News broke this afternoon that the young and talented actor Heath Ledger had been found dead in his NY apartment. The actor began his career in a string of films that had initially given him the reputation of likable heartthrob. However, his role in Brokeback Mountain (2005) quickly cemented his role as a new Hollywood player--a young force to be reckoned with. Heath's final performances were as The Joker in 2008's Dark Night and in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
Page Six had the very sad and unfortunate original scoop. Our thoughts are with his family, especially with his daughter and baby mama. Updates below:
***UPDATES:
Alan Horn, President and COO of Warner Bros. and Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group have issued the following statement to TMZ. The studio is producing the next Batman film, "The Dark Knight.": "The studio is stunned and devastated by this tragic news. The entertainment community has lost an enormous talent. Heath was a brilliant actor and an exceptional person. Our hearts go out to his family and friends."
TMZ:
TMZ has been contacted by a rep from Heath's family. The cops told the family Heath's death was accidental and there is no evidence to support the buzz that he may have committed suicide.
They are particularly distraught over media reports that he may have taken his own life. The family says he was not that kind of person.
As we just reported, Heath was ill with pneumonia when he died.
US Magazine:
News of Heath Ledger's death has shaken friends of the actor.
"This is terrible and I'm in shock," a close friend of Ledger's tells Usmagazine.com. "But to tell you the truth... we saw it coming."
"Heath has gone though a rough road of trying to get sober," the source tells Us.
"Things were very dark," the source says. "His one joy was Matilda." Matilda is his 2-year-old daughter with ex-wife Michelle Williams. They split in September.
"Everything else was misery for him," adds the source. "Unfortunately he was too late in getting help."
Ledger, 28, was found dead, reportedly at Mary-Kate Olsen's apartment.
AP
NEW YORK (AP) — Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday at a downtown Manhattan residence, and police said drugs may have been a factor. He was 28.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said Ledger had an appointment for a massage at the Manhattan apartment believed to be his home. The housekeeper who went to let him know the masseuse had arrived found him dead at 3:26 p.m.
The Australian-born actor was nominated for an Oscar for "Brokeback Mountain," where he met his wife, actress Michelle Williams, in 2005. Ledger and Williams had lived in Brooklyn and had a daughter, Matilda, until they split up last year.
Ledger was to appear as the Joker this year in "The Dark Night," a sequel to 2005's "Batman Begins." He's had starring roles in "A Knight's Tale" and "The Patriot," and played the suicidal son of Billy Bob Thornton in "Monster's Ball."
Ledger grew up in Perth, and began doing amateur theater at age 10. At 16, he moved to Sydney to pursue an acting career, quickly landing TV movie roles and guest spots on Australian television.
After several independent films and a starring role in the short-lived Fox TV series "Roar," Ledger moved to Los Angeles and costarred in "10 Things I Hate About You," a teen comedy reworking of "The Taming of the Shrew."
Offers for other teen flicks came his way, but Ledger turned them down, preferring to remain idle than sign on for projects he didn't like.
"It wasn't a hard decision for me," Ledger told the Associated Press in 2001. "It was hard for everyone else around me to understand. Agents were like, `You're crazy,' my parents were like, `Come on, you have to eat.'"
His latest role was in "I'm Not There," in which he played one of the many incarnations of Bob Dylan — as did Cate Blanchett, whose performance in that film earned an Oscar nomination Tuesday for best supporting actress.
