Just catching up on my current events and saw that Heath Ledger won the Golden Globe for Dark Knight (best supporting actor).

Does he deserve the Oscar?

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-Wapitikev

*Beep*... Um hello? Oh! Hey... Its Steve... Shit forgot why I called.... *Click*

I have not had any respect for the man since he did Broken Ass Mountain, but as an actor, yeah, he deserves it for this one.

I think he got so into the role it ended up killing him. The Joker, as seen in Pauls story, is one crazy sonuvabitch. To do it like Ledger did, he had to have gotten into the Jokers head. A scary place to be if you ask me.

I voted no for a number of reasons:

1. I honestly don't think ANY actors deserves an award. Its not enough that they are paid millions of dollars to "act" but now they are given an award as well? I just personally do not agree with it, however since it doesn't affect my life in any way, shape, or form, I don't lose any sleep over it.

2. As to Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight...while I enjoyed the movie and thought Ledger's performance was good, I didn't see it as anything more than that...it was not "phenominal" or "utterly fantastic" etc etc. Ledger just happened to be able to play a sadistic character rather well...nothing special in my opinion.

3. The "excuses" that were given for his accidental overdose are nothing more than hogwash in my opinion. Seriously? He had to take drugs to get a "character" out of his head that he portrayed in a movie? For god sakes, the Joker isn't even real! Perhaps if he had been portraying Dr. Mengele, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Charles Manson etc etc I MIGHT be able to buy that, but he was playing a comic book character. However, I could be biased, and I openly admit to it, because I think drug use is a sign of weakness and an excuse not to own up to one's own problems, that are more often than not, self induced.

So, no, I do not feel Heath Ledger deserves anything...even if he was alive. But I also do not believe that any OTHER actors deserve awards either.

I voted no for a number of reasons:

1. I honestly don't think ANY actors deserves an award. Its not enough that they are paid millions of dollars to "act" but now they are given an award as well? I just personally do not agree with it, however since it doesn't affect my life in any way, shape, or form, I don't lose any sleep over it.

2. As to Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight...while I enjoyed the movie and thought Ledger's performance was good, I didn't see it as anything more than that...it was not "phenominal" or "utterly fantastic" etc etc. Ledger just happened to be able to play a sadistic character rather well...nothing special in my opinion.

3. The "excuses" that were given for his accidental overdose are nothing more than hogwash in my opinion. Seriously? He had to take drugs to get a "character" out of his head that he portrayed in a movie? For god sakes, the Joker isn't even real! Perhaps if he had been portraying Dr. Mengele, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Charles Manson etc etc I MIGHT be able to buy that, but he was playing a comic book character. However, I could be biased, and I openly admit to it, because I think drug use is a sign of weakness and an excuse not to own up to one's own problems, that are more often than not, self induced.

So, no, I do not feel Heath Ledger deserves anything...even if he was alive. But I also do not believe that any OTHER actors deserve awards either.

Heh. I voted yes for similar reasons.

All the awards don't mean much to me, so whatever. Heath Ledger did a very good job with the Joker character - good enough that most people rate his Joker over Nicholson's and that's saying something. So yeah, Ledger "deserves" an Oscar as much as anyone else who has won one.

I agree with you on the drug use thing for most cases too. I think certain prescription drugs do help some people with serious mental illnesses. But far too many people with no physiological need get drugs prescribed (or self-prescribed) which doesn't fix anything.

We watched The Dark Knight again last night. Armed now with a knowledge of the basis for the Joker's inner madness...thank-you to FPW.....and Ledger's portrayal.
Yes, Ledger did a good job with the role. Does he deserve an award? No
/rant on
Do any of the primadonnas of Hollywood deserve awards? No
Do I care what one "star" promotes, gives an opinion upon, supports which candidate? No.
There are more important things in the world. The opinion of a Hollywood type on any situation we see now is sought by the media. Take the recent example of the US Air jet that emergently landed in a NY river the other day. While I think it was an extremely lucky event for all those on board.....I don't give a second of consideration to a "star's" comment that it was a miracle. WTF? Does this event affect them? No. So....shut the f*ck up and go find a rehab program to enter for the eighth time.

/rant off

I have to agree with u guys, as always. The awards are all bullshit. Especially when they use them as a soap box to stand on while spewing "informed" political rhetoric.

Broadway and stage actors, sure. Because they act without getting 20+ million a showing. one of my best friends is a dedicated actor, so dedicated that he damn near killed himself getting into his role for a college production.

Acting requires real skill, talent and dedication. Id say 99% of hollywood lacks all three. Christian Bale is one of the few who has it. he damned near killed himself for the machinist.

webby, you are right as usual. I should have been a little clearer when I talked about the drug use. Prescription drugs for real, documented mental illnesses is one thing, but taking drugs for recreational purposes or just because they make you "feel better" is what I can't stand.

I was prescribed Ambien for sleep problems and nightmares during my deployment, but I did not refill them because I knew they were habit forming and I did not want to become dependent on them. So after a while I stopped, yeah I slept like crap and still had nightmares, but that's life. I started taking Tylenol PM for the same reasons and I felt myself becoming dependent. I still take them, but with cobalt's advice I am slowly getting off of them.

But anyways, back on topic. I also agree with Steve. Stage actors are one thing, but I just cannot support actors that get paid millions of dollars also getting awards. Again, doesn't affect me one way or the other, and my opinion won't change it...but I'm still entitled to my opinion, right?

I don't think my answer falls under the narrow choices of DEFINITELY and NOT A CHANCE. My answer is that he should probably be nominated and I wouldn't throw myself off a bridge if he won, but there may be other performances that are better than his. I haven't seen The Wrestler or some of the other movies that showcased award-worthy male performances, so I can't say.

I guess I'm in the minority when I say I was disappointed in The Dark Knight. It was too frenetic, and lacked soul. I just didn't care who lived or died and that's not a good thing. I know it is an action movie but I want to have at least a morsel of emotional investment in the outcome.

I thought Heath Ledger's performance was very good; he was a wonderful actor and will be missed. But was it one of the most amazing performances of all time? I don't think so.

Susan

I don't know the other performances, so I can't say, but was it an Oscar-worthy performance? Yes. His Joker had a flair, a smoothness, an absolute given-over-into-insanity-ness that Jack Nicholson's didn't. It's a hard thing to say somebody did anything better than Jack, but Ledger did.

I just read an article in entertainment Weekly about Heath and how he despised the Hollywood machine. Apparently he never wanted to be nominated for any award and hated attending the ceremonies.

He just wanted to make movies and live a normal life outside of Hollywood. Of course this is all posthumous coddling by his peers talking about how great of a guy he was, but it seems to ring true.

So, no, he shouldn't get the award because he wouldn't want it anyway.

IMO no, He did a great portrail of the joker , however think of other oscar winners is he really in a class with them , i think not , now comparing him to whom else is running he is the best selection tropic thunder just sucked ass in my book ( not that im writing one)as far as broke back mtn went he trashed my state because the movie didnt make a large revinue here calling us closed minded ,lots of movies flop for many reasons,actors,story line,low budget ect ect ,in closing i didnt like him before and dont like him now i give him props for the good job he did but far from an oscar performance