On Tuesday, Spike TV released the first trailer for its upcoming documentary I Am Heath Ledger. The trailer, which you can view above, mixes footage shot by the late actor himself with interviews from childhood friends, relatives, and notable people in the arts like musician Ben Harper and director Ang Lee, the latter of whom oversaw Ledger's career-making performance in Brokeback Mountain.
There have been documentaries about Ledger before, most notably the German film Too Young To Die: Heath Ledger, which revealed the intense preparations the actor went through for his iconic role as the Joker in the 2008 film The Dark Knight. But the new film consists in large part of footage shot by Ledger, who friends remember in the trailer as always filming.
"There were always cameras around," recalls model Christina Cauchi, a former girlfriend. "That's the only way I think of him—with the camera in the hand."
Ledger, who died in January 2008 of an accidental overdose of prescription medication, was an acclaimed actor who won Oscars for his performances in both Brokeback Mountain and The Dark Knight, the latter of which was sadly posthumous. He also directed music videos for Ben Harper, Modest Mouse, and others.
I Am Heath Ledger will premiere April 23 at the Tribeca Film Festival, and will be screened at select theaters on May 3. It airs on Spike on May 17.
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