10 Insane Rumours Fans Started About Movie Stars

10. Heath Ledger's Death Was Caused By Him "Becoming" The Joker

Heath Ledger's death in 2008 at the mere age of 28 shocked the world, and given that he had recently wrapped the role of The Joker in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, it caused fans and the press alike to examine his performance through an entirely different lens.

Because Ledger died from an accidental overdose of medications and reported having trouble sleeping in the months leading up to his death, it didn't take long for reports to suggest that Ledger may have gone "too method" as The Joker.

Fans widely circulated the theory that Ledger, who made a concerted effort to get into character as the supervillain, was left unable to sleep due to playing such a disturbing individual, in turn causing his accidental overdose of sleep medication.

This was quickly rubbished by those who knew Ledger, particularly his former partner Michelle Williams, who attested that Ledger had suffered with insomnia for as long as she'd known him.

In more recent years Ledger's immediate family have also spoken out about reports that playing The Joker in impacted his mental health. His sister Kate said that he was "having fun" as the character and wasn't in any way depressed by it.

All in all Ledger's death was a tragic accident and not one caused by playing what would, in bittersweet fashion, become his signature, Oscar-winning role.