Anyone that has a job that takes them away from home, I think, can understand the difficulties in maintaining consistency, not only with your family and those you love but with your friends.
— Heath Ledger
Had I listened to my agent, I'd be running around in tights, climbing buildings and stuff.
I love acting and I have a lot of fun.
It's kind of a rule of thumb for me to self-doubt going into any kind of project. I always think that I shouldn't be doing it and I don't know how to do it and I'm going to fail and that I fooled them. I always try to find a way out.
When I'm not acting, I do like to take a year off at a time, at least if I can, just in order to keep acting exciting - otherwise I get bored very quickly.
I didn't want to raise my child in Hollywood.
I don't feel like I have anything to lose, so I don't really understand what I'm putting at risk.
I never want to feel like I've achieved my goal. It's like Chinese farmers. They never admit that it's a good season. They feel like they'll be punished.
When I started to watch some of the films I'd done, I realized I was doing movies that I might not actually want to see.
I am not a public speaker and never will be.
I like to do something I fear.
I'm kind of addicted to moving.
I generally don't think most situations can be labeled as black or white.
I wasn't going to have fun doing a teen movie again.
I feel like I'm wasting time if I repeat myself.
If you are just safe about the choices you make, you don't grow.
If you're just safe about the choices you make, you don't grow.
In a way, I was spoon-fed, if you will, a career. It was fully manufactured by a studio that believed that they could put me on their posters and turn me into their bottle of Coca-Cola, their product.
You know, I'm not in a hurry, and everybody else in Hollywood - particularly agents and managers - they're all in a hurry.
The reason that you dance and sing is to make the audience feel like they're dancing and singing. As long as you're having fun with it and giving it 100 percent, they're gonna feel that.
My life is together, both professionally and socially.
I have a lot of great distractions outside of acting.
I don't know, as long as I get to evolve and grow as an actor and as a person, that's the stuff I'm after.
When I first started acting, I was just crap.
I never took an acting class, so I've made all my mistakes on film.
From 18 to 22, I was alone, living in L.A. with a bunch of friends, partying.
I'm happy without money.
I've never figured out who 'Heath Ledger' is on film: 'This is what you expect when you hire me, and it will be recognizable.'
It can be a little distressing to have to overintellectualize yourself.
It's odd, that's why I don't like telling people I played field hockey. It's real big in Australia for guys. But I say I played in America, and everybody goes, 'Oh, you girl!'
I'm in control of my life, not anyone in Hollywood.
I apologize for my terrible interview skills.
I'm still a kid. I'm like six years old. But it's just a matter of wanting to get up, it's just a big journey. I felt like when I left home that I was on a journey, and I still am.
I'm not good at future planning. I don't plan at all. I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow. I don't have a day planner and I don't have a diary. I completely live in the now, not in the past, not in the future.
I feel like I've never been in a film that people have liked before.
There's nothing like working with your mates - it's the way it should be, as far as I'm concerned.
If you make decisions based upon people's reactions or judgments then you make really boring choices.
I felt like my career was out of my hands.
I do keep pre-occupied.
I don't have that much forward planning about what I want to do next, or in the future.
I want to do theatre. I love theatre.
If you spend all day on horseback, and you hop off, you walk around like you still have a horse between your legs. And it affects your shoulders. They fall.
I'm just not one of those naturally funny, relaxed actors who enjoy the spotlight and are so good at it.
I like to set up obstacles and defeat them.
It's rare that there's a role that requires an Australian accent.
In my opinion, New York City police officers are brave.
In order not to hold a frame with someone, you have to be intimidated by them.
You learn more about yourself through your child, I guess.
I only do this because I'm having fun. The day I stop having fun, I'll just walk away.
I thought, I need to be more cautious about my choices - it reflects on who I am.
