In the newest Batman movie, The Dark Knight was Heath Ledger the first choice for the Joker?

Christopher Nolan wanted Ledger in his films for a long time, but their time schedule wasn't fixed too good, so they waited a year and a half and met with each other. Nolan described the Joker to Ledger and asked him if Ledger wanted to participate and Ledger said yes. Dear little Heath wanted to do his own way though, trying to create a new Joker for himself a better one.