Thread: Heath Ledger Dead at age 28

Heath Ledger dead

NEW YORK — Actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday at his downtown Manhattan residence, according to the NYPD. He was 28.

NYPD spokeswoman Stephanie Jaramillo told FOXNews.com that Ledger was discovered by his housekeeper at his apartment on Broome Street in the Soho section of New York City and was pronounced dead at 3:35 p.m. EST.

Jaramillo declined to comment on the cause of death, saying only that "the investigation is still ongoing."

But The New York Post reported that Ledger died of a possible drug overdose and his apartment was strewn with pills.

Ledger had an appointment for a massage at his Manhattan apartment, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne told The Associated Press. The housekeeper went to let Ledger know the masseuse had arrived and found him dead, according to Browne.

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

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


RIP Heath. A great actor. Sad that his little girl won't get to know her daddy.


Please do not use this thread to express your opinions on people who commit suicide, or do drugs. This thread is for those who wish to remember a talented young man.

Totally my fave actor!

He was so great in the Patriot! This goes to show you that money and fame does not give you what you really need! So many die so young!

Yea, OMG, Heath Ledger is dead.

I can't believe it. I really liked the guy.

I remember way back from 10 Things I Hate About You, The Patriot, A Knight's Tale. Good movies - very good actor. I didn't even know he had a drug problem.

RIP

This ******* sucks.

Heath was an actor of incredible range - both the breadth and the depth of his portrayals were startling, and only got more so as he grew into himself.

I admire any actor who refuses to cover old ground and therefore passes up the chance for more money. Every Tom Cruise movie has Tom Cruise in it, whatever the character's name might be.

Heath Ledger, OTOH, was harder to get a grip on, because his assured portrayals of so many different people made his real self more of a chameleon. He was charming and funny, but also reserved and deeply private.

And there was a lot of anger in there. Resentment.

I don't know what happened - accidental overdose, bad reaction from washing down sleeping pills w/ beer, successful suicide attempt - but I know that I feel badly for his friends, his family, and especially his daughter, who now will know him only from his movies. And who will have to piece together the real man from those unerring portrayals of fictional characters.

Ledger was well on his way to being the most accomplished actor of his generation.

He'll have left us at least one final performance to show us why that was. I'm glad I was able to see so many of his works of art. I just re-watched Lords of Dogtown last night, actually, but right now I'm thinking of his fine work in Candy, a romantically painful portrayal of the destruction of heroin addiction and the attempt to survive it for the sake of a child and a relationship, and some of the shattering aspects of that movie are now played out in real life.

I hate it when life imitates art in that fashion - we are all the poorer for it. For all that I expected Robert Downey Jr to end up dead in a car somewhere as his character did in Less Than Zero, I did not expect Heath to go out this way. Both men apparently have defied my expectations.

I will miss his work. There are so few actors whose work and talent I respect - and now there's one fewer, I guess.

RIP, Mr. Ledger. Thanks for your work, and your commitment to it. I wish you'd have stayed a bit longer, though.

~G

Say no to drugs and this doesn't happen!

Wow! Shocked to say the least. Waaaaay to young ...

Originally Posted by MHCBill

Say no to drugs and this doesn't happen!

Ledger reportedly kicked his habit last year.

But those things have a way of coming back at you.

That's sorta why it's an addiction. It also looks like this could be a suicide instead of a straight OD - I'm waiting to see on that.

Because if it's a suicide, then I think it's awfully callous of Heath to do it in Mary-Kate Olsen's house while she's at Sundance.

Sorta makes it hard for her to live there any more, wouldn't you think?

~G

Originally Posted by G_Money

Ledger reportedly kicked his habit last year.

But those things have a way of coming back at you.

That's sorta why it's an addiction. It also looks like this could be a suicide instead of a straight OD - I'm waiting to see on that.

Because if it's a suicide, then I think it's awfully callous of Heath to do it in Mary-Kate Olsen's house while she's at Sundance.

Sorta makes it hard for her to live there any more, wouldn't you think?

~G

If thats the case, what a drama queen. Loser.

Ledger broke up with his wife a few months ago. Also, on the Browns board I'm on they linked to an interview he (supposedly) recently gave that was somewhat "eery" in what he said. Here's the interview:

Interview

I feel so sorry for the family. Heath was an awesome actor, full of depth and range and could play any role. He was a beautiful man and I will miss his smile and voice.
Mary-Kate will have to sell her home as there will be no way she could live there now.

Originally Posted by Cleveland Rocks

Ledger broke up with his wife a few months ago. Also, on the Browns board I'm on they linked to an interview he (supposedly) recently gave that was somewhat "eery" in what he said. Here's the interview:

Interview

That was definately sad and suspicious under the circumstances. He looked pretty strung out on that interview, but maybe he had been on the set all day...I don't know, I am just sad.

Great actor. It's too bad when talent goes so soon...whatever the reason.

Originally Posted by G_Money

Ledger was well on his way to being the most accomplished actor of his generation.

I will miss his work. There are so few actors whose work and talent I respect

Agree. He was good.

More than losing a great actor, or the issue with his struggle with drugs, I am sad for a family who has lost a son, and a daughter who will not know her father.