Rip Heath Ledger

[General Lee 01]

Associated Press:

 

NEW YORK (Jan. 22) - Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday at a downtown Manhattan residence, and police said drugs may have been a factor. He was 28.

 

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said Ledger had an appointment for a massage at the Manhattan apartment believed to be his home. The housekeeper who went to let him know the masseuse had arrived found him dead at 3:26 p.m. "There were pills within the vicinity of the bed," Browne said.

 

A large crowd of paparazzi and gawkers began gathering Tuesday evening outside the building on an upscale block in SoHo, where several police officers guarded the door.

 

"We are investigating the possibility of an overdose," Browne said.

 

The Australian-born actor was nominated for an Oscar for "Brokeback Mountain," where he met Michelle Williams in 2005. The two had lived in Brooklyn and had a daughter, Matilda, until they split up last year.

 

He most recently appeared in "I'm Not There," in which he played one of the many incarnations of Bob Dylan — as did Cate Blanchett, whose performance in that film earned an Oscar nomination Tuesday for best supporting actress.

 

Ledger was to appear as the Joker this year in "The Dark Night," a sequel to 2005's "Batman Begins." He's had starring roles in "A Knight's Tale" and "The Patriot," and played the suicidal son of Billy Bob Thornton in "Monster's Ball."

 

 

Ledger grew up in Perth, and began doing amateur theater at age 10. At 16, he moved to Sydney to pursue an acting career, quickly landing TV movie roles and guest spots on Australian television.

 

After several independent films and a starring role in the short-lived Fox TV series "Roar," Ledger moved to Los Angeles and costarred in "10 Things I Hate About You," a teen comedy reworking of "The Taming of the Shrew."

 

Offers for other teen flicks came his way, but Ledger turned them down, preferring to remain idle than sign on for projects he didn't like.

 

"It wasn't a hard decision for me," Ledger told the Associated Press in 2001. "It was hard for everyone else around me to understand. Agents were like, 'You're crazy,' my parents were like, 'Come on, you have to eat.'"

 

This is the first time in a while I've actually been shocked at a piece of news. Was never really into the Brokeback deal, and I still have no desire to see it, but he was good in "A Night's Tale".

 

 

 

[Black02Silverado]

I thought he did a good job in "10 Things I Hate About You"

[asilverblazer]

I thought it was interesting that he died in an apartment owned by Mary-Kate Olsen.

[Zembonez]

It never ceases to amaze me when people in their prime who have everything do themselves in.

 

Hell I'm worthless, obnoxious, and drink too much... but I intend to stick around as long as they will let me.

[ChevyMan23]

It never ceases to amaze me when people in their prime who have everything do themselves in.

 

Hell I'm worthless, obnoxious, and drink too much... but I intend to stick around as long as they will let me.

 

 

+1

[y2kz71]

sleeping pills

[Genuinefine409]

but he was good in "A Night's Tale".

 

 

he was good in a knights tale, i also like him in 10 things i hate about you.

[DEV1ST8R]

The best movie he was in was "The Patriot". Definitely didn't peg him as a druggie... Too bad.

[Spoonman]

Definately a shocker. He did well in; The Patriot and Knights Tale. I can't understand why anyone would even do something like Brokerback but I will not fault him for it.

 

I saw an interview this morning from last Nov., he was talking about his daughter. He did not look well at all and even mention death.....

 

RIP

[ws6_guy]

I heard about that, does suck to hear. The Patriot definatly was the best

[Guest chevydeerhunter]

It never ceases to amaze me when people in their prime who have everything do themselves in.

 

Hell I'm worthless, obnoxious, and drink too much... but I intend to stick around as long as they will let me.

 

Everything I've been reading is pointing to it being accidental. He had pneumonia, was having trouble sleeping and a few other things. He may have simply taken an unintended lethal cocktail of medicine. Sad indeed.