Heath Ledger is dead

[gretchen]

Just terrible. He was a fabulous actor. I feel so bad for his little girl and all who loved him.

[DrummerDeanna]

^^

Police are saying it's a possible suicide

It's very shocking and sad.

[rbs3676]

2 bottles of sleeping pills were found. One of them Ambien, another an over-the counter brand.

Really sad. He was a great actor, a handsome guy and way too young to go.

rbs

[darklinensuit]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

^^

Police are saying it's a possible suicide

It's very shocking and sad.

Now flashbacks to Owen Wilson.

- Jake

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by darklinensuit

Now flashbacks to Owen Wilson.

- Jake

Yeah we're lucky he survived. I just can't believe Heath did not. So incredibly sad.

[strandinthewind]

No illegal drugs were found and there was no evidence he had been drinking. So, that weighs against any addict behaviour. There, were, however, the sleeping pills, but no evidence he took too many. It also is reported that he had pneumonia.
__________________________________________________

January 22, 2008

Heath Ledger, Actor, Is Found Dead at 28

By JOHN SULLIVAN and SEWELL CHAN

The actor Heath Ledger was found dead in a Manhattan apartment on Tuesday afternoon, the New York City police said.

The police said Mr. Ledger, 28, was discovered facedown in bed in an apartment at 421 Broome Street in SoHo. Police officials said that a bottle of prescription sleeping pills were found on a nearby night table, but that they did not know whether they played a role in Mr. Ledger’s death.

Mr. Ledger, the star of “Brokeback Mountain� and other films, was discovered by a housekeeper and a masseuse, the police said. The housekeeper had been in the apartment for some time before Mr. Ledger’s body was discovered, and she let the masseuse in when she at the apartment for a 3:31 p.m. appointment with Mr. Ledger, the police said. They said they did not know when Mr. Ledger scheduled the appointment.

When Mr. Ledger did not respond to a knock on the bedroom door, the housekeeper and the masseuse opened the bedroom and found Mr. Ledger unconscious. They shook him, but he did not respond. They immediately called the authorities and moved Mr. Ledger to the floor, the police said.

“There was no indication of a disturbance,� Deputy Police Commissioner Paul J. Browne said. He said officers who checked the apartment found other prescription medications it in the bathroom. He said that there was no sign that Mr. Ledger had been drinking and that no illegal drugs were found in the apartment.

Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the city’s chief medical examiner, said that investigators were on the scene on Tuesday afternoon and that an autopsy would be performed on Wednesday to determine the cause of death. His body was removed from the apartment at 6:30 p.m.

Julie McIntosh, a stylist in a neighboring salon, said she saw Mr. Ledger once or twice a week and thought had been living in the apartment for about six months.

“I think it’s really sad,� she said. “He’s a really nice guy. He seemed happy.�

A native of Perth, Australia, Mr. Ledger, known for his wry grin and uncontrolled blondish hair, defied typecasting throughout his career. Mr. Ledger, who was born on April 4, 1979, gained roles in children’s television after he first appeared in a play for a local theater company. He decided to pursue acting as a career, appearing in Australian soap operas before moving to Hollywood in pursuit of a girlfriend.

The relationship did not last, but the move led to his first major role, opposite Julia Stiles in the teenage romance “10 Things I Hate About You,� and Mr. Ledger seemed poised for a future as a heartthrob. But Mr. Ledger defied that expectation and, although he still appeared in light romantic roles in such films as “A Knight’s Tale,� he sought out darker, more substantive work, appearing as a prison guard in “Monster’s Ball,� and a heroin addict spiraling out of control in “Candy.�

“People always feel compelled to sum you up, to presume that they have you and describe you,� Mr. Ledger told The New York Times in an interview last year. “But there are many stories inside of me and a lot I want to achieve outside of one flat note.�

Mr. Ledger’s more recent films were also his most notable. His appearances as a reluctantly gay cowboy in “Brokeback Mountain� and as Bob Dylan in “I’m Not There� were both received with critical acclaim. The films were also important personally. Mr. Ledger met the actress Michelle Williams during the filming of “Brokeback Mountain.� The couple have a daughter, Matilda. Although they have since separated, they appeared together in “I’m Not There� and Mr. Ledger praised Ms. Williams’s performance in the film.

Elliott Puckett, an artist who lives near Ms. Williams’s apartment in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, said she saw the couple walking in the neighborhood.

“I used to see them with their dry cleaning and their baby,� she said.

Mr. Ledger told The Times last November that his favorite thing to do was hang out at home with his daughter. Leaving her for work, he said, was “kind of like your body has a lump in his throat.�

Reporting was contributed by Thomas J. Lueck, Al Baker, John Eligon and David Hirschman.

www.nytimes.com

[Beachwood Mac]

Such a great loss. He filmed parts of Lords of Dogtown here in Imperial Beach. It's so sad that someone who loved acting but tried to keep his personal life private is now on every news station with rumors and speculation about the cause of his death. May he rest in peace.

[David]

Originally Posted by Beachwood Mac

Such a great loss. He filmed parts of Lords of Dogtown here in Imperial Beach.

I never saw that, but I saw Stacy Peralta's followup, Riding Giants, which I consider a contemporary classic & one of the most suspenseful, beautiful films in recent times.

[Standback383]

This is such a tragedy...my brother is the same age and has a 4 year old...I cannot even imagine what his family is going through.....my God...

[David]

Originally Posted by gretchen

Just terrible. He was a fabulous actor.

I don't think I've seen any Heath Ledger movies except "Casanova," with its stultifying production design for Venice. The color of interiors & sunlit objects (like billowing sails) & the play of light seemed to me more Vermeer than Age of Enlightenment (Casanova's time). But it was so florid & elaborate that the effect was like being choked. I think the production designer wanted to make some sort of statement against the contemporary trend to magnify society's squalid underbelly (for example, "La Reine Margot").

[BombaySapphire3]

A terrible and tragic waste ..I always liked him but was blown away by his Ennis Delmar in Brokeback .so sad and it for some reason it came as a shock to me as well.

[GODDESS6]

a reporter for the new york times had interviewed him 6 weeks ago about his joker role & heath said the darkness of the role was disturbing him along w/ the roll he was filming at the moment~ the reporter was very shocked at his appearance, it looked as if he hadn't bathed in days & he was jumpy, but the reporter chalked up the jumpiness to him being a chain smoker & needing a smoke~ but the reporter did say that heath had had trouble sleeping as of late & was taking ambien, stating once he took 2 of them & he only slept an hour~ they also said he had been in 3 different time zones in the past week & possibly was suffering from pnemonia~ i'm leaning more & more towards an accidental overdose~ it is till so surreal & sad~ you know i was sad for brad renfro, but his death wasn't shoking w/ the heroin abuse & such~ but heath's death is heartbreaking~ i keep thinking of poor michelle & their little matilda~

[kathy1]

i watching the news when i found out. that is so sad. i was a fan of his and he will be missed. his family will be in my prayers.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by David

I don't think I've seen any Heath Ledger movies except "Casanova," with its stultifying production design for Venice. The color of interiors & sunlit objects (like billowing sails) & the play of light seemed to me more Vermeer than Age of Enlightenment (Casanova's time) . . . .

I agree they took license with the use of props. But, I thought the sets themselves were nice, save for the masked ball.

[strandinthewind]

I am literally speechless - but not surprised at this unChristianlike fool and those that follow him:

The "Reverend" Fred Phelps's Westboro Baptist Church announced plans to protest at the funeral of Heath Ledger.

Why?

The "God Hates Fags" hatemongers will picket the decease Aussie actor's funeral because he is a pervert who promoted homosexuality by appearing as a gay man in Brokeback Mountain.

We wish we could laugh at this stupidity, but it just makes us angry!

Heath may not have been perfect, but he doesn't deserve this.

www.perezhilton.com