Earlier this week, actor Heath Ledger would have celebrated his 43rd birthday. By one of those coincidences of fate, the following day actor Rufus Sewell discovered some behind-the-scenes photos of Ledger from the movie A Knight’s Tale, which Sewell said he believed “were lost forever.” After finding the images, the actor shared them on social media as a celebration of the tragic actor, who died in 2008 following a drug overdose. The photos created a touching tribute to the actor, and a reminder the loss that was felt in Hollywood following his death.
Action-comedy A Knight’s Tale was one of the movies that brought Ledger to the attention of many and gave him one of his first Hollywood leading roles. In the following years he gained praise for roles in Ned Kelly, The Brothers Grimm and Lords of Dogtown before he become one of the youngest people to ever be nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Wyoming ranch hand Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain. His success seemed all set to continue when he took on the role of Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, and while the role did see him become the fourth-youngest person to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, it was sadly received posthumously following his death six months before the film’s release.
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Sharing a handful of shots of Ledger, Sewell managed to show that even after more than a decade, the loss of such a great actor is one that has remained with those who worked with him, as well as his family and friends. In a second post, Sewell commented on Ledger’s expression as he is seen sitting astride a horse in one production shot.
Heath Ledger’s Roles Are Often Overlooked Due To His Oscar Nominations and Untimely Death.
When asked to name a movie starring Heath Ledger, there are few people who would not go straight to The Dark Knight or Brokeback Mountain. While those movies gave Ledger a status as a great actor of his time, they also manage to overshadow almost all of his other movies that were released prior to his death. Even the surreal The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which was completed after his death with the help of his friends Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell and released posthumously doesn’t get half the credit it deserves.
While A Knight’s Tale was never going to be selected for any big awards, the movie did well at the box office just like many of Ledger’s movies. Although the vast majority of his films were not huge blockbusters, he always gave a solid performance, and even when the critics didn’t necessarily like the movies themselves, they still couldn’t help but give praise to Ledger in whatever role he appeared in. Overall it stands as another sign of the kind of talent that was lost with his passing, but with people like Sewell continuing to share memories of their time working with the actor, he certainly won’t be forgotten.
