‘10 Things I Hate About You’ Director Remembers Heath Ledger on His 45th Birthday

10 Things I Hate About You director Gil Junger is speaking out about the enduring legacy of the film’s star, Heath Ledger. The late actor would have celebrated his 45th birthday on April 4, just a few days after the classic teen comedy marked the 25th anniversary of its March 31, 1999 release.

Ledger passed away on January 22, 2008, as the result of an accidental drug overdose. Speaking with People, Junger remembered the star, who was just 28 when he died, as a “bizarrely mature … old soul” with whom he immediately felt a kinship. Junger said that he cast Ledger before they even spoke.

"It crushed me when he died because I knew who he was," Junger recalled. "I knew he was not a drug guy. People change, obviously, but when I knew him … he wasn't a drug guy at all."

Junger revealed that, shortly before the Ledger's untimely death, the pair were in talks to re-team for a spin-off, 10 Things I Hate About Me. "[I] finished this script that I basically wrote with [Heath] in mind,” the director said, explaining that it "was going to be a film that explored and exploded the myths of suicide."

Ledger’s agent, Steve Alexander, told Junger that his client was keen to attach himself to the project. But first, he needed to finish filming The Dark Knight, in which he was cast as the Joker. Junger explained that Ledger had made his agent "promise that for the next two weeks until [Ledger] completes filming, no phone calls unless it's an emergency."

Junger recalled Alexander telling him: "'[Heath is] having a problem turning the character off at night. And he's having tremendous trouble sleeping because he's so deep into this complex character. He asked me to just let him be. No calls, no nothing, because he was having so much trouble sleeping."

"Ten days later, he was dead,” Junger remembered in disbelief. “From drugs to help him relax, break anxiety, and sleep. It's so sad."

10 Things I Hate About You was the movie that launched Ledger into the Hollywood stratosphere. The film was a moderate success, grossing about $53 million worldwide on a $30 million budget. Though, it continued to gain a cult following after it hit the rental market. The film is currently streaming on both Hulu and Disney Plus.