One of the world’s top photographers and music video directors has opened up about the time he shot Heath Ledger just months before he died. You can see a clip of him explaining their time together below.
Anthony Mandler captured one of the last ever shoots with the Australian actor before his death, and he clearly left a mark on him.
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That’s impressive, given that Mandler has worked with some of the biggest stars in the world, including directing 16 Rihanna videos, working with Eminem, the Spice Girls, Taylor Swift, and Justin Bieber to name only a few.
Now, he appeared for a chat on podcast Anything Goes with James English to recount stories from across his stellar career.
Remembering his time with the star of The Dark Knight, Mandler said: “There are moments that are magical, and you look at it and it’s iconic.
“Someone cuts their hair, or somebody wears a piece of fashion, or there’s just a look and a feel and you’re like – that’s it.
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“Like anything it’s a cycle and some things stand the test of time and some things you look back at six months later and you go [shrugs].”
“I’m looking at work now 20 years ago – it’s the 20th anniversary of certain things I did – shoots with Heath Ledger, shoots with Snoop [Dogg] and some of them really stand the test of time and others look dated.”
Now, the shoot with Ledger came later than that, given that he died in 2008, but Mandler continued: “At the end of the day it’s about the memory of the moment and the exchange between two artists that I remember the most.
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“The day I spent with Heath Ledger six months before he died, the photos we created, the guy that I got to see and spend six hours with is what I remember.
“The day that I shot him [Ledger] he was particularly hung over, so he was sort of out of it a little bit, and it really worked for what we were doing because we built this bedroom set and I just wanted him sort of laying around and drawing on the walls with his shoes off and loose.
“I remember him being a beautiful guy – it was 20 years ago – but it was a shame to lose him.
“I have tattoos all over me of friends who are gone.
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“Some of the best ones.
“The best guys leave us early.”
Ledger died in January 2008 from a drug overdose, he was just 28 years old.
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As for Mandler, he then stuck around with the host to discuss more anecdotes and stories from his career, but you’ll have to tune in to get the full story.
The full podcast is out now and can be found on the Anything Goes with James English YouTube channel.
Topics: Heath Ledger
Tom Wood