When Heath Ledger was cast as the Joker in The Dark Knight, the fan reaction was rather negative. How could a man who'd played a gay cowboy successfully portray the Clown Prince of Crime? Well, had things gone a little differently, it would have been Ben Affleck's Batman that got levelled with that particular complaint. As if his casting needed any more fan hate. Back before Jake Gyllenhaal and Ledger were cast in Ang Lee's romantic drama, plenty of Hollywood's young guns were considered for the lead roles, including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Had they both been cast, that would have most certainly furthered the once-persistent rumours that the duo were more than just friends and screenwriting partners (seriously). While Affleck as Ennis would have been interesting, we can't imagine he'd have even come close to when Ledger delivered; it stands as an incredibly natural performance that helps show the breadth of skill the late, great actor had.
