A resurfaced clip has followers mourning the late Heath Ledger once more.
The Oscar-winning actor had no qualms about portraying a homosexual cowboy in “Brokeback Mountain,” however did have gripes with the 2005 drama turning into a punchline for homophobic jokes on the time — and brazenly stated so throughout a 2006 press convention in Berlin.
With bigoted reactions to the movie’s central relationship flooding the discourse, at a time when same-sex marriage had but to be legalized within the U.S., Ledger was requested on the Berlinale Worldwide Movie Pageant what he would inform individuals “who suggest that this is disgusting.”
“Oh,” the actor, then 26, groaned on the time. “Well, I don’t know. I think it’s a real shame.”
“Well, I think it’s immature, for one,” Ledger continued. “Really immature. But I think it’s an incredible shame that people go out of their way to discuss or to voice their disgust, I should say. Or negative opinions about the way two people wish to love one another.”
“I mean, at least voice your opinions on how two people show hate and violence and anger towards each other,” he added. “Isn’t that more important? I think so. So I don’t know, and it doesn’t really concern me. I think it’s a shame, but I also feel like it’ll surprise people.”
Ang Lee’s adaptation of the 1997 brief story of the identical identify by creator Annie Proulx did certainly shock individuals: It landed eight Academy Award nominations however misplaced the largest prize to “Crash” — extensively thought of one of many worst Greatest Image wins in historical past.
“The pure fact of it is it transcends a label, it’s human,” Ledger defined in the course of the 2006 press convention. “It’s a story of two human beings, two souls that are in love. It’s like, get over the fact that there’s two men — that’s the point.”
“We’re showing that love between two men is just as infectious and emotional and strong and pure as it is with heterosexual love,” he added. “And if you can’t understand that, then just don’t go see the movie, it’s OK. You know, we don’t care.”
“Deal with it in your own private life,” he concluded.
Kurt Vinion/WireImage/Getty Photos
Ledger’s response was shared Wednesday on TikTok by PinkNews to adoration from hundreds of followers, because the actor minced no phrases in condemning the backlash at a time when portraying homosexual characters was seen as a possible profession killer.
“So well stated. Heath was obviously a genuine caring human being,” one fan commented on the submit, with one other writing: “Gay marriage wasn’t even federally legal when this movie came out. Let alone when the movie is set. Such a beautiful, important film.”
“What a beautiful answer,” one other consumer acknowledged merely.
Ledger went on to achieve stratospheric profession heights together with his villainous flip because the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” (2008), however died of an unintentional drug overdose months earlier than its launch. He received a posthumous Oscar for his efficiency in 2009.
“Heath ledger u will always be missed,” one fan commented Wednesday.
