Heath Ledger found dead

[Llava]

My first concern was the movie, too.

Then I read that he has a daughter.

[squirrel]

My first concern was the movie, too.

Then I read that he has a daughter.

A 2 year old. Very sad.

[stray]

It's been a long time since an actor's death bothered me in any way. I think the last time was when River Phoenix passed.

Ledger was gearing up to star in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, a Terry Gilliam flick, which most likely would have kicked ass.

I think this is from that set. Last known photo of Ledge (Saturday):




No disrespect, but that sucks for Gilliam too. The guy must have a record for failed productions (Time Bandits 2, Don Quixote, Tale of the Two Cities, two times trying to make the Watchmen, and now this).

[schild]

What's bad is that he's irreplaceable. At least by someone in his age range.

We are not a age range full of good actors. In fact, mostly (all) dreck.

I don't think Kieran Culkin is working. But then, I don't think he could do it either.

I'm think I'm going to have dinner and curl up in a ball.

[stray]

You're right.. I think of just one generation ahead, and there's a bunch. 30-ish and under, not so much.

[lamaros]

This is sad news. He seemed like a nice guy, with a kid, and (partisan) was from down under.

Surprised as I never would have thought.

[UnSub]

I live in Heath Ledger's home town of Perth, Australia, and there is a lot of shock and surprise that he's dead. He'd started to become a 'real' actor, one who wasn't reliant on his looks, over his last few films and really seemed to have a solid acting future.

Personally, I'm leaning towards 'accidental overdose' - he had a lot of things planned and a big movie coming out, plus plenty of critical acclaim for what he was doing. As far as I know, Ledger loved acting and wanted to keep honing his craft - it'd be odd for him to suicide at this point in his career. He did hate the pressure and publicity that came with being a name celebrity (watch any interview with him and he's just closed and awkward) but it seems more likely that he overdosed in trying to get some sleep rather than a deliberate suicide. Especially since he had a daughter, despite their being a separation from his partner (I don't think they married) at this point in time.

Very sad and it completely changes the context in which I'll watch "The Dark Knight".

[Zetleft]

Never expected this.  Sucks big time and I'm with the shallow crew that thought about the fate of Dark Knight as well. 

[Triforcer]

 

Rest in peace, Heath.  You always seemed like one of the genuinely good guys in Hollywood. 

[K9]

What's bad is that he's irreplaceable. At least by someone in his age range.

We are not a age range full of good actors. In fact, mostly (all) dreck.

I don't think Kieran Culkin is working. But then, I don't think he could do it either.

I'm think I'm going to have dinner and curl up in a ball.

DiCaprio? Only one I can think of, and there's really not a whole lot of other potential candidates. Although he is 5years Heath's senior, so maybe not considered to be in the same age range.

[lamaros]

Stay classy f13.

[Rasix]

Stay classy f13.

Thanks, we will. 

Anyone else? Make it worth my effort. 

[Johny Cee]

Stay classy f13.

Thanks, we will. 

Anyone else? Make it worth my effort. 

With that avatar?  I'm worried about a stungun to the back of my head.

[Rendakor]

Am I the only one who thought he had no talent? A Knights Tale was one of the worst movies I've ever seen.

[Llava]

Am I the only one who thought he had no talent?

Yup.

[dusematic]

Am I the only one who thought he had no talent? A Knights Tale was one of the worst movies I've ever seen.

No, you aren't.  And yes, it was.  People around here have a hard-on for him primarily because he signed on to be in a Batman movie.

[Phildo]

Nah, I know plenty of people that loved his work in A Knights Tale and, let's face it, a LOT of people liked Brokeback Mountain.

[schild]

Actually, douche-ma-tique, I've loved him since Knight's Tale.

You shoulda heard me back when it came out. I think at one point I called Heath a future god.

[dusematic]

Dude you're a closet homosexual. 

[Triforcer]

This is why we can't have nice things. 

[Rasix]

This is why we can't have nice things. 

Pretty much.  Thread surgery might not do any good since everyone, even those with best intentions, keep taking this to a bad place. 

 

At least try some impulse control.  The unnecessary last word garbage and internet driven need to argue can go.

[Furiously]

I really liked 10 Things I hate about you...

Note to self: never do a movie where I have to wear white face make-up.

[Tale]

Just back from a day covering this at work (online news). I was one of the first with the story and I've had my head down all day, being whipped for more Heath. But every photo made me wince with sadness - last week I finally watched Brokeback Mountain, after never quite finding the time for a gay cowboy movie.

Ennis Del Mar was an awesome performance by an actor and it stayed with me. Gave me lots of respect for Heath Ledger, who I'd never really noticed before, except for his star power. And then suddenly that's that.

[Azazel]

Is there an actual link to the story? CNN search = STUP!D.

Developing story.

Cardiac. Coke? Meth? Red Bull?

they found pills by his body according to nyt.

Sometimes shit just happens, unfortunately. I personally know a couple of people who pretty much just dropped dead of a coronary at a young age. One would have been around 30, the other 44. No telling what kinds of other facotrs may have been at play as well - congenital heart defects that can go undiagnosed till they kill you (via coronary) are also possible.

Not saying anything either way, of course. Just that pills might have been involved, or not.

[stray]

I was first disappointed that he was cast as a Joker actually, so no, I did not start liking him because of it. I thought he was some "teen movie" guy or something. I watched Brokeback, Casanova, and Dogtown since then though. And not that those are the pinnacles of acting achievement or anything, but I realized how much range the guy had. And that he was really good with his voice. I thought it'd be just a matter of time before he did something really great.

[Tebonas]

If it was no drug overdose, thats just sad.

It it was it still is but he should get a kick in the face posthumously for doing drugs with a two year old daughter.

Either way, he will be a loss as an actor.

[Tale]

The sleeping pills he was taking were Ambien (aka Stilnox/Zolpidem). This is a controversial drug under federal review in Australia due to claims it causes extreme incidents of sleepwalking and changes in behaviour. There is a case where a man walked over the edge of his balcony and fell to his death while sleepwalking on Stilnox.

Also, if Westboro Baptist Church really pickets his funeral, they will face violence.

[stray]

lol, "Fag Enabler"


But lets hope the funeral is Aussie land. I'd like to see that violence you speak about. I doubt the same would happen in the states though. We're all a bunch of fags these days.

[lamaros]

You couldn't put out a funnier press release if you tried.

[stray]

Supposedly he had Xanax and Valium (prescribed) bottles there as well (besides the Ambien sleeping aid). He must have been worse off than he appeared. The only people I know who need all of that stuff can be nervous wrecks.

[EDIT] Also found were Donormyl and Zopiclone, both sleeping aids. Link

Not judging him or anything though.. I'm not a druggie, but I've been known to pop a Xanax every once in awhile (borrowed from the above nervous wrecks I mentioned), mainly when I have a long day of work ahead and need sleep immediately.. Makes me feel like Eddie Murphy's version of Mr Rogers the next day, after getting all of that rest.

But this guy had a variety of shit. Doesn't seem like any of one of them was working well either, which might have tempted him to test multiple types of them out at the same time.

[Thrawn]

If it was no drug overdose, thats just sad.

It it was it still is but he should get a kick in the face posthumously for doing drugs with a two year old daughter.

My thoughts exactly pretty much.

[Riggswolfe]

Actually, douche-ma-tique, I've loved him since Knight's Tale.

You shoulda heard me back when it came out. I think at one point I called Heath a future god.

It's not often Schild and I agree on movies (games yes, not movies) but I agree wholeheartedly about A Knight's Tale. Fucking fun movie. Also a fluke in that director's career IMO.

On a note about other actors of his generation who can act the only other one besides DiCaprio who comes to mind is the Gyllenhal's, both of them.

The sleeping pills he was taking were Ambien (aka Stilnox/Zolpidem). This is a controversial drug under federal review in Australia due to claims it causes extreme incidents of sleepwalking and changes in behaviour. There is a case where a man walked over the edge of his balcony and fell to his death while sleepwalking on Stilnox.

Also, if Westboro Baptist Church really pickets his funeral, they will face violence.

If they can get away with picketing the funerals of soldiers, they can picket his. Though people might actually react more strongly, especially if his funeral is heavily attended. I'm still surprised this "church" hasn't suffered some kind of violence at one of these picketings.

[stray]

If we're mentioning Dicaprio, then may as well mention Christian Bale too. Aren't they like the same age?

Anyways, my favorite actor under 30 is Nick Stahl. Not that I think other actors are bad or anything, but they're really aren't a lot of character actors. While most of my favorite character actors are just one generation ahead... Robert Downey Jr., Johnny Depp, Sean Penn, John Cusack even.

[Mrbloodworth]

Really didn't expect this.  Upset me more than I would've thought.

It's interesting to consider that the Joker role may very well have killed him- given the rumors about his sleep habits while filming that and that it was apparently sleep medication found on the bed.

I was thinking the same thing, i had read that he let loose his dark side in order to play the role.

[Simond]

If they can get away with picketing the funerals of soldiers, they can picket his. Though people might actually react more strongly, especially if his funeral is heavily attended. I'm still surprised this "church" hasn't suffered some kind of violence at one of these picketings.

Assuming that the funeral is in his home-town of Perth, there very well could be violence.

Assuming that the Aussie Gov't doesn't just refuse the merry band of inbreds from Westboro' entry in the first place, of course.