Dedicated to a Role

So Heath Ledger is dead. Another actor/singer with more looks, money, and talent than a season of American Idol, who just can't find a way to be happy...dead by his own hand, whether it's suicide or accidental overdose. If I haven't killed myself yet, certainly a multi-millionaire movie star should be able to find a reason to get out of bed every day. Whatever.

But in the article I linked above, there's a fascinating quote from the deceased that makes me want to see The Dark Knight more than a dozen good reviews:

He said he...had trouble sleeping while portraying the Joker, whom he called a "psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy."

"Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Ledger told The New York Times. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going." He said he took two Ambien pills, which only worked for an hour.

He became so deeply involved in the role of psycopath that his mind started to fray. Couldn't stop thinking, couldn't sleep, and ultimately lost his life thanks, at least in part, to his dedication to playing the Joker. Look, I didn't think anyone could follow Jack Nicholson successfully in that role, but if a guy gives up his life to make the craziness believable, I'm willing to give him a chance.

So thanks, Heath...I'll honor your death by spending $8.50 and two hours on a movie that I probably would have seen anyway if you were still alive. See you in hell.