Chapter 618: Swan Song

Seeing Tina Fey hang up, Duke asked before she even reached him.

"What happened?"

Tina still wore an expression of sheer disbelief, but her voice was perfectly calm.

"I just got a message from Heath Ledger's agent. Heath was found dead in his suite at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel."

"What?" Anna Printz and Charles Roven gasped in unison.

Duke was startled too, but he maintained his composure. He simply looked up at the sky, as if something up there were watching him and this world.

Although he had never spoken of it directly out of respect for privacy, he had done quite a bit behind the scenes. After filming wrapped, he hadn't let Heath Ledger return to his New York apartment. Instead, he brought him to Los Angeles, occasionally calling him in for dubbing. By all appearances, Heath showed no signs of falling too deep into his role or suffering from severe depression.

Duke originally thought the actor might take a different path this time and had even instructed his team to prepare alternative promotional material.

Who knew that even with a change in time and place, nothing could be altered.

Letting out a heavy breath, Duke looked away from the ceiling.

"The cause of death? Has the news leaked?"

"The cause of death is unknown. The Los Angeles Police have taken over the scene. I've contacted the Los Angeles County Police Department, so we should have preliminary results soon."

Tina Fey gradually recovered her normal expression.

"The news shouldn't have spread yet," she continued. "Heath's agent only notified me and Jamie Jensen at Warner Brothers."

"However," Tina's tone shifted, "the paparazzi have already noticed something going on over there."

"Keep a close eye on the situation."

With the situation currently unclear, making any moves wouldn't be wise. Duke gave Tina a final instruction.

"Notify me the moment you get any updates."

The news spread incredibly fast. In just over an hour, the entire studio learned of Heath Ledger's passing. Not many were profoundly shocked, though; Heath's drug addiction wasn't exactly a well-kept secret in the industry.

Regardless, the news still cast a pall over the crew. Duke simply gave the post-production team the day off.

Soon after, he received a call from Warner Brothers. Just as he was preparing to leave the studio lot and head out to the Warner Building, Tina Fey brought new information.

Duke had maintained a good relationship with the Los Angeles County Police Department over the years. According to word from the precinct, Heath definitely hadn't been murdered; he had died of an overdose. What exactly he had taken would only be determined after his family consented to an autopsy.

Everything that had happened in the past, despite Duke forcibly delaying it for a time, had occurred once again.

"What are you looking at?"

Driving the electric cart, Tina Fey looked at Duke with curiosity. She had noticed that on this short drive, he kept glancing up at the sky.

Duke shook his head.

"I just feel like everyone has their own unique destiny."

Tina grew even more curious.

"Haven't you always been someone who doesn't believe in that kind of stuff?"

"Just feeling a bit sentimental."

Hearing his reply, Tina said no more. She understood her boss well; Heath Ledger's death might make him feel pity, but it wouldn't break his heart.

In the conference room, several Warner Brothers executives and Charles Roven were already waiting. Jamie Jensen, in charge of promotion and distribution for The Dark Knight, greeted Duke and told him to take a seat anywhere before getting straight to the point.

Duke could easily guess Warner Brothers' true intentions for calling him here.

Things went exactly as he expected; Jamie's topic of discussion was Heath Ledger.

"I believe everyone here has heard the news. The Australian actor who played the Joker, Heath Ledger, tragically passed away today. It's truly regrettable and heartbreaking."

After delivering that obligatory opening, Jamie cleared his throat.

"But now is not the time for sorrow," he continued. "We need to do everything in our power to complete Heath's final piece of work. I've already had someone contact his parents, and this is their wish as well."

Clearly, Warner Brothers had reacted fast enough to get ahead of the curve.

Listening to this, Duke remained completely silent. Warner Brothers was obviously going to capitalize on Heath's death. Any studio would jump at the chance, and for the deceased actor, it might not necessarily be a bad thing.

Just think of River Phoenix, who died quietly from a drug overdose. Since the reality of death couldn't be changed, leaving behind a classic piece of work and an iconic character was its own kind of fortune.

"We received exact information from the County Police Department,"

Jamie did most of the talking while everyone else listened.

"Heath Ledger wasn't murdered. He died of an overdose. Although we don't know the exact types of medication and whether they involve narcotics, this is more than enough for our promotional efforts."

"I believe we should frame this as Heath pouring his heart and soul into the Joker, getting so deeply immersed in the role that he couldn't pull himself out, forcing him to rely on medication..."

According to Jamie's pitch, they would build a positive image of Heath Ledger, shifting the blame for his medication addiction onto the Joker character. This would garner public attention and sympathy, paving the way for a series of memorials and tributes.

Society as a whole was always forgiving toward the deceased.

Just imagine: how much sympathy and attention would an actor who fell too deep into a role to save himself generate?

Jamie finally looked over at Duke and Charles Roven.

"Warner's promotional push will require the crew's full cooperation. What are your thoughts?"

"I think it's viable," Charles replied without a second thought.

Duke had never been a moral purist, nor was he the type to feign nobility. He had always been a strict realist.

Therefore, Duke gave a slight nod.

"The crew will cooperate with Warner."

Seeing Duke nod, Jamie breathed a sigh of relief. The promotional plan was effectively locked in.

Warner Brothers' PR and marketing department drafted the relevant strategies at breakneck speed, ready to implement them based on how the situation unfolded. Before the workday was even over, Time Warner's TMZ website took the lead in announcing the specific details of Heath Ledger's death.

"Heath Ledger Passes Away in Beverly Hills, The Dark Knight Becomes His Swan Song!"

"Shocking and tragic news: Today, the brilliant actor Heath Ledger, who starred in Brokeback Mountain, died in his suite at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel at the age of 27. He had just finished shooting Duke Rosenberg's new film, The Dark Knight. To describe his career as being 'at its zenith' would be no exaggeration. Yet his ascending life came to an abrupt halt before it could strike its most powerful chord."

"The cause of death appears to be a drug overdose!"

"Last December, Heath Ledger stated in an interview with the New York Times that he was 'a little too stressed' while playing the Joker in The Dark Knight. During the shoot, he struggled with sleep issues because of his portrayal of the 'psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy.'"

"During the interview, he said, 'Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night. I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, but my mind was still going.' He mentioned that he had to take two Ambien pills every day, but they would only work for two hours."

"The Dark Knight has become Heath Ledger's swan song!"

"Before his death, Heath Ledger had just finished pouring his all into the role of the Joker in The Dark Knight. Previously, Jack Nicholson, who played the 'Joker' in the classic Batman film, had expressed reservations about letting Ledger take on the role. However, judging from all leaked reports, Heath's Joker is far darker and crazier than Nicholson's."

"Perhaps it was this insane character that tormented Heath. The Dark Knight's director, Duke Rosenberg, noted in an interview last year, 'This was a massive challenge for Heath Ledger. The character he plays is highly original, absolutely terrifying, and incredibly marginalized. It's a very young character, utterly lawless, injecting a lot of primal dread and panic into our hearts. And Heath executed it to a degree that completely shocked me.'"

"To be able to shock Duke Rosenberg with his performance, one can only imagine just how much blood, sweat, and energy Heath Ledger poured into the role of the Joker."

TMZ's article was like a splash of water in a vat of boiling oil. In an instant, Heath Ledger became the focal point of the entire American media landscape, with all sorts of related news frantically churned out by various outlets.

News Corporation, which had originated in Australia, even dug up footage of an interview Heath Ledger did with the Australian media last year.

The most shocking part was that Heath had coincidentally spoken about death during the interview, stating: "I feel good about dying because I feel like I'm alive through my daughter."

For a time, the American media was awash in heated discussion. Some lamented the passing of such a young talent, but far more were speculating about his cause of death.

After all, the decadent private lives of Hollywood stars were no secret to the American public.

The police also released their preliminary findings. They had discovered prescription drugs in the room where Heath's body was found, including sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medication, and an antihistamine. Three of these were obtained from Europe. Moreover, almost all the pill bottles found in the hotel suite were full, containing antidepressants.

In addition, common sleeping pills and painkillers used by insomnia patients were also found in the room. All of these were prescription medications purchased by Heath.

At the same time, the police refuted rumors that Heath had died from illicit drug use; no trace of narcotics was found in his room or in his system.

With the cause of death confirmed, Warner Brothers began rolling out their targeted promotional campaign on a massive scale.