someplace in Hollywood, I’ll get on a aircraft tomorrow if that’s what it takes.”

You’ll be able to hearken to Gaghan and Gladwell keep in mind Heath Ledger right here.