Heath Ledger's sister has disputed tabloid rumors surrounding the death of the critically revered actor. Ledger's sister, Kate, told reporters at the premiere of the new I Am Heath Ledger documentary that she was surprised to hear speculation regarding his performance in The Dark Knight had persisted.
"I was really shocked, because that was him having fun," Kate Ledger said at the Tribeca Film Festival, according to the Telegraph. "Every report was coming out that he was depressed and that [the role] was taking this toll on him, and we're going, honestly, it was the absolute opposite. It couldn't be more wrong."
Ledger, Kate added, had "an amazing sense of humor" and was simply having fun while researching and putting together his iconic take on the Joker character. "He wasn't depressed about the Joker!" she said. Producer Matt Amato echoed her comments, expressing his hope that I Am Heath Ledger is able to serve as "an antidote" to the gossip surrounding Ledger's death from an accidental overdose in 2008.
I Am Heath Ledger, directed by Adrian Buitenhuis, incorporates footage from Ledger's own personal camera to provide an intimate glimpse at the celebrated actor's life featuring appearances from Emile Hirsch, Justin Vernon, and Naomi Watts. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival Sunday ahead of its Fathom Events one-night-only theater showing May 3. The film goes wide on Spike TV May 17, having garnered acclaim ahead of its rollout. The Playlist's Rodrigo Perez called the film an "intimate and soulful documentary" that's "surprisingly good."
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