Perhaps one of Heath Ledger’s most iconic performances – and that’s saying something – was his interpretation of Batman‘s Joker, which saw the actor employ some intense levels of method acting to portray. Ledger took Joker’s fear factor to new levels, so it’s no surprise that for Halloween this year, Chevy Chase chose his version of Joker as his scariest costume.
Ledger’s filmography spans numerous genres, from comedy to drama, though it’s the latter that’s produced some of his most memorable work. Still, it was 2008’s The Dark Knight that cemented his universal acclaim and popularity; tragically, this was the same year Ledger ultimately died when he was just 28. But Chase is more than happy to make sure people remember his legacy.
Chevy Chase channels the Joker as played by Heath Ledger for this year’s Halloween costume
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Halloween is just around the corner – yes, really – and in preparation for the spooky celebration, Chase shared a video to Instagram earlier this week of him gathering parts for the holiday. Chase makes his intentions clear from the start, praising, “Heath Ledger? He did a whole character that was really wonderful,” as he heads to the store.
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Once at Target, Chase proclaims, “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.” He heads towards Halloween products and picks up a Joker action figure, along with plenty of makeup. To cap it all off, the caption of his video reads, “Why so serious…”
Everyone is committing to the role
Another testament to Ledger’s dedication to method acting the Joker: he did his own makeup for the role, without any assistance.
“As an actor he said, ‘Ok, this character would put his own makeup on in real-life, so what would that look like if I just got the makeup,'” shared Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan, adding, “The thing that stuck from that was that he always had makeup on his fingers and under his fingernails, and everything else he would have was from putting it on just with his hands.”
Ledger is also reported to have experimented relentlessly with different vocal tones for the character and adapted different mannerisms that were associated with the character. On the more extreme end, he also allegedly locked himself away from other people for a whole month, keeping a diary during the pre-production period to fully immerse himself into who his character – and who his Joker – was.
Ledger died before the film was even released but if Chase and the countless other fans who dress as his Joker are anything to go by, his legacy is as enduring as ever.
