Heath Ledger was not able to enjoy the accolades he received for his role as the Joker due to his tragic death on January 22, 2008, the result of an overdose of various prescription drugs, including medications for pain, anxiety, and sleep. He was 28 years old. Adding another dark note to Ledger's death is previous Joker actor Jack Nicholson's comment.
According to the New York Post, Nicholson was in London when he learned of the actor's death. He told a group of reporters there, "I warned him!" as he stood outside a restaurant smoking a cigarette. He added, "That's awful" and then went quiet before saying, "Just pretend I'm not here," and made his way back into the restaurant.
As to what that warning consisted of specifically, Nicholson remained mum, though in a later interview, he said he "warns people about Ambien," a popular medication for insomnia (per WebMD). "I warn people about it. But I also did not know Mr. Ledger" (via Fox News).
However, what Nicholson did elaborate on were his feelings about being denied the chance to return to playing the Joker. In a 2007 interview with MTV News, he gets right to the point, saying, "Let me be the way I'm not in interviews. I'm furious. I'm furious. [He laughs.] They never asked me about a sequel with the Joker. I know how to do that! Nobody ever asked me." Nicholson was fairly territorial of the Joker, although it should be noted that his candidness in this interview was before Ledger's unfortunate overdose.
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