LedgerObit\1 Heath Ledger’s Life Lost in Overdose

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Heath Ledger’s Life Lost in Overdose

by Charles Meyer
Actor Heath Ledger was found dead on the floor of his Lower Manhattan apartment Tuesday afternoon. Prescription pills found near the bed suggest an accidental overdose. His family and many Hollywood friends are devastated at the loss of the talented Australian actor, whose unique roles in Brokeback Mountain in 2005 and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, coming out this summer, promised him an abounding future on Hollywood’s A-list.
Many who followed Ledger’s rise found his death startling and heart-wrenching. “I had such great hope for him,” said co-star Mel Gibson. “He was just taking off and to lose his life at such a young age is a tragic loss.” Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd lamented, “It is tragic that we have lost one of our nation’s finest actors in the prime of his life. Heath:Ledger’s diverse and challenging roles will be remembered as some of the great performances by an Australian actor.”
Yet it wasn’t just his on-screen talent that will be missed but his personal compassion and charm. “Heath has touched so many people on so many different levels during his short life but few had the pleasure of truly knowing him,” said his father Kim. Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee valued his “thirst for life, for love, and for truth, and a vulnerability that made everyone who knew him love him.”
Born in Perth, Australia, Ledger’s parents named him Heathcliff Andrew after the male lead in the Emily Bronte novel, “Wuthering Heights.” He began acting in a local theater at a young age, and made his US debut with the 1999 “Taming of the Shrew” send-up “10 Thing I Hate About You.” Since then, he has worked to be taken more seriously than a pretty-boy teen-movie cast type by taking on serious and emotional roles in such movies as “The Patriot.”
Ledger, only 28 years old, left behind his 2-year-old daughter and his ex-wife Michelle Williams. He had been on painkillers as well as sleeping medication and had been seen in recent interviews and awards shows nervous and uneasy. Some opine that his dive into the dark role of
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the Joker in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus contributed to his distress. Fans expect this final role to be a disturbing yet spectacular one.

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