Paul Bettany, the actor best known for playing Vision (and J.A.R.V.I.S.) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, had his breakout roles in films like A Beautiful Mind and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. However, one of his earliest and best roles was in the medieval action comedy A Knight’s Tale, where he played Geoffrey Chaucer, the creator of The Canterbury Tales. Almost 25 years have passed since the film’s release, but Bettany recently shared that he hasn’t been able to watch it again. The reason? He says he misses his co-star Heath Ledger too much.
Ledger passed away in 2008 from an accidental overdose, and A Knight’s Tale remains one of the most iconic performances by the late actor. In the film, he plays William Thatcher, a squire who decides to impersonate his master in a jousting tournament. Chaucer becomes part of his team, and helps him rise to the top of the jousting league. A Knight’s Tale was a pivotal film for them both, and though they didn’t work together again, Bettany has always held Ledger close to his heart.
As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Bettany appeared at the L.A. Comic Con 2025 to talk about his MCU role in WandaVision and The Avengers. During the Q&A session, Bettany was asked about A Knight’s Tale, and while he says he doesn’t remember much about it, he also reveals he still can’t bring himself to revisit it:
“It was a really long time ago. It was like another lifetime ago. And people do come up sometimes, people come up to me on the street and quote things at me, and I literally can’t remember. I can’t remember any of it.
“I saw [the film] when it first came out. I’ve never seen it again since. There are lots of reasons for that, and just one of them is that I miss Heath too much.”
Bettany and Ledger co-star in A Knight’s Tale along with Shannyn Sossamon, Alan Tudyk, James Purefoy, Rufus Sewell, Mark Addy, Laura Fraser, and Bérénice Bejo. The film was released in May 2001 to mixed reviews. It grossed over $117 million against a production budget of $65 million. Today, it sits at 59% on the critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Ledger’s Charisma in ‘A Knight’s Tale’ Was the Basis of the Film Rich With Chemistry
From the very introduction of A Knight’s Tale, viewers immediately get the sense that they’re watching a different kind of medieval story. Long gone are the rainy days. It’s a sunny day, and Queen’s “We Will Rock You” blasts as the musical backdrop of a tournament. The crowd joins the song, as Ledger’s William stands up to the occasion and replaces a dead player in a tournament that only allows those of royal blood. His smile sets the tone of the film that we are about to see.
A Knight’s Tale wasn’t Ledger’s best movie, nor his best performance. But it was the film that best called for his charisma. The movie was far from being too serious and didn’t follow the conventions of the medieval genre. Ledger leads a film that’s mindlessly fun, and is rich with the chemistry of a romantic comedy that’s framed in a non-traditional medieval setting. It’s not a silly movie, but it doesn’t demand much from the viewer, except for cheering when the underdog fearlessly competes in the ruthless tournament. And gets the girl.
- Release Date
-
May 11, 2001
- Runtime
-
133 minutes
- Director
-
Brian Helgeland
- Producers
-
Tim Van Rellim