Heath Ledger was in good mood and quite happy before his shocking death, hs co-star says.

"He was incredibly intense in his performance but incredibly mellow and laid back," Christian Bale, 34, told US magazine Details.

Heath Ledger, 28, was found dead on January 22 in New York City of accidental overdose of prescription pills.

Heath told in an interview about how playing the Joker had tormented him, and he couldn't sleep during the filming of The Dark Knight.

Some reports have suggested the Perth-born Ledger's edgy portrayal of the Joker in the forthcoming Batman movie, The Dark Knight, had left him unbalanced.

 

Bale said Ledger's portrayal of the well-known Joker character was different to previous incarnations, including that created by Jack Nicholson.

"Certainly there was this great anarchistic streak to it - just getting dirtier than anybody's envisioned the Joker before," Bale said. "This character has power because he has no limits, absolutely nothing to lose."

The Dark Knight is scheduled for release on July 17.

"Naturally it was something I wanted to share with him - and expected to do so," Bale said. "And I can't do anything else but hope that it will be an absolutely appropriate celebration of his work." 

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