It’s a heartbreaking tale of an artist who left us too soon – and here’s what we know about the 90-minute documentary so far:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PPTDsTnaPk
I Am Heath Ledger will make its debut at Tribeca Film Festival on April 23, before a limited cinema run from May 3. Spike will air the documentary on televisions on May 17, and a physical release is slated for May 23.
People who have been interviewed for I Am Heath Ledger include Ben Harper, Naomi Watts, Christina Cache, Ben Mendehlson, sister Kate Ledger and childhood friend Trevor DiCarlo. In the trailer, filmmaker Matt Amato says that “he wanted fame, and then when he got it, he didn’t want it.” Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee says “even as a supporting actor, he will steal the whole show. That’s the power of Heath Ledger.”
Not included in the documentary is Michelle Williams, who was Ledger’s former girlfriend, colleague and mother to his daughter Matilda.
Interviews in the documentary will sit alongside never before seen footage recorded by Ledger himself, providing a candid insight into his life at home and behind the scenes.
The documentary will explore his game-changing roles throughout his career. “Before Brokeback Mountain came in, it would have been unthinkable to have a romantic tragedy involving two gay cowboys. This is one of the biggest heartthrobs on earth taking on that character. That’s an artist,” Ben Mendehlson says. According to Yahoo, “the documentary will also give a behind-the-scenes look at Heath preparing for his role as The Joker for The Dark Knight, a role that earned him a posthumous Oscar.”
Following his tragic death in 2008, the documentary will explore what could have been.