Heath Ledger was an Australian-born actor who appeared in television shows and films including Sweat, Roar, Brokeback Mountain and Casanova. Ledger 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.

Heath Ledger's unfinished animated music video King Rat is reportedly expected to be released later in 2009. Ledger was making the video with the indie rock band Modest Mouse, but the production came to a halt with the actors' accidental death in January of 2008.PerezHilton: Animated Music Video By Posthumous Ledger To Be Released (March 19, 2008)

Ledger won an Oscar for "Best Supporting Actor" for his role as The Joker in the comic book sequel The Dark Knight at the 81st Annual Academy Awards on February 22, 2009.Cinematical: Golden Globe Nominations In! (December 11, 2008) Ledger's father and two sisters accepted the award, which will reportedly be given to his daughter Matilda.People: Heath Ledger's mom: Globe Trophy Will Go to Matilda (January 12, 2009)

An invasion of privacy lawsuit brought against Splash News by an unnamed reporter over a video tape of actor Heath Ledger discussing drugs has been settled. The tape, filmed the night of the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards, reportedly shows Ledger drinking a beer and talking about drugs, though he himself is not seen to partake of any. Shortly after Ledger's death on January 22, 2008, the footage was purchased by Entertainment Tonight, but not shown due to outcry from Ledger's family and friends. The unnamed reporter who brought the lawsuit was seeking to have the tape destroyed. So far, the details of the settlement have not been released.E Online: Case Closed on Ledger... (January 20, 2009)

Ledger left school early, at the age of 16, to pursue an acting career. His debut was a 1996 appearance on the Australian television show Sweat. More Australian film and television roles followed, including appearances in the popular soap opera Home and Away. Ledger's first appearance in an American film was in 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.

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 were left 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 in Todd Haynes' experimental film about singer Bob Dylan, titled, I'm Not There. (Ledger played rock star Robbie Clark, a take-off on Dylan).

There have been rumors 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.The Hollywood Gossip: ...A Second Child? (March 31, 2008)