Heath Ledger, who tragically died in 2008 at age 28, had plans to star in another movie before his accidental overdose, as revealed by director Stephen Gaghan, who had envisioned him for a film adaptation of Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.
Stephen, who famously directed the 2005 political thriller Syriana, claimed on a recent episode of the Developmental Hell podcast, a spin-off of Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History show, that Heath had other aspirations in the early 2000s.
Moreover, the filmmaker revealed he had an idea to turn Malcom’s book, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, into a movie.
The non-fiction explores the concept of rapid cognition, or the ability to make quick decisions and judgments without conscious thought.
In his work, Malcolm, whose writings often deal with the unexpected implications of research in the social sciences, delves into the factors that influence these split-second decisions and discusses their implications in various aspects of life, including psychology, business, and everyday interactions.
Stephen Gaghan said that Heath Ledger, before his tragic death, was considered for a movie adaptation of Malcolm Gladwell's Blink book
Image credits: Disney
However, after Heath’s death, “I just had to put a pin in it,” Stephen admitted.
In 2008, after the Oscar-winning actor star’s tragic passing, the director got a call from Heath’s father, Kim, and Heath’s friend, breaking the news about his death.
Stephen recalled: “They were there with the body and our script was in bed with him, and your book was on the bedside table.
“I think my number was on the script, like, written.
“These guys, as you can imagine, they are in shock, and they dialed that number, and I don’t know why.”
On the podcast, Stephen and Malcolm said that they had initially teamed up to make the book Blink into a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio in the starring role, as per Sky News.
Stephen Gaghan initially wanted Leonardo DiCaprio to play his lead, but set on Heath upon meeting him
Image credits: FilmIsNow
However, the men finally settled on Heath, who “would be better for the role,” Stephen said.
Leonardo was “really involved” in pitching the movie to studios, and they had “essentially a green light at Universal [Studios]” for the project. But, after Stephen met Heath, his vision for the movie changed, he said, Sky News reported.
The 58-year-old director recalled: “I had met Heath Ledger and I’d gotten to be very, very close with him instantly.
“I just had a real connection with him that was, kind of, unusual and very special to me.
“I got really excited, and I started seeing him as the main character. Once I started seeing that, I couldn’t unsee it.”
Stephen chose Heath Ledger after feeling a strong connection with him
Image credits: Focus Features
Upon receiving the devastating phone call breaking the news of The Dark Knight star’s death, Stephen recalled: “I’m in an airport with my wife, [Minnie Mortimer], just going from one place to another, and I literally just collapse, never happened to me before or since.
“My feet went out from under me. I just literally sat down because I was like, what?”
He continued: “The emotion, what [Heath’s father and friend] were going through, I should not have been a party to in any way really, and yet as a human or as somebody who just cares, I just was there and I was listening and my wife was looking at me.
“I remember her face and I was just like, I was speechless.
“I just listened and listened and listened. It was just really, really sad. And it’s still sad.”
Heath left behind his at-the-time two-year-old daughter, Matilda Rose, who he welcomed with his partner, Michelle Williams.
Stephen recalled his reaction upon learning of Heath's death while at an airport
Image credits: StageRightSecrets
In 2005, the late actor told of his now 18-year-old daughter to InTouch: "Matilda is adorable and beautifully observant and wise.
“Michelle and I love her so much. Becoming a father exceeds all my expectations.
“It's the most remarkable experience I've ever had — it's marvelous."
After three years together, Heath and the actress, who was his costar in Brokeback Mountain, split in September 2007, just a year before his death.
Heath was found in an apartment in SoHo, New York City, USA, that he had been renting on January 22, 2008, The New York Times reported at the time.
The police said at the time that the actor’s body had been found after a masseuse arrived at his apartment for her regular appointment with him.
A housekeeper had let the masseuse in before knocking on Heath’s bedroom door, in vain. The housekeeper and the masseuse subsequently pushed open the bedroom door and saw Heath unconscious.
Later reports suggested that the Perth native had been struggling with insomnia and anxiety leading up to his death.
Nevertheless, Heath’s exact mental state at the time of his death is not definitively known.
"Now we finally put this to bed," a reader commented
