Guide Note
Australian-born actor Heath Ledger received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in Brokeback Mountain and appeared as Batman's arch-nemesis The Joker in Christopher Nolan's comic book sequel The Dark Knight. The actor was found dead in a New York City apartment on January 22, 2008, at age 28, with a variety of legal prescription drugs in his system. The death was ruled an accident.
Fast Facts
- Born April 4, 1979 in Perth, Australia
- Had one child, Matilda Rose, with former fiancee Michelle Williams
- Drugs in his system: Oxycodone, Vicodin (hydrocodone), Valium (Diazepam), Restoril (Temazepam), Xanax, doxylamine
- No illegal drugs reported found
- Directed music video for Ben Harper's song "Morning Yearning"
- Named for the character Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights
Acting Career
Ledger left school early, at age 16, to pursue an acting career. His debut was a 1996 appearance on the Australian TV show Sweat. More Australian film and TV roles followed, including appearances in the popular soap opera Home and Away. Ledger's first appearance in an American film was the role of Patrick in the 1999 movie 10 Things I Hate About You.
Appearances in the Mel Gibson historical drama The Patriot and the anachronistic period action film A Knight's Tale made Ledger a marketable film star. Ledger received a BAFTA and an Australian Film Institute award for his performance in Ang Lee's critically lauded romance Brokeback Mountain.
Death
While in New York City shooting a part in the Terry Gilliam fantasy film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Ledger died in bed from an accidental prescription drug overdose. Portions of the film he had already shot will be left in in the film, followed by scenes in which the character physically transforms into Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell.
Ledger posthumously shared an Independent Spirit Robert Altman Award with the rest of the cast of Todd Haynes experimental film on singer Bob Dylan, I'm Not There. (Ledger played rock star Robbie Clark, a take-off on Dylan.
There have been reports of a second child fathered by Ledger, other than Matilda Rose, his daughter with actress Michelle Williams, which could theoretically complicate the division of his estate.
Related Pages on Mahalo
Heath Ledger Dead | Heath Ledger Overdose | Heath Ledger Autopsy | Heath Ledger Nick Drake Video | Heath Ledger Funeral | Heath Ledger Video | Heath Ledger Pictures | Heath Ledger Joker | Michelle Williams | Matilda Rose Ledger | Heath Ledger Drugs | Heath Ledger Drug Video | Jake Gyllenhaal | The Dark Knight | Brokeback Mountain | Heath Ledger Life Insurance Lawsuit | Matilda Rose Ledger Inheritance
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