R.I.P. Heathcliff Andrew Ledger

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Well, it's all over CNN.com's frontpage and with a different pic every time I F5.

New York Times article

I'd liked his work, but I can't really call myself a 'fan' of his. Nonetheless, I really, really wish this hadn't happened to him, or he'd done this, or whatever turns out to be the case.

 

Very sad. So young.

 

I for one was a big fan. Not so much for all his movies, because there were only a few I would classify as truly good. It was his bravery as an actor. He could have easily become a Freddy Prince Jr. - doing insipid teen movie after teen movie until eventually crapping himself into obscurity. But he really pushed himself. Brokeback Mountain was an excellent film (and say what you will about it's content, that role took balls of steel), and I've watched the new Batman trailer about a thousand times, marveling at how Ledger really poured himself into transforming not only himself, but the whole concept of the Joker as a character. I was (and still am) really looking forward to The Dark Knight coming out this summer. He was on the brink of becoming a superstar after its release.

Ida know...this has really affected me. Part of it as that he's exactly my age, I suppose. But I respected and admired him far more than the majority of his contemporaries. And I thought to myself the other day..."man, if he's doing this kind of work in his twenties..."

Now we'll never know. Seriously - I'm really bummed, stunned.

 

He had a lot of potential. He also had a two year old daughter that he was really close with. I have a two year old son and I know that he would be devastated if I disappeared from his life. Although his fans will miss him, I feel more sorry about his own family.

 

Last week it was Brad Renfro (The Client, The Cure, The Apt Pupil) who died at 25. And now, Ledger at 28. A couple of great talents gone.

 

That's awful! I liked him. 2 hands not so good, but still a tragic end for a nice actor.

 

Yeah, this really sucks. I wouldn't call myself a fan or anything (but then, I can't name a single actor that I really *would* call myself a fan of), but his acting was of consistently high quality in his movies that I've seen.

It's interesting to see that the sleeping pills he was taking are the ones that were having really strange side effect: http://news.theage.com.au/ledgers-sleeping-pill-controversial/20080123-1nou.html

(And Two Hands not so good? Are you kidding me...? Awesome movie)

 

I may be in the minority, but I really enjoyed his "teen" comedies. I still get sucked into "10 things I hate about you" and "A knight's tale" when they are on cable.

RIP

 

Me too, for two reasons:

A: Both movies show that the cast had tremendous fun making them.

B: Both have very talented and beautiful actresses playing the female lead.


His death's a pity. I wonder who will play the Joker in the next Batman movie.

 

its still him, they finished it i think.

RIP. I've been hearing of this from my female classmates all day. He was a good actor.

Someone told me that he was trying to really get "into" his character as the joker and it was kinda messing him up. Any truth to this?

 

How tragic. Some excellent movies he made, the movie industry will miss him as his family will.

Rest in Peace Heath.

 

I meant the one after the new one.

 

Apparently Fred Phelps and his merry band of nutters is planning to picket the funeral. Now that would be an interesting turn of events. If they want to show up in Australia and try and picket the funeral of someone that many Australians are quite proud of - well, I just can't wait to see the news reports of them being beaten/imprisoned

Not that I really expect them to show, but y'know. It would be nice to see them try their brand of idiocy in a country that isn't desensitised to fundamentalist Christianity.

 

@Aik: I can easily imagine them getting beaten and imprisoned considering some funny rumors and half-truths about Australian and/or especially Sydney law-enforcement officials...

Damn! Heath Ledger as the Joker? So strange for him to pass away after getting such a role!

 

Ah yes, Freddie Phelps. One of those guys that doesn't actually read the Bible, but makes a good living thumping it for Dramatic effect. Sure I don't care for the content of Brokeback Mountain, but I have a solution that works for me--ignore it! I won't waste my time watching it, nor will I spend money to see it. What's the problem?

It also doesn't mean that I won't watch some of his other movies, there's actually a couple I'd like to see...

 

I think that Phelps guy got interviewed on Aussie TV a few days back. The interviewer absolutely flamed him and he came off looking like an absolute nutter. I hope something happens to him, I doubt most Aussies would be too accommodating to someone pulling something like this at a funeral.

 

I heard that he was back in the US for February 2, so they could protest the funeral of the Mormon leader. This guy needs to get a life worse than I do.

Come to think of it, he's an arguement for legalizing polygamy. Give him enough wives and they'll keep him too busy to stir up trouble...