Terry Gilliam has exploded the theory Heath Ledger was depressed following his role as The Joker - insisting the tragic star enjoyed the part.
Ledger died from a prescription drug overdose in January 2008 and received a posthumous Oscar for his performance in last year's (08) Batman movie The Dark Knight.
Some reports speculated he had gone too far inside the head of the villainous character, leading to a lack of sleep and depression prior to his death.
But Gilliam, who was directing Ledger in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus when he died, has rubbished the theory, insisting the star enjoyed playing The Joker.
He says, "That's all b***ocks. We spoke about The Joker, and he said it was fun beyond belief to play that character. Honestly, when people are giving out all those s**t stories about him getting so dark and inside the character... this was just utter fun for him."
But the moviemaker admits Ledger was suffering insomnia - although he points out he was happy and energetic when he was working.
Gilliam adds, "I will say that he wasn't sleeping very well. He did have insomnia. He'd arrive in the mornings and he was f**ked. He hadn't slept and he looked like s**t.
"I remember the last day of shooting here in London. I put together two pictures taken by other people, paparazzi, one of his arrival on set - and he looked just like that, f**ked, his hair down - and the other one when he is the Pierrot costume after finishing work.
"He's just beaming. It was like that during the day. He just couldn't wait to get back to work and play again."
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