The Untold Story Behind Heath Ledger Boycotting the 2007 Oscars

While some viewers chose to look away, the stars of Brokeback Mountain remained incredibly proud of the groundbreaking story they brought to life. Heath Ledger, in particular, felt such a deep sense of respect for the film that he actually decided to boycott the 2007 Oscars.

Even though he had been a major part of the previous year’s ceremony with a Best Actor nomination, he refused to attend the following year out of principle. He turned down the invitation because he learned that the Academy was planning an opening segment that used his film as a punchline.

Most Oscar hosts start the night with a monologue that pokes fun at the year’s biggest movies and stars, but Ledger wasn’t interested in seeing the story become the butt of a joke. He felt that the weight of the narrative was too important to be undercut by cheap banter on live television.

Jake Gyllenhaal, who played Ledger’s love interest in the film, discussed this during a conversation with Another Man Magazine. He remembered that the organizers wanted to do an opening that joked about the movie, and Ledger flatly refused to participate.

While Gyllenhaal admitted his own reaction at the time was more relaxed, Ledger took a much firmer stance. According to Gyllenhaal, he initially felt the idea was all in good fun, but Ledger quickly corrected him.

Ledger told him that it’s not a joke to me – I don’t want to make any jokes about it. By rejecting an invitation to the most prestigious night in Hollywood, Ledger proved just how much he cared about the integrity of the project.

Gyllenhaal also spent some time reflecting on how the experience of making the movie stays with him even decades later. He noted that the deep life experiences shared by the characters mean something completely different to me than they might to the general public.

Both actors clearly understood that the film resonated deeply with the LGBTQ+ community and didn’t want to do anything that would trivialize that impact. As this year marks the 20th anniversary of the film’s release, its legacy as a landmark of queer cinema is stronger than ever.

Jake Gyllenhaal has stayed very busy lately, starring in the hit legal thriller series Presumed Innocent. He is also preparing for a massive year in 2027, including a leading role in M. Night Shyamalan’s upcoming supernatural thriller Remain, which co-stars Phoebe Dynevor.

While Heath Ledger’s career was tragically cut short, his work continues to be celebrated through new documentaries and retrospectives that air in January on the anniversary of his passing.

Have something to add? Share your thoughts in the comments.