In a recent phone interview, Heath Ledger sounded less like the intense, passionate “Wuthering Heights” character he was named after and more like any other funny, charismatic 23-year-old guy. But the difference between him and the guy falling asleep next to you in class is this easy-going Australian hottie is slated to be the next big thing in Hollywood. In fact, maybe he already is.

With roles in hits such as “10 Things I Hate About You,” “The Patriot,” “A Knight?s Tale” and “Monster?s Ball,” Ledger has already built an impressive resume in the six short years since he landed in Hollywood as a 17 year-old with only 69 cents to his name. His newest film, “The Four Feathers,” is based on the popular 1901 novel by A.E.W. Mason and has been adapted to film five previous times. But Ledger isn?t concerned about that; he didn?t read the book or watch any of the other films based on it. He feels that in “taking a clean slate approach” he avoided repeating what had already been done in the past.Ledger says he was initially drawn to “The Four Feathers” because of director Shekhar Kapur (“Elizabeth”) but was also curious and intrigued by the character he was to play, Harry Faversham. Harry resigns from the British army just as his regiment is summoned to a war in the Sudan and is pronounced a coward by friends, his father and his fiancee. He decides to follow his company in secret to prove himself to everyone. Ledger feels “the character and his journey are so epic” and that it was an interesting and ironic twist that Harry?s cowardly act became one of profound courage.

His favorite part about doing the movie was filming on location in the Moroccan desert. Calling the desert “majestic” and “humbling,” Ledger felt that walking out into sea of sand was akin to a spiritual experience. While he was on camera, his favorite scene to film was a helicopter shot where he rode into the sunset for hours listening to Pink Floyd on “Big Mountain,” his camel. When he wasn?t worrying about the film, Ledger fondly recalled that “every Tuesday night we got blind drunk and played drums with the locals.”

When asked about a report that alleged he and his friends loved to build and set off cannons during his childhood in Perth, Australia, Ledger paused before (with some sarcasm) retorting “Oh yeah, that?s one of my favorite hobbies.” Apparently, the cannon building report was completely false. Not one to give up easily on something, when he was later asked what he would do if he weren?t an actor he said he?d “be a cannon maker,” of course.

Ledger is cool as a cucumber when it comes to fame, noting that he doesn?t read any articles on himself and just doesn?t think about it. He keeps himself down to earth by hanging out with friends he?s known since before he hit the big screen.

So what does Ledger think about all the other Aussies taking Hollywood by storm? “We get along, get together and build cannons.”