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CNN Live Today
Interview With Actor Heath Ledger
Aired September 10, 2002 - 11:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An army of fanatics has attacked a British fortress in the Sudan. Congratulations to you all: We are shipping off to war.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I sometimes wonder what a godforsaken desert has to do with her majesty, the queen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to end our hour here lightening things up a little bit, showing you some scenes from "The Four Feathers." It is the latest film starring Australian actor and Hollywood hearthtrob Heath Ledger, who first caught the eye of American audiences in "Ten Things I Hate About You" and then he later went on to star in "A Knight's Tale." Turns out he was right here in Atlanta yesterday; we talked about having him here on LIVE. We ran a little bit late, so I sat down with him afterwards.
And here is my conversation with Heath Ledger.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEATH LEDGER, ACTOR: It was beautiful. Stunning, in fact. I don't know, I was quite nervous, I guess you could say.
KAGAN: Nervous to see it?
LEDGER: Yes.
KAGAN: Even after all of the movies that you have done?
LEDGER: Yes.
KAGAN: Tell us the premise of the plot. This is a movie -- this is a remake. It think it has been done six or seven times before.
LEDGER: Four times.
KAGAN: Four time. A few times.
LEDGER: Well, basically, it is a movie of self discovery. IT's about someone who basically -- the premise is this four feathers. My character is handed these fathers and they are regarded -- they signify an act of cowardness. His act of cowardice, his friends thought, was because he decides not to go to war and fight in the Sudan with them. So they send him a feather, and he decides to go off to the Sudan and hand them back his feathers and reclaim his dignity and that.
KAGAN: Let's just review. You have got you a big period piece.
LEDGER: Yes.
KAGAN: Historical. I understand there is also a big father-son theme that goes through this.
LEDGER: Yes, there are a ton of things. It is really hard to sum it up in one sentence.
KAGAN: But this kind of sounds like "The Patriot"; if I think historical, it I think father-son. Is that just coincidence?
LEDGER: Yes.
KAGAN: Yes. End of that. But that was positive think, working with Mel Gibson. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
LEDGER: Yes, I loved working with him.
KAGAN: Who wouldn't?
LEDGER: Who wouldn't, really?
KAGAN: That's the first time I think that a lot of Americans became familiar with you, like who is that guy?
LEDGER: Right.
KAGAN: What else are you working on right now?
LEDGER: Well, nothing. I'm just doing all of the promotions for this. But there is a movie coming out in January called "Sin Eater," and there's a movie I just finished in Australia called "Ned Kelly," which comes out in March. So until then, I'm just doing this.
KAGAN: Kind of hanging out?
LEDGER: Yes.
KAGAN: So if you like at the different pieces that you've done, if you look at "The Patriot," if you look at "Fourth Feather's," "Monster's Ball" -- I think when a lot of people found out that you were Billy Bob Thornton's son in the movie, I think people didn't realize that that was you. You have kind of a different look as you go along, including this current look. What is this current look about?
LEDGER: Oh, this.
KAGAN: Yes, this. The scruffy kind of scrub, what's that?
LEDGER: Scruffy? KAGAN: In a good way. It's a good scruffy.
LEDGER: I had to chop it all off for "Ned Kelly" for a couple of scenes at the top of the movie where I come out of jail. So I was supposed to have lost complete identity kind of thing. I like it though.
KAGAN: It is good, I'm telling you. Women...
(CROSSTALK)
KAGAN: Can I just tell you I sometimes get help around here at CNN. For some reason for this segment a strange number of women asked to help out with the Heath Ledger segment.
LEDGER: Where are they?
KAGAN: They're in the background. They're lurking. We will find them for you.
LEDGER: The movie is in the background.
KAGAN: Yes, how about that?
A lot of people might pick up on your accent because sometimes you drop it for certain movies. But we should mention that you are from Perth, Australia.
LEDGER: Not from Ireland?
KAGAN: That wasn't my information. The CNN International news network wanted toy (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a little bit of news from home.
LEDGER: Yes.
KAGAN: So we did that.
LEDGER: Really?
KAGAN: From Perth. So I want to see if you can help me explain this. Apparently, a man in Perth, he had a homemade cannon and it exploded; it showered him with metal and shrapnel.
LEDGER: Oh, my God.
KAGAN: Is this a Perth tradition, a homemade cannon.
LEDGER: Building cannons.
KAGAN: Yes.
LEDGER: Yes, on every second Sunday of the month.
KAGAN: That's why you had to get out.
LEDGER: Yes. KAGAN: So you are on the road, you're pushing "Four Feathers." I understand we are lucky enough to have you here in Atlanta because you are going to go to promotion here later on. So this just works, that you are going to show up in a movie theater and some lucky gal is going to turn around and there is going to be Heath Ledger.
LEDGER: I guess so.
KAGAN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Give me your biggest push of why people should go see the movie.
LEDGER: I'm not sure why. It think...
KAGAN: You're in it.
(CROSSTALK)
LEDGER: ... is just a beautiful, beautiful piece. It is a very mature story of love and friendship. And I'm very proud, because it reflects that time I spent out there in the desert and the friends I made. And it really is a beautiful, beautiful epic journey. That's about it. You will figure it out when you get into the cinema.
KAGAN: Love, friendship and Heath Ledger -- really, what woman could ask for more?
LEDGER: Thank you.
KAGAN: Good luck with the movie.
LEDGER: Thanks a lot.
KAGAN: Heath Ledger.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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