Heath Ledger Surprised By Golden Globe Nod

Heath Ledger 'Surprised' By Golden Globe Nod

'Brokeback Mountain' Leads the Golden Globe Race With Seven Nominations Heath Ledger has been nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in 'Brokeback Mountain.' (ABC NEWS) By JEN BROWN

Dec. 13, 2005- Heath Ledger said he was pleasantly surprised by his Golden Globe nomination for best actor for his role in the controversial film, 'Brokeback Mountain.'

'It's a real honor to be a part of a movie that has been received as this has,' Ledger told ABC News. 'I guess I had high hopes for it. I don't have many expectations for the films I'm in or the performances I'm giving. I try not to think of that if I can. I just try to knuckle down.'

'Brokeback Mountain' leads the Golden Globe nominations with seven, including best supporting actress for Michelle Williams, best director for Ang Lee, and best picture.

In the film, Ledger plays cowboy Ennis Del Mar who meets and falls in love with Jack Twist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, in the summer of 1963 while the two are shepherding in Wyoming.

Ledger said he was nervous and anxious about filming love scenes with Gyllenhaal.

'There was obviously fear and anxiety, but we're both curious actors,' Ledger said. It's wasn't being brave. . We're not firemen or policemen. We're actors who want to investigate and portray different forms of life.'

Ledger said the actors did not rehearse the physical part of their scene, focusing on the conversations.

'I think what made it easier was there were stories within the scenes,' he said. 'There were goals we wanted to achieve.'

Ledger said he worked hard to perfect the role, down to the perfect Wisconsin accent of a man who has problems expressing himself with words.

'Words can sometimes restrict what you want to say,' Ledger said. 'It was important for me to find the regional accent and characterize it. . Turn my mouth, my face around so it's clenched like a fist and the words have to punch their way out.'

While filming 'Brokeback Mountain,' Ledger met and began dating Williams, his on-screen wife. The two are engaged and have a 1½-month-old child, Matilda.

Ledger said he currently was comfortable and was focused on being home with 'my girls,' and has been enjoying the 'secretiveness' of his life. That phase may be over now that the Oscar race is on.

'I'm proud of it ['Brokeback Mountain'],' Ledger said. 'I think people should see it. It's important.'

Wisconsin? The first sentence of the story is:

'They were raised on small, poor ranches in opposite corners of the state, Jack Twist in Lightning Flat, up on the Montana border, Ennis del Mar from around Sage, near the Utah line,'

I don't recall Wisconsin having borders with Montana and Utah. Maybe my geography is bad...

Big J (The story is at http://www.newyorker.com/archive/content/articles/051212fr_archive01)

I think ????? it must just be a brain fade typo , Big J .....I make then all the time, so I guess ABC news can too

I found this little snippet in an article :
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/interviews/ article_display.jsp?v... ent_id=1001658528

< SNIP >

According to Ledger, the key to mastering his character was finding the way he spoke.

To help him capture the accent and cadence of Ennis' speech, the actor worked with a voice coach and studied tapes of Wyoming locals.

'Most of my preparation was in finding the voice so that with the accent, I could find his soul,' Ledger says. 'A lot of my time (also) went into trying to represent his inner battle through his posture, or lack of posture, both physically and emotionally. That was the challenge for me

Bullshit he's surprised. His nomination chances have been bandied about for months now. Why do actors feign humility like this and do it so