Heath Ledger -Australian Star found dead

Unbelievable news...only reported within the hour - our young Aussie actor was found dead in a NY Manhattan residence...full details as to cause still being investigated.

What a dreadful shame. Expect we'll be hearing further soon.

Those not familiar with this actor - he starred in:

• Brokeback Mountain
• A Knight's Tale
• played the suicidal son of Billy Bob Thornton in Monster's Ball.
• a starring role in the short-lived Fox TV series Roar
• costarred in 10 Things I Hate About You
• 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

Very sad...my thoughts to his family and those close to him.

 

Was sad to hear this, a massive loss

 

i just heard about this too. wow that sucks big time, i really liked him in all his movies, he was a great actor. Still looking forward to the new Batman too

 

Ya, at such a young age too. I really liked him and he seemed to be able to play anything. 'A Dark Night' is his last one.

 

Possible suicide or OD. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/actor-heath-ledger-is-found-dead/index.html?hp

 

Yep, that's pretty sad news. From my city of Perth, too.

 

Heath's family and close friends are upset at and denying such rumours. Autopsy on Wednesday should shed light on cause of his death to stop further rumours.

 

Of course they are.

No offense, but family always denies suicide rumors. They have to. Could you live with knowing that if you had paid more attention, you could have saved your son? But since you didn't he is now dead and it is your fault. It's natural. Even if they were to find a note, can prove without doubt that Heath Ledger wrote it, and that note openly states that he killed himself, his family will still deny it and look for a scapegoat.

Because all suicides could have been prevented if someone had paid more attention, and that is a bit too much to live with when the suicide is someone you should have been close to.

Obviously, I am hoping that's not what happened mainly because I would not wish that on anyone. I'm only trying to say that the surviving family is not the most reliable witnesses on whether it was suicide or not.

 

Suicide (self-murder), is the responsibility of the perpetrator (in suicide, the self). Others may, or may not be a pressure factor, that does not make it their fault. The whole "It's all my fault", thing is part of a common grieving response (i.e. the 'blame phase'), as is denial.

Sometimes (often?), it is also mental heath issues, such as Schizophrenia, etc. Fame and fortune, and all the pressures that it involves, combined with a ready access to drugs (both legal and illegal), can often be a deadly combination.

(And yes, like many, I have had dear ones die that way).

 

Whatever the reason, it's a sad loss.
Good actor.
Seems like Hollywood sure has a way of messing up lives.

 

Autopsy is 'inconclusive' so now we wait for a couple of weeks for the toxicology report. Apparently he wasn't getting much sleep while filming the Batman movie, like 2 hours. One can't keep that kind of behaviour up for too long before mistakes in judgment are made.

 

Yes, the coroner's office says it will take at least another 10 days to determine the cause of death of Heath Ledger.

Down here, many are not taking in any assumptions, speculation or rumours re Heath's death, mainly as respect for his family. Instead, we're waiting to hear results on specialist reports.

 

Apparently the rumour is he overdosed on an over-the-counter sleeping pill with known bad side effects. Bazza

 

yeah i heard that he was getting so into his role that he hardly slept, developed insomnia, then resorted to taking sleep meds. Tough break...

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but exactly what is being achieved when behaviour (noted below), is directed towards a deceased person? rolleyes:confused

An American church plans to picket memorials held for Australian actor Heath Ledger because he played a gay cowboy in the film "Brokeback Mountain".

The Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, says it will protest against any memorial held for Ledger in the United States because the 28-year-old actor supported homosexuals.

Parishioner Shirley Phelps told Sydney radio station 2Day FM, "I'm going to stand outside of any public memorial service that he has here.

And then the other place I'm going to picket him is when they prop him up to worship his dead, rotting carcass further at the Oscars. I'll be right outside by the red carpet." [aap]

 

Yeah - these idiot scum also protest at funeral services for fallen soldiers because the US Armed forces has a "Don't ask, Don't tell" policy as regards to sexual orientation.

Christians? Not hardly. I actually think their plan is to draw negative opinion down on religion, and Christianity in particular. What their end goal is I have no idea, nor do I care (but I'm keeping an eye out for developments). We have free speech in this country, and they are free to practice their perverted "religion" only as long as it doesn't interfere with another citizens free speech or rights. They are being sued by a few people on that basis. Are they are just loony losers looking for a few minutes of limelight? Or there is a darker, more organized end to their actions? I don't know. I do know they are despicable.

There will always be those who take advantage of free speech. I choose to ignore the ignorant and the malignant (to a certain extent).

 

They are after the limelight it doesn't make sense to go after a straight guy who played a gay guy in a movie its just because he is famous and lots of people will be there to read their pickets,they have realized the more profound and crazy they are the more media they get.

If they we're near one of my family members funerals I'd make a good attempt at killing them then claim temporary insanity.

http://www.break.com/pictures/westboro-at-it-again439263.html

 

http://www.break.com/pictures/best-buy-has-tact439240.html

rolleyes

 

A sad fact following tragic events of the famous, is that there will always be those persons who "jump into the lime light", seeking their 15 minutes of [doubtful] fame (like that Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, and the parishioner Shirley Phelpsare), or those vultures you've pointed out above, who seek to get bloated by profiting on such tragic events (or is that simply being "entrepreneurial" rolleyes)

 

Tacky, that sort of thing is not much better than grave robbing to sell the corpse. Only difference is, the body's not physically touched. Each to his/her own, I guess, but it's still profiteering from misery, i.m.o. ~ But if your into the tasteless greed and morbid curiosity bit to bump up sales.

 

It is a shame that his life is over. It is a worse shame that no one will let him rest in peace. Hollywood publications will dig their claws in and tear his life to pieces. His family will suffer through all of this and more. To top it off these so-called Christian's are going to picket any memorial for him simply because he played a role in a film. Whatever happened to judge not lest ye be judged? Crazy F'in World. I like the thought process about something insidious being behind these "Christians".

 

Its funny I watched Lords of Dogtown the other night,now I feel like I'll miss him...

 

28 is way too young for anyone to die, regardless of the cause.

Although he was famous and supposedly 'public property' to some degree,
he still leaves behind those who knew and loved him.
Those who cannot show respect for the deceased and their loved ones are not worthy of respect or love themselves

 

Ledger's toxicology report revealed that he died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

NY's chief medical officer stated Ledger died from the combined effects of pain killers, anti-anxiety and sleep aid tablets.

Family making funeral arrangements for his burial in Perth.

Hopefully now those rag rumour mongers will let up on our Heath.

 

Meh, probably won't but we can hope so. It's just a sad state of affairs that his doctor(s) prescribed all that! It's not candy!

 

Yes, heard that on the news last night. Hopefully, now the rest of the world can move along. rolleyes