Leahy said he didn’t have to ‘act frightened’ in Batman scene with Heath Ledger

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said on Tuesday that he did not need to “act frightened” during his scene in “The Dark Knight” with actor Heath Ledger’s Joker. 

Leahy told CNN’s John Berman on “New Day” that the fear came naturally to him during his scene in the 2008 Batman movie, in which the Joker holds a knife to his face. 

“The director said, ‘Act frightened.’ I said, ‘Act?’ He scared the heck out of me,” Leahy said. 

Leahy, who is retiring from the Senate after a 48-year career in the chamber, is a longtime fan of the superhero Batman and has made cameo appearances in multiple Batman movies over the past 25 years. 

Leahy said he has “really enjoyed” his appearances in the films. He also incorporated one edition of a Batman comic book in his argument in favor of banning the export of land mines.

He said he gives all money that he has received for his appearances to a children’s library in Montpelier, Vt., because he had his first library card there when he was 4 years old. 

“It all revolves around that,” he said. 

“But I got to tell you, it’s a lot more fun than a late-night session in the Senate,” Leahy added.