Caine on Heath Joker role

31 March 2008 12:00am

Sir Michael Caine has apparently confessed he was so scared of Heath Ledger during the filming of the new Batman film that forgot his lines.

The Italian Job star plays Bruce Wayne's butler in the new Batman film The Dark Knight, alongside Heath, who played The Joker. The Hollywood star died earlier this year.

Sir Michael, 75, told the Daily Express: "You think of Jack Nicholson in the role and can't imagine anyone topping him but Heath's just as good in another direction. He's terrifying.

"The first time I saw him, we were rehearsing. He comes up in the elevator to me in Batman's flat and raid the place. And I hadn't seen him, I'd never met him and he comes out screaming and it's like 'Wow'. I completely forgot my lines. Scary. It will frighten the life out of people."

The Dark Knight is the last film insomniac Heath completed before he died in his sleep at the age of 28.

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