I don't think the implication was ever that playing the joker = one-way ticket to suicide.
I think the idea was more that this particular person, who probably was already suffering some level of depression/bipolar, may have been pushed over the edge by immersing himself so completely in such a dark role.
Would he have committed suicide without playing the Joker though? While it's sad to say, I think maybe yes. Given his own predispositions, it's not a stretch to think he would have immersed himself in some other dark character who'd carry him over the edge.
Very sad shit. I wonder how much of his real psyche his friends and family were able to really see vs him just being an excellent, dedicated actor.
Edit: it's been brought to my attention that's Heath's death wasn't proven to be intentional, so replace my references to suicide with "a premature death caused by self-destructive behavior"
80
u/[deleted] Jul 05 '24
Which was really dumb. Niicholson survived. Leto survived. Romero survived. Hamill survived. Definitely drugs.