Almost twenty years down the line, Heath Ledger’s death still feels like such a profound loss – not only of a young man’s life, but of an undeniable talent that still had so much more to give.
He had long gained critical acclaim in Brokeback Mountain, and his intensely unhinged Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight was nothing short of genius. For some actors, this might feel like a hard-earned career peak. But with Ledger, it honestly seemed like the tip of the iceberg.
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Jacob Elordi, another Australian actor on an upward trajectory, credits Heath Ledger as his biggest inspiration, highlighting that his first-ever Oscar nomination came on the 18th anniversary of Ledger’s death, when Elordi was just 28 years old – the same age as Ledger at the time of his death and posthumous Oscar win.
Of course, at the time, it made for good clickbait. But stripped of its sentimentality, their careers do bear a striking structural resemblance.
Ledger’s iconic rendition of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You in 1999’s teen romance 10 Things I Hate About You catapulted him to stardom and opened doors in Hollywood. Yes, there were some not-so-serious movies afterwards (the cult classic A Knight’s Tale, for example), but he progressively moved towards more complex roles that demonstrated his considerable range. And as a man with a passion for camerawork – illustrated in the 2017 documentary I Am Heath Ledger – he strategically sought out auteur directors to facilitate that journey.
Ledger could have relaxed and shot a string of easy-watching rom-coms, raking in millions. But instead, he chose to work with acclaimed directors like Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball), Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain), Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus), and Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight). Yes, the latter had a healthy paycheck (and does anyone really say no to Christopher Nolan?), but it was an incredibly meaty role that required significant emotional work. Even in his mainstream blockbuster picks, Ledger prioritised substance over superficial success.
Elordi’s big break also came in the form of teen romance in The Kissing Booth franchise, and immediately pivoted to a darker role in HBO’s Euphoria rather than playing it safe with lucrative rom-coms and unimaginative typecasting. It was only once he had some industry credibility and mainstream appeal under his belt that he strategically sought out an auteur-led portfolio, aligning himself with directors like Sofia Coppola (Priscilla), Emerald Fennell (Saltburn), and Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein) – the latter earning an Oscar nomination.
Both actors showed genuine discomfort with the teen idol heartthrob label yet played pivotal roles in shaping culture, style, and fashion. Ledger embodied the early 2000s effortlessly cool and gritty version of masculinity, gracing the cover of Vanity Fair among others, while Elordi leans into a modern fashion icon vibe, with the Cartier ambassadorship to back it.
Like his role model before him, Elordi’s proving that an Australian leading man can balance prestige auteur cinema, high-fashion magnetism, and rugged blockbuster chops. But while Ledger’s legacy was tragically cut short, Elordi’s star continues to rise.
Even the largely controversial Wuthering Heights – which received mixed reviews from critics, but was an audience hit – cemented Elordi’s status as a worthy leading man capable of pulling in big box office results.
Of course, bringing any iconic literary figure to life is also a brave high-wire act, which many actors would probably rank somewhere alongside working with children and animals. And, while the perpetual James Bond casting rumours are partly media speculation, they do reveal a clear consensus from both the public and the film industry: Elordi is now viewed as a definitive star capable of carrying a multi-billion-dollar franchise.
This momentum continues with the upcoming release of Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars, sitting right in that prestige-blockbuster sweet spot that Ledger was navigating before his untimely death; it’s a gritty post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie that requires Elordi to deliver a mix of physical action, dramatic gravitas, and emotional vulnerability.
Early media buzz around The Dog Stars suggests it’s more of a character-driven drama than a generic zombie popcorn movie. Performing alongside established dramatic actors like Josh Brolin and Guy Pearce under Scott’s legendary and widely revered direction, it’s a role that not only builds on Elordi’s diverse back catalogue, but also serves as the ultimate stepping stone towards irrefutable star status across both indie prestige and mainstream blockbusters.
With Oscar-winning director László Nemes’s Outer Dark next on Elordi’s slate, he isn’t just following in the footsteps of an Australian icon. He’s taking the blueprint from a man who refused to be defined by his jawline and prioritised creativity over paychecks. But far from living in his shadow, he’s taking that blueprint, making it his own, and carrying it into the future that Ledger was robbed of building.