Heath Ledger’s sister has spoken out to deny that the actor’s ‘The Dark Knight’ role led to depression.
When Heath died in 2008, it was widely reported that his star turn as The Joker had taken its toll on his mental health.
However, speaking at the premiere of a new documentary about Heath’s life, Kate Ledger has denied this was the case.
She told the audience at the Tribeca Film Festival event (via The Telegraph): “I was really shocked [by the reports], because that was him having fun.
“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.
“He had an amazing sense of humour, and I guess maybe only his family and friends knew that, but he was having fun. He wasn’t depressed about the Joker.”
The film’s producer Matt Avato, who was also a close friend of Heath’s, added: “I hope it’s an antidote to a lot of the gossip that exists in the world. There are some really terrible things about Heath out there.”
Heath was found dead in his New York apartment back in January 2008, and a toxicology report later revealed the cause of death to be an accidental overdose.
An investigation into whether any medical practitioners could be held accountable for the tragic events was undertaken in the August after the actor’s death this was ended, with no arrests having been made.
‘I Am Heath Ledger’ will be screened in selected UK cinemas in May.