On June 20, 2021, the @raidersofthelostpodcast TikTok channel released a video that claims Heath Ledger's Joker is hidden in an early restaurant scene in "The Dark Knight." The TikTok video was later removed, but here's the same scene on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp0gLnoU59A
In the video, the Raiders of the Lost Podcast co-host said that The Joker's purported presence showed his character's "brilliance."
During the [restaurant] dinner scene in "The Dark Knight," Heath Ledger is actually hidden in the background. I'm going to rewind to the beginning of the scene so I can show you what I'm talking about. So let's go to the beginning. Now watch this.
So, Rachel and Harvey Dent sit down for dinner, right? Now, look at this right here. That is clearly Heath Ledger sitting at the table next to them. And once again, here's Harvey Dent and there's The Joker. Heath Ledger's sitting right behind him, showing that The Joker has been listening to the conversation the entire time, showing the brilliance of his character.
This is a real thing that Christopher Nolan confirmed doing.
This is not a real thing and Nolan, the film's director, did not confirm doing it. The actor in the restaurant scene with long hair on the right side of the frame is not Ledger:
A closer look:
In the scene, Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes sit down at a table before Bruce Wayne arrives. When Wayne shows up with his date, Dent and Dawes then move to other chairs. This part is not shown in the TikTok video and explains why the extra with long hair appears to be at two tables.
We looked to see if the Raiders of the Lost Podcast was satirical or if it was a kind of prank or trolling TikTok channel but did not find any such disclaimers.
The rumor about Ledger's purported appearance in the restaurant scene has appeared on Reddit in the past so often that one commenter noted: "No matter how many times this is posted, its still not going to be Ledge."
"This was proven to be BS a decade ago," another Reddit commenter posted.
"Maybe it is Heath Ledgers stunt double? That's not uncommon," a commenter added. "Looks more like Tom Hiddleston to me," another person remarked.
"Holy shit this is one of the best movie details I have seen yet," read the lowest-rated comment in the entire thread.
Ledger ended up winning a best supporting actor Oscar for the role, but only after his tragic passing that occurred before the film released.
In sum, Ledger's Joker was not hidden in the restaurant scene in "The Dark Knight."