What made Heath Ledger stand out among 253 actors for '10 Things I Hate About You'? The director weighs in
Heath Ledger
, the phenomenal actor, charmed his way into securing the role in the classic '
10 Things I Hate About You
.' Without uttering a word, the late actor outdid the auditions of 253 actors for the role of
Patrick Verona
.
The director,
Gil Junger
, revealed the insightful details about the beloved
1999 film
as he works on the follow-up trilogy of the rom-com. 'He was magic,'
Junger
said, while telling what he did during the auditions that made him the final choice, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Heath Ledger and his magnetic charm
Gil continued, 'The truth of the matter is, we were casting, and he walked into the room, and I'm very picky. I had already read 253 guys — 253 guys!' The head of
Disney
casting,
Maria Ross
, suggested Heath Ledger's name as a mere favour to someone she respected.
Just as the late actor walked into the room, he had made a lasting impression on Gil Junger. 'And this is the God's honest truth, on my parents' life: He took three steps into the room, and my thought was, 'If this f---er can read English, I'm going to cast him,'' the 70-year-old recalled.
If there were old souls, Heath Ledger's would have been centuries old...
Before Ledger spoke any dialogue, he had the unquestionable aura that made him the instant choice. 'He just had a magnetism unlike I've ever felt. It was undeniable. If there are old souls, he must have been centuries old because he just had a way about him that — he was only 17, and yet he just was so confident and loving and wanted to be the best he could be. He was just an incredible young man,' the filmmaker added.
Heath Ledger's ensemble
Gil even added that on the first day of the shoot, Heath wore 'Frye boots from the '70s, and then he had on these worn-out olive green leather pants, a white leather belt, some crazy shirt, and a hat like a beanie.' He recalled thinking Heath was cool wearing the ensemble and thinking 'If I wore one of those pieces of clothing, I would be the laughing stock of everyone that knows me.'
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