10 Amazing Performances That Turned Teen Idols Into Legitimate Actors

10. Heath Ledger - Brokeback Mountain

Heath Ledger was pretty much an instant success the second he made the move from Australia to Hollywood. He was the best part of teen movies like 10 Things I Hate About You, and seamlessly transitioned into slightly more ambitious projects such as A Knight's Tale and The Four Feathers. But for a long time, although people enjoyed watching him on screen, he seemed largely relegated to more light-weight roles. That is, until he starred in Brokeback Mountain, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. It was by all metrics a groundbreaking film, able to depict a loving gay relationship between two cowboys, the most traditionally virile and masculine profession in American history. Ledger played the stoic and taciturn Ennis, a remarkable performance for which he was rewarded with an Oscar nomination. After that, he was suddenly seen as a serious actor who could pretty much do anything he wanted. It was this high regard that earned him the coveted role of the Joker in The Dark Knight, an iconic performance that won him his posthumous Academy Award.