Heath Ledger

I was in my car heading out on an errand and I turned on my Sirius to the Cosmo station ("Cocktails with Patrick" is often entertaining if not insightful). Patrick was talking about the 'passing of heath ledger' and I was like what? Is it April Fool's? Is this some sort of sick joke? Unfortunately when I kept listening & further listened to other stations (another entertainment channel as well as Headline News on TV) it was confirmed.

I think the news is so shocking because:

1. Mr. Ledger was not one of those typical celebrities of nowadays who takes part in binge drinker, hard drugs and a fast life.

2. Heath doesn't make the headlines much in celebrity magazines except when he was being photographed with his ex Michelle Williams during their dating & with their child Matilda.

3. He was a young person to leave so soon, only 28.

4. Heath has always struck me as a genuine talent in acting, rather than just a heart throb (though I do/did find him deeply attractive). Especially as he seemed to take great care in picking each role rather than just whichever one paid the best. He took a giant risk portraying the role in 'Brokeback Mountain' proving that he was anything but typecast.

5. He seems to be maintaining a consistant career with the recent Oscar win from Brokeback Mountain and the upcoming Batman flick.

6. The original details surrounding his death were indicating a potential suicide or drug overdose both of which seemed out of style with what was public about his life.

While I couldn't possibly begin to say that I am experiencing the pain in his passing that would accompany me knowing him personally, my heart aches knowing that his family & friends are suffering - especially his young, young daughter. I am also saddened by the fact that I believe we lost an important person from this world. He had begun doing great things with his celebrity and now we'll never know what his full potential could have been. With every great person that we lose, I fear the good are leaving and the bad remain. I think part of it is also that as each year passes the reality of our mortality sinks in more and more for me.

I do appreciate the information the media brings to me & that they do it in a timely manner. However I am irked by each and every time I hear the words "Heath Ledger is Dead." Is there not a nicer way to say this? Even a minor change to it into "Heath Ledger has died" seems softer and more caring. I was also frustrated to hear the public (& police) immediately jump to the conclusion that because he's a young actor it must have been suicide or a illegal drug overdose. I cannot claim to know Mr. Ledger personally but from what I feel I've seen of his character, he doesn't seem the type to take the so-called easy way out, especially since he now has a daughter. Plus in the descriptions I heard that he was a) naked, b) had a massage scheduled & c) had sleeping pills near him. With all my CSI and Law & Order watching + crime novel reading my first reaction was to say: people who are planning to commit suicide generally don't make plans for a relaxing massage the next day & don't get naked before doing the deed. How many want their last impact on this world to be naked? (P.S. I told my theories immediately to my friend Mel within hours of hearing the news).

If, as the latest information seems to be indicating, Heath's death was an accidental sleeping pill overdose, then this story is a sad and deeply tragic reminder to all people to respect all drugs, prescription and OTC (over the counter) as well as herbal remedies. It is also the second major loss that Australia has had in less than two years, the first being Steve Irwin who's presence on Earth I also really enjoyed.

One more thing that struck me, is that it's been said that Heath's latest character, the Joker from Batman, has been haunting him. Here's a few article exerts:

#1: It is a physically and mentally draining role — his Joker is a “psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy” he said cheerfully — and, as often happens when he throws himself into a part, he is not sleeping much. “Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night,” he said. “I couldn’t stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going.”

#2: Even as filming continues on “The Dark Knight,” Heath Ledger is reflecting on the character he has finished portraying. “It’s the most fun I’ve had with a character and probably will ever have.”

The second one is creepily insightful as that may have been his last major role. The joker character may have been haunting him but now the whole idea is haunting me. The following is a quote from a posting on Heath's imdb profile...it conveys how I felt that day & how I still feel:

I can't get him out of my head, hearing his voice on screen and seeing
him smile and thinking "wow, he died today."

Selected Filmography (make it a heath ledger tribute weekend):

the Dark Knight, 2008*

Casanova, 2005*

Lords of Dogtown, 2005*

the Four Feathers, 2005

Monster's Ball, 2001*

A Knight's Tale, 2001

the Patriot, 2000

10 Things I Hate About You, 1999

*I've not yet watched.

LAST WORD:

Upon looking for some quotes for this blog I came across another piece of shocking information: the lesser known actor Brad Renfro (b. 1982) also died a few short days ago on January 15, 2008. Allegedly committing suicide. Brad is nearly 2 months older than I. Correction, was.

This led me to wonder if other famous or quazi-famous people had passed that I was unaware of. Here are the ones I don't remember hearing about:

Pavarotti - Sept 6, 2007

Ike Turner - Dec 12, 2007

Similarly I also didn't know that Nicole Ritchie had a baby boy (Max) and that Christina Aguelara (sp?) had a baby girl (Harlow).