7/13/2008

in

Ledger, whose final full performance will be seen in the new Batman movie, was not driven to possible suicide by his dark performance.

Ray Padgett

Ever since Heath Ledger's untimely death in January, rumors and hypotheses have circulated that he may have become depressed after his dark turn playing the Joker in the new Batman movie, *The Dark Knight*. The movie's star, Christian Bale, responded to speculation in an interview Monday with the *Today* show's Matt Lauer.  
  
"Personally, I find it to be a complete lack of understanding of acting," Bale told Lauer. "I also found it very rude to try to create some kind of a sound bite for such a tragedy. The man was a complex man, he's a good man."  
  
Bale, dressed appropriately in black, went on to say Ledger in fact seemed to enjoy himself quite a bit on the movie's set.  
  
"He was somebody who immersed himself completely in his role - absolutely, as do I. But at the end of the day, he was having a wonderful time making this movie. I say he couldn't have been happier doing it."  
  
Ledger's performance in *The Dark Knight*, which opens Friday, is already being hailed as Oscar-worthy by critics. A role made famous by Jack Nicholson, Ledger's look at the super-villain is darker and more twisted than his predecessor's. The film's tag line is appropriate for the performance: "Not all jokes are funny."