Heath Ledger’s Shocking 2006 Oscars Boycott: The Real Reason Revealed!

Although time has ultimately accorded “Brokeback Mountain” the recognition it deserves, it wasn’t long ago that the film faced criticism for its explicit portrayal of homosexuality in the conservative setting of 1960s American West cowboys. However, the film’s stars always stood firm in their support, particularly the late Heath Ledger.

Over the years, comments from Jake Gyllenhaal, Ledger’s co-star and on-screen lover in the film, have confirmed that Ledger was especially protective of the movie. So much so that when the Oscars invited them in 2007 to present an award, Ledger declined because he had read a script for the opening monologue that included a degrading joke about the film.

“I remember they wanted to do an opening for the Oscars that year, and it was kind of a joke about it. And Heath refused,” Jake Gyllenhaal told Another Man magazine in 2020. “At the time, I thought, ‘Oh, okay… whatever.’ I always said, ‘It’s just for fun.’ And Heath said, ‘It’s not a joke to me; I don’t want to make jokes about it.’”

He continued: “That’s what I loved about Heath. He never joked around. If someone wanted to joke about the story or anything, he would say, ‘No. It’s about love. That’s it, man. So no.’”

Ledger’s seriousness about the subject was notable, particularly given the criticism. Not only did Ang Lee’s film receive a disproportionately negative reception, but the fight for gay rights was far from over in the United States, which did not legalize same-sex marriage until 2015, a whole decade after the film’s release. And globally, the battle is still ongoing. At one press conference, Ledger, who would later portray the Joker in “The Dark Knight,” directly responded to a journalist who called the film “disgusting” by expressing pity that he felt that way.

Despite the bitter taste left by the 2007 Oscars, the previous year, the film had been a significant success at the prestigious ceremony, earning eight nominations and winning Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score. Many believed it should have also taken home the awards for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, respectively, as well as Best Picture. Instead, the film “Crash” unexpectedly won the Best Picture award, a decision that even its director Paul Haggis later said was undeserved.

“Brokeback Mountain” is definitely worth revisiting on VOD.