Do you believe that even the seemingly worst things happen for the best? It was during the filming of a particular Netflix original anthology. It was peak monsoon, and I still don’t understand why nobody accounted for the rain. Naturally, the rain literally pissed on our schedule; we barely finished filming. Months later, as I sat next to the DP, watching the DI version of the film, I could hear him softly whisper to the director, “We definitely needed the rain.”
This is just one major incident of “boon in disguise” that I witnessed at work. However, behind the camera, these small things happen every day that ultimately elevate the visual language of any film or series. For instance, the mechanical shark kept failing on the set of Jaws, so Spielberg had to reduce the overall screentime of the shark.
Talking about fortunate mishaps, The Dark Knight definitely comes to mind. Did you know that Joker (Heath Ledger) licking his lips in The Dark Knight wasn’t a characterial creative choice? Rather, you can call it damage control.
So, what’s up with Joker’s constant lip-licking? In this article, we’re going to unravel just that.
Cultural Impact of Joker and Heath Ledger’s Portrayal of Him
'The Dark Knight'Source: Warner Bros.
Joker was already an iconic villain, but Heath Ledger added both layers and dimension to the character. Reportedly, Christopher Nolan wanted to cast Ledger for Batman, but ultimately, Ledger was cast as the malevolent anarchist who just wanted to watch the world burn.
As an antagonist, Joker is unique because of his love for chaos. Unlike most other villains, who are motivated by material gains, fame, power, or ego, Joker seems to remain true to his name. He reminds me of a Shakespearean court jester, let’s say Touchstone from As You Like It, only he would not only critique but also raise hell in your life. The Dark Knight’s Joker is motivated by his ideals and wants nothing more than to make statements about how his darkest perceptions about mankind are 100% true.
The Joker has made multiple appearances on the silver screen (played by an array of different actors), making his debut in the 1966 Batman movie. But his depiction in The Dark Knight is special, considering Nolan reimagines multiple aspects of Batman and his universe. The adaptation is deeply inspired by the comic books, yet is distinctly different in tone and style. In fact, it is quite evident that Nolan has ditched the comic book elements in Joker to better align his persona with his vision. For instance, the comic book Joker has bleached skin and chemically induced green hair, but Nolan’s Joker applies makeup, hinting at his conscious decision to choose violence every single day.
Heath Ledger made sure that Joker stood out even in a story that isn’t really about him. Considering The Dark Knight is all about Harvey Dent’s transformation into Two-Face, Nolan uses Joker as a catalyst, and Ledger nails every second on screen. Be it his husky, stuttering, restless voice, distinctive body language or mannerisms, that hunched demeanour, or ticks like licking his lips, Ledger gave an iconic performance as Joker. For fans, he redefined the character, and for the non-fans, he became it.
The Story Behind the Lip-Licking
Joker’s infamous “Glasgow smile” was achieved with a distinctive combination of prosthetics and makeup. For the smile, flexible silicone or latex appliances were glued to Ledger’s face, and the edges were then carefully blended into his skin to make his scars look natural.
But this is where a mishap started taking place. During long or dialogue-heavy scenes, the artificial skin patches, especially the ones around his mouth, would begin to come loose. Realizing that repeated makeup touches in between takes is not a feasible option, Ledger cleverly incorporated the problem into his solution. To prevent the prosthetics from sliding off, Ledger began to lick his lips. A few shots later, it was one of Joker’s tics. A couple of months later, after the movie was released, the tic transcended the silver screen to become one of the most enduring pop-culture icons in cinema.
I have seen more people mimic the Joker’s lip-licking over Batman’s mannerisms anytime they have to act out The Dark Knight in a game of dumb charades. That’s the kind of impact I’m talking about, where an antagonist steals the spotlight from the hero just with his tic!
This little practical improv by Ledger is a testament to his genius and talent as an actor. I bet you didn’t know that he used to do his own clown makeup as Joker to build a deeper connection with the character. It’s a shame we lost such a gem of a performer!
Which is your favorite Heath Ledger movie?
