From the NY Times website:
The actor Heath Ledger was found dead this afternoon in an apartment building at 421 Broome Street in SoHo, according to the New York City police. Mr. Ledger was 28.
At 3:31 p.m., a masseuse arrived at Apartment 5A in the building for an appointment with Mr. Ledger, the police said. The masseuse was let in to the home by a housekeeper, who then knocked on the door of Mr. Ledger's bedroom. When no one answered, 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. The police said they did not suspect foul play and said they found pills near body.
Mr. Ledger, a native of Perth, Australia, won acclaim for his role as a co-star in "Brokeback Mountain", a 2005 film. The film, based on a short story by Annie Proulx about two cowboys who fall in love, won critical acclaim. Reviewing the film in The New York Times, the critic Stephen Holden wrote, "Mr. Ledger magically and mysteriously disappears beneath the skin of his lean, sinewy character. It is a great screen performance, as good as the best of Marlon Brando and Sean Penn."
Calls by The New York Times to Mara Buxbaum, a publicist for Mr. Ledger, and Steve Alexander, the actor's agent, were not immediately returned this afternoon.
________________________________________________
Part in bold highlighted by me: possible suicide?
Surprised the article doesn't mention the Dark Knight.....
holy crap, what the hell :(
This makes me very sad.
I am of fan of his work, and was really looking forward to seeing him do more. :icon_frown:
RIP Heath Ledger
I was never especially a fan of his, but his talent did surprise me more than once. These are sad tidings, especially if he himself is responsible.
I just heard. From what I understand the pills found by the body were sleeping pills. No word left if this was suicide or what.
A real shame. I thought he had talent beyond just good looks. There are so few of those around now.
Sad News!!! I just seen this I wasn't to keen on him playing the Joker but when I heard his voice as the Joker I was amazed. This is terrible!
What's also rather odd is that he did not have a reputation as an out-of-control party freak. I mean, no one would be particularly shocked if this was anyone of a half dozen starlets of either gender, but this seems a bit out of character for him.
My brother called me and told me the bad news. This is so sudden. Too sudden. :(
Damnit.
Quote from: Uncle Yuan on January 22, 2008, 02:41:04 PM
What's also rather odd is that he did not have a reputation as an out-of-control party freak. I mean, no one would be particularly shocked if this was anyone of a half dozen starlets of either gender, but this seems a bit out of character for him.
people are saying its to do with him splitting up with the mother of his child and such
This is like Brandon Lee all over again. I just logged into MSN and t his was the first thing I saw...what a depressing way to start the day. I hope it was at least painless.
I just heard the news. This really, really sucks. :(
What are they going to do with The Dark Knight now? Did they finish filming it or what? Poor Heath...
Quote from: TheMarvell on January 22, 2008, 03:07:29 PM
I just heard the news. This really, really sucks. :(
What are they going to do with The Dark Knight now? Did they finish filming it or what? Poor Heath...
From the news report I just heard, they indicated he had finished working on The Dark Knight.
to add onto pyro, last I heard/read, Dark Knight was in post production and Heath was working on a new movie already.
To add to this sad news, Heath is the second actor under 30 to pass away this month. :S
I saw something about this on Shortpacked! (the blog part), and thought it was some kind of bad joke. A google search quickly confirmed it was not. While not really a fan of his work, it is indeed sad news.
wow. i got a text message about it from a friend while i was in the middle of a business call. both me and the person i was speaking with both rushed to the computer to verify this.
we're both shocked.
I guess it says something about our jaded, media-saturated culture (or maybe just myself) when the first thought I had upon hearing this was "jeez, another movie publicity stunt done in bad taste"
Who was the other under 30 actor that died?
Quote from: zuludelta on January 22, 2008, 03:43:34 PM
I guess it says something about our jaded, media-saturated culture (or maybe just myself) when the first thought I had upon hearing this was "jeez, another movie publicity stunt done in bad taste"
Yes! That is what I said to my brother!
I feel horrible for his daughter. Also, when the Dark Knight is released its going to be a sad occasion.
Quote from: thanoson on January 22, 2008, 03:50:08 PM
Who was the other under 30 actor that died?
Brad Renfro. He died on the 15th and apparently his funeral was yesterday.
Quote from: the_ultimate_evil on January 22, 2008, 02:05:34 PM
holy crap, what the hell :(
That pretty much sums my own out loud reaction to the news.
This makes me sad as well. I loved the movie a Knights tale and I hope they add something in Batman for him :(
Can't say that I was a fan. The only movie I've seen with Heath was "The Patriot" and that wasn't great.
Sad news.
-MJB
Ledger was taking sleeping pills after completing I'm Not There, in which he played one of the many incarnations of singer Bob Dylan.
He told The New York Times in a November interview that he "stressed out a little too much'' during the Dylan film, and had trouble sleeping while portraying the Joker, whom he called a "psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy".
"Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Ledger told the Times.
"I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going."
He said he took two Ambien pills, which only worked for an hour, the paper said.
I was a shocked as anyone and I will miss him as an actor, but then someone brought up to me all the deaths that have occured just this month in Iraq on all sides (this doesn't even go into the stuff going on in Africa), and that we have just sort of shoved that stuff into the background like yesterdays news and I suddenly felt really guilty. I realize that people have an emotional connection to people and characters in the public eye, as they are people that all of us have a sort of shared connection with (even if it is mostly imagined), but I suddenly realized how much more of a reaction there was to this as opposed to some suicide bomber killing kids at a school in Baghdad.
It was one of those instances where I get caught up in my own little pop culture world and forgot that bad, sad stuff is happening right now all over the world to lots of innocent normal people, they just don't happen to be in the public eye.
Its bad when anyone dies, and I'm not trying to turn this into a political statement or make some kind of judgment as I am as guilty as anyone, but it sorta highlights the fact that we as a culture tend to put so much emphasis and time and coverage on the "shocking" celebrity things while at the same time (be it either consciously or unconsciously) tend to overlook the real things going on in the world. I'm as sad for his family and friends as I am for anyone who suffers such a loss, but I'm afraid that by tomorrow I'm gonna see more tragic stories about Mr. Ledger than I am gonna see all week about the other things going on in the world that affect more people in a more real way...
Just sayin.
I agree with you goggles...but I won't go into my thoughts about the media since this thread isn't about that.
Besides, you'll probably be bombarded with britney spears/Amy Winehouse news first
Such sad news... I was shocked. Rest in peace Heath.
I heard about this a few hours ago. It sucks.
Wow, man what a shock.
Heard about this at work today. A customer came in and bought all of his movies we had in stock, and told me about Ledger. From what I've heard, his death was accidental, not suicide. Bummer.
I'm shocked. His daughter is not 3 years old and I'm older than him.
I really discovered him in Brokeback Mountain, and I missed I'm Not There.
My girlfriend is a Ledger fan, she's downhearted :(
:(
The news is especially sad for all the future work of his that we'll miss. He could've chosen to simply get rich playing beefcake roles after that rock n' roll knights movie, but instead went about as legit as possible with "Monster's Ball", "Brokeback..", and "I'm Not There". I really hope that "Dark Knight" is a film worthy of his very short legacy.
EC
It`s a tragedy when someone dies that young, celebrity or not.
:(
RIP
This is really sad. He was a good actor. Let's not forget his best movie, 10 Things I Hate About You.
Quote from: GogglesPizanno on January 22, 2008, 05:24:14 PM
...Iraq...
I've never even seen those particular troops. While I don't know Ledger, I have seen him and I like some of his movies so I feel worse about his death.
And because the world is stupid.... LINK REMOVED
[Mod Edit] Removed the link. [/Mod Edit]
The world isn't stupid, just a few narrowminded hateful people are.
Quote from: Verfall on January 23, 2008, 08:55:48 AM
And because the world is stupid.... LINK REMOVED
seriously why has no one taken the morons out yet
Just saw a report - autopsy is inconclusive. It's going to be a few more days before they can give a difinitive answer as to cause of death.
Ughh...good heavens, it's people like that who give Christians a bad name....I can't stand it when people who call themselves Christians do things like this that are just plain hateful. I won't say anymore, since this isn't the place for it, but just remember that those idiots don't speak for us.
Quote from: BentonGrey on January 23, 2008, 09:51:00 AM
Ughh...good heavens, it's people like that who give Christians a bad name....I can't stand it when people who call themselves Christians do things like this that are just plain hateful. I won't say anymore, since this isn't the place for it, but just remember that those idiots don't speak for us.
Thanks Benton. I am a Christian and my dad is the Praise & Worship leader, but I don't judge people for that. Like Benton said this isn't the place for religion, but I feel sorry for those "Christians." I hope no one will judge Christians as a whole because of those extremist. They quote the old testament, when we live in the new. They judge with the book, and they too shall be judged by the same law. "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone"
Quote from: Verfall on January 23, 2008, 08:55:48 AM
And because the world is stupid.... LINK REMOVED
Whooaa!! Jiminy Christmas! Jeepers! [Insert Family- Friendly Phrase Here]!
I'm not going to get into it, it's not the time or place to, plus BG and Vamp summed it up nicely, but... Crimeny, that's outta line!
Well I didn't think the link would last that long, but whatever. It'll be quite hilarious if the funeral is in Aussie and they waste their time flying in. Maybe we'll get lucky, the Aussie's will refuse em admittance, and the US will do the same. The Phelps family without a country to spread hate in....one can only hope.
Quote from: Verfall on January 23, 2008, 12:10:08 PM
The Phelps family without a country to spread hate in....one can only hope.
Amen, brother! ;)
I'd like to take the opportunity to raise a glass to a gutsy young actor who appears to have burnt the candle at both ends. I will always remember him for bringing a nearly silent turbulence to a short story that never dreamt of becoming a celebrated, feature-length film.
Quote from: Edna St. Vincent Millay, "First Fig"
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--
It gives a lovely light!
For some reason, my mind also moves toward these words:
Quote from: The Joker
I'm only laughing on the outside:
My smile is just skin deep.
If you could see inside, I'm really crying--
Won't you join me for a weep?
Goodbye, Mr. Ledger. Sleep well.
ow_tiobe_sb
It's really quite sad. My film studies class was abuzz yesterday when we heard about it, girls were literally crying about it. It really is sad, he wasn't even one of those revolving door rehab celebs.
Hopefully Dark Knight is great, it'll be a memorable role for him to go out with.
Apparently he overdosed on the US-version of Stilnox, which was banned recently in Australia because it caused unpredictable behaviour (sleep-walking, etc).
Latest theory is that it mixed with a slight case of pnuemonia
Quote from: vamp on January 23, 2008, 10:27:05 AM
Quote from: BentonGrey on January 23, 2008, 09:51:00 AM
Ughh...good heavens, it's people like that who give Christians a bad name....I can't stand it when people who call themselves Christians do things like this that are just plain hateful. I won't say anymore, since this isn't the place for it, but just remember that those idiots don't speak for us.
Thanks Benton. I am a Christian and my dad is the Praise & Worship leader, but I don't judge people for that. Like Benton said this isn't the place for religion, but I feel sorry for those "Christians." I hope no one will judge Christians as a whole because of those extremist. They quote the old testament, when we live in the new. They judge with the book, and they too shall be judged by the same law. "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone"
Here-here to both of you! I too am a Christian. And it is people like these that give those of us who are trying to follow Christ a bad name. Yeah, they don't speak for us. Remember Y'all, if they don't have love, they don't know God.
And VERY sad about Heath!!
RIP, Heath... Can't wait to see your last movie...
QuoteCharisma as Natural as Gravity
By Christopher Nolan | NEWSWEEK
Heath Ledger, 28, Actor
Best known for his haunting, Oscar-nominated performance as Ennis Del Mar, one of the gay cowboys in 2005 ' s "Brokeback Mountain," Ledger was a massive young talent on the cusp of greatness when he died last week in New York. The native Australian, who is survived by his 2-year-old daughter, Matilda, had recently finished work on this summer's "Batman" sequel, "The Dark Knight," in which he plays a villain, the Joker. Christopher Nolan, the film's director, shared these memories:
One night, as I'm standing on LaSalle Street in Chicago, trying to line up a shot for "The Dark Knight," a production assistant skateboards into my line of sight. Silently, I curse the moment that Heath first skated onto our set in full character makeup. I'd fretted about the reaction of Batman fans to a skateboarding Joker, but the actual result was a proliferation of skateboards among the younger crew members. If you'd asked those kids why they had chosen to bring their boards to work, they would have answered honestly that they didn't know. That's real charisma—as invisible and natural as gravity. That's what Heath had.
Heath was bursting with creativity. It was in his every gesture. He once told me that he liked to wait between jobs until he was creatively hungry. Until he needed it again. He brought that attitude to our set every day. There aren't many actors who can make you feel ashamed of how often you complain about doing the best job in the world. Heath was one of them.
One time he and another actor were shooting a complex scene. We had two days to shoot it, and at the end of the first day, they'd really found something and Heath was worried that he might not have it if we stopped. He wanted to carry on and finish. It's tough to ask the crew to work late when we all know there's plenty of time to finish the next day. But everyone seemed to understand that Heath had something special and that we had to capture it before it disappeared. Months later, I learned that as Heath left the set that night, he quietly thanked each crew member for working late. Quietly. Not trying to make a point, just grateful for the chance to create that they'd given him.
Those nights on the streets of Chicago were filled with stunts. These can be boring times for an actor, but Heath was fascinated, eagerly accepting our invitation to ride in the camera car as we chased vehicles through movie traffic—not just for the thrill ride, but to be a part of it. Of everything. He'd brought his laptop along in the car, and we had a high-speed screening of two of his works-in-progress: short films he'd made that were exciting and haunting. Their exuberance made me feel jaded and leaden. I've never felt as old as I did watching Heath explore his talents. That night I made him an offer—knowing he wouldn't take me up on it—that he should feel free to come by the set when he had a night off so he could see what we were up to.
When you get into the edit suite after shooting a movie, you feel a responsibility to an actor who has trusted you, and Heath gave us everything. As we started my cut, I would wonder about each take we chose, each trim we made. I would visualize the screening where we'd have to show him the finished film—sitting three or four rows behind him, watching the movements of his head for clues to what he was thinking about what we'd done with all that he'd given us. Now that screening will never be real. I see him every day in my edit suite. I study his face, his voice. And I miss him terribly.
Back on LaSalle Street, I turn to my assistant director and I tell him to clear the skateboarding kid out of my line of sight when I realize—it's Heath, woolly hat pulled low over his eyes, here on his night off to take me up on my offer. I can't help but smile.
© 2008 Newsweek, Inc.
That's pleasant to read. He really was a great man.