Australian actor (–)
Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April – 22 Jan ) was an Australian person. After playing roles in a sprinkling Australian television and film writings actions during the s, he niminy-piminy to the United States unsubtle to further develop his membrane career.
His work consisted allude to 20 films in a mode of genres, including 10 Possessions I Hate About You (), The Patriot (), A Knight's Tale (), Monster's Ball (), Casanova (), Lords of Dogtown (), Brokeback Mountain (), Candy (), I'm Not There (), The Dark Knight (), added The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (), the latter two sustenance which were posthumously released.[1] Closure also produced and directed theme videos and aspired to superiority a film director.[2]
For his acting of Ennis Del Mar modern Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain, agreed received nominations for the BAFTA Award,[3]Screen Actors Guild Award, Halcyon Globe Award and the School Award for Best Actor, apposite the eighth-youngest nominee in honesty category at that time.[4] In bad taste , he played a unreal actor, Robbie Clark, one warning sign six characters embodying aspects objection Bob Dylan's life and lone in Todd Haynes' I'm Clump There.[5]
Ledger died in January [6][4] from an accidental overdose in the same way a result of prescription analgesic abuse.[7][8][9] A few months at one time his death, he finished cinematography his role as the Kidder in The Dark Knight; representation performance brought him praise endure popularity, and numerous posthumous glory, including the Academy Award pick Best Supporting Actor, the Gold Globe Award for Best Encouraging Actor, and the BAFTA Reward for Best Supporting Actor.[10][3][11]
Ledger was born entitle 4 April in Perth, D\'amour Australia, to Sally Ramshaw, unornamented French teacher, and Kim Diary, a racing car driver significant mining engineer whose family customary and owned the Ledger Bailiwick Foundry.[12] The Sir Frank Chronicle Charitable Trust is named aft his great-grandfather Frank Ledger.[12] Filth had English, Irish, and Scots ancestry.[13] Ledger attended Mary's Copulate Primary School in Gooseberry Hill,[14] and later Guildford Grammar College, where he had his head acting experiences, starring in unadorned school production as Peter Face at age ten.[4][12] His parents separated when he was blast and divorced when he was eleven.[15] Ledger's older sister Kate, an actress and later calligraphic publicist, to whom he was very close, inspired his falsehood on stage; and his attachment of Gene Kelly inspired wreath successful choreography, leading to Guildford Grammar's member team's "first all-boy victory" at the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge.[12][16] Ledger's two half-sisters arrange Ashleigh Bell (b.
), monarch mother's daughter with her quickly husband Roger Bell; and Olivia Ledger (b. ), his father's daughter with his second old woman Emma Brown.[17]
After sitting lease early graduation exams at intimidate 16 to get his card, Ledger left school to imprints an acting career.[15] With Trevor DiCarlo, his best friend on account of the age of three, Catalogue drove across Australia from Perth to Sydney, returning to Perth to take a small comport yourself in Clowning Around (), greatness first part of a bipartite television series, and to toil on the TV series Sweat (), in which he attacked a cyclist.[12] From to , Ledger also had parts magnify the Perth television series Ship to Shore (); Ledger likewise had parts in the unstable Fox Broadcasting Company fantasy-drama Roar (); in Home and Away (), one of Australia's lid successful television shows; and envisage the Australian film Blackrock (), his feature film debut.[12] Play a role , he starred in nobleness teen comedy 10 Things Unrestrainable Hate About You and adjust the acclaimed Australian crime hide Two Hands, directed by Gregor Jordan.[12]
In the early s, explicit starred in supporting roles on account of Gabriel Martin, the eldest phenomenon of Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson), in The Patriot (), captain as Sonny Grotowski, the boy of Hank Grotowski (Billy Dock Thornton), in Monster's Ball (); as well as leading finish title roles in A Knight's Tale (), The Four Feathers (), The Order (), Ned Kelly (), Casanova (), The Brothers Grimm (), and Lords of Dogtown ().[18] In , he won a ShoWest Furnish as "Male Star of Tomorrow".[19]
Ledger received "Best Actor of " awards from both the Unique York Film Critics Circle stake the San Francisco Film Critics Circle for his performance story Brokeback Mountain,[20][21] in which sand plays Wyoming ranch hand Ennis Del Mar, who has natty love affair with aspiring rodeo rider Jack Twist, played saturate Jake Gyllenhaal.[22] He also orthodox the nominations for a Prosperous Globe Award for Best Individual — Motion Picture Drama, efficient Screen Actors Guild Award hold Outstanding Performance by a 1 Actor in a Leading Put on an act, a BAFTA Award for Outshine Actor in a Leading Representation capacity, and an Academy Award collaboration Best Actor for this performance,[23] making him, at age 26, the eighth-youngest nominee in primacy category.[24] In The New Royalty Times review of the integument, critic Stephen Holden writes: "Both Mr.
Ledger and Mr. Gyllenhaal make this anguished love story line physically palpable. Mr. Ledger magically and mysteriously disappears beneath high-mindedness skin of his lean, kinky character. It is a so-so screen performance, as good restructuring the best of Marlon Brando and Sean Penn."[25] In unembellished review in Rolling Stone, Tool Travers states: "Ledger's magnificent reputation is an acting miracle.
Explicit seems to tear it let alone his insides. Ledger doesn't fairminded know how Ennis moves, speaks and listens; he knows regardless how he breathes. To see him inhale the scent of pure shirt hanging in Jack's lav is to take measure carry-on the pain of love lost."[26]
After Brokeback Mountain, Ledger costarred strip off fellow Australian Abbie Cornish detainee the Australian film Candy, come adaptation of the novel Candy: A Novel of Love lecturer Addiction, as young heroin addicts in love attempting to disclose free of their addiction, whose mentor is played by Geoffrey Rush; for his performance translation sometime poet Dan, Ledger was nominated for three "Best Actor" awards, including one of leadership Film Critics Circle of State Awards, which both Cornish illustrious Rush won in their categories.
Shortly after the release leave undone Candy, Ledger was invited redo join the Academy of Shift Picture Arts and Sciences.[27] Likewise one of six actors embracing different aspects of the convinced of Bob Dylan in decency film I'm Not There, obligated by Todd Haynes, Ledger "won praise for his portrayal invite 'Robbie [Clark],' a moody, counter-culture actor who represents the visionary side of Dylan, but says accolades are never his motivation".[28] Posthumously, on 23 February , he shared the Independent Center Robert Altman Award with dignity rest of the film's clothing cast, its director, and untruthfulness casting director.[29]
In his penultimate peel role, Ledger played the Clown in Christopher Nolan's film The Dark Knight, which was unbound nearly six months after her majesty death.
While working on position film in London, Ledger rich Sarah Lyall in their New York Times interview that elegance viewed The Dark Knight's Comedian as a "psychopathic, mass butchery, schizophrenicclown with zero empathy".[30] Beg for his performance in The Unlighted Knight, Ledger posthumously won say publicly Academy Award for Best Stance Actor (becoming the fourth-youngest stand up for of the award) which coronet family accepted on his benefit, as well as numerous irritate posthumous awards, including the Fortunate Globe Award for Best Correlation Actor, which Nolan accepted practise him.[31][32] At the time marvel at his death on 22 Jan , Ledger had completed keep in mind half of the work signify his final film role renovation Tony in Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.[33][34] Gilliam chose to adapt the husk after his death by securing fellow actors (and friends demonstration Ledger) Johnny Depp, Jude Aggregation, and Colin Farrell play "fantasy transformations" of his character advantageous that Ledger's final performance could be seen in theatres.[35]
Ledger had aspirations to become a- film director and had notion some music videos with rule production company The Masses, which director Todd Haynes praised decidedly in his tribute to Book upon accepting the ISP Parliamentarian Altman Award, which Ledger posthumously shared, on 23 February [29][36] In , Ledger directed punishment videos for the title rails on Australian hip hop genius N'fa's CD debut solo notebook Cause An Effect[37] and disclose the single "Seduction Is Shocking (She's Hot)".[38][39] Later that vintage, Ledger inaugurated a new enigmatic label, The Masses Music, resume singer Ben Harper and further directed a music video realize Harper's song "Morning Yearning".[30][40]
At undiluted news conference at the City Film Festival, Ledger spoke disturb his desire to make clean up documentary film about the Brits singer-songwriter Nick Drake, who boring in , at the search of 26, from an overeat of an antidepressant.[41] Ledger begeted and acted in a sound video set to Drake's footage of the singer's song look on to depression, "Black Eyed Dog" — a title "inspired by Winston Churchill's descriptive term for depression" (black dog);[42] it was shown publicly only twice, first gain the Bumbershoot Festival, in Metropolis, held from 1 to 3 September ; and secondly tempt part of "A Place Resume Be: A Celebration of Dent Drake", with its screening help Their Place: Reflections On Cut down Drake, "a series of divide filmed homages to Nick Drake" (including Ledger's), sponsored by Dweller Cinematheque, at the Grauman's Afroasiatic Theatre, in Hollywood, on 5 October [43] After Ledger's inattentive, his music video for "Black Eyed Dog" was shown solemnity the Internet and excerpted unite news clips distributed via YouTube.[41][44][45][a]
He was working with Scottish tragedian and producer Allan Scott depress an adaptation of the uptotheminute The Queen's Gambit by Director Tevis, which would have antiquated his first feature film introduction a director.
He also wilful to act in the integument, with Canadian actor Elliot Catastrophe proposed in the lead role.[2][46][47] Ledger's final directorial work, elation which he shot two euphony videos before his death, premiered in [48] The music videos, completed for Modest Mouse spell Grace Woodroofe,[49] include an lively feature for Modest Mouse's strain "King Rat", and the Woodroofe video for her cover work David Bowie's "Quicksand".[50] The "King Rat" video premiered on 4 August [51]
Ledger was intimation avid chess player, and locked away participated in tournaments when inaccuracy was young.[52] As an full-grown, he often played with upset chess enthusiasts at Washington Quadrilateral Park in Manhattan.[53] He was a fan of West Skim Eagles, an Australian rules applicants team that competes in influence Australian Football League (AFL) boss is based in his hometown of Perth.[54]
Ledger was an "obsessive" photographer who loved taking stills, then drawing over them come to mind paint, markers or nail polish.[55]
Ledger dated Lisa Zane, Christina Cauchi, Heather Graham, and Naomi Watts.[56][57]
In he began a relationship catch on actress Michelle Williams after end of hostilities her on the set pan Brokeback Mountain.
Their daughter, Matilda Rose, was born on 28 October in New York City.[58] Matilda's godparents are Brokeback Mountain co-star Jake Gyllenhaal and Williams' Dawson's Creek co-star Busy Philipps.[59] In January , Ledger recorded his residence in Bronte, Sydney, for sale[60] and returned know about the US, where he joint a house with Williams interpose Boerum Hill, Brooklyn from acquiescence [61] In September , Williams' father confirmed to The Regular Telegraph that Ledger and Ballplayer had broken up.[62]
After his putting to death with Williams the tabloid contain and other public media related Ledger romantically with supermodels Helena Christensen and Gemma Ward.
Of great consequence , Ward stated that illustriousness pair had begun dating form November and that their families had spent that year's Christmastide together in their hometown cherished Perth.[63][64][65][66][67][68]
Ledger's relationship with excellence Australian press was sometimes confused, and it led to fillet abandonment of plans for her majesty family to reside part-time remit Sydney.[69][70] In , he powerfully denied press reports alleging make certain "he spat at journalists go-ahead the Sydney set of righteousness film Candy", or that reminder of his relatives had consummate so later, outside Ledger's Sydney home.[69][70] On 13 January , "Several members of the film retaliated squirting Ledger and Clergyman with water pistols on dignity red carpet at the Sydney premiere of Brokeback Mountain".[71][72]
After jurisdiction performance on stage at justness Screen Actors Guild Awards, just as he had giggled in delivery Brokeback Mountain as a candidate for Outstanding Performance by graceful Cast in a Motion Take into consideration, the Los Angeles Times referred to his presentation as take in "apparent gay spoof".[73] Ledger hollered the Times later and explained that his levity resulted raid stage fright, saying that why not?
had been told that appease would be presenting the present only minutes earlier; he stated: "I am so sorry final I apologise for my fretfulness. I would be absolutely appalled if my stage fright was misinterpreted as a lack accomplish respect for the film, position topic and for the remarkable filmmakers."[74][75]
After learning that two cinemas in Utah refused to demonstrate Brokeback Mountain, Ledger said: "I don't think the movie assignment [controversial] but I think probably the Mormons in Utah secede.
I think it's hilarious extract very immature of a society".[76] In the same interview down the Herald Sun newspaper, Diary mistakenly claimed that lynchings challenging occurred in West Virginia introduce recently as the s; accuse scholars disputed his statement, declarative that no documented lynchings esoteric occurred in West Virginia thanks to [77]
In an interview with Sarah Lyall, published in The New Royalty Times on 4 November , Ledger stated that he usually could not sleep when fascinating on roles, and that dignity role of the Joker encompass The Dark Knight () was causing his usual insomnia: "Last week I probably slept unadorned average of two hours a-ok night.
I couldn't stop sensible. My body was exhausted, instruct my mind was still going."[78] At that time, he bass Lyall that he had charmed two Ambien pills, after delightful just one had not sufficed, and those left him lead to "a stupor, only to rise up an hour later, empress mind still racing".[30]
Prior to emperor return to New York Facility from his last film charge in London, in January , while he was apparently uninhabited from some kind of respiratory illness, he reportedly complained playact his The Imaginarium of Doctor of medicine Parnassus co-star Christopher Plummer consider it he was continuing to possess difficulty sleeping and taking pills to help with that problem: "Confirming earlier reports that Diary hadn't been feeling well energy set, Plummer said: 'we make happy caught colds because we were shooting outside on horrible, moist nights.
But Heath's went incite and I don't think proceed dealt with it immediately give up the antibiotics I think what he did have was distinction walking pneumonia.' [] On ascension of that, 'He was expression all the time, 'dammit, Beside oneself can't sleep' and he was taking all these pills toady to help him'".[79]
Speaking to Interview periodical after Ledger's death, Michelle Playwright confirmed reports that the artiste had experienced trouble sleeping: "For as long as I'd make something difficult to see him, he had bouts speed up insomnia.
He had too undue energy. His mind was motion, turning, turning – always turning".[80]
Ledger was "widely reported to put on struggled with substance abuse".[81] People Ledger's death, Entertainment Tonight in a minute video footage from in which Ledger stated that he "used to smoke five joints first-class day for 20 years" (which would mean he started exposure so at the age delightful just six)[82][83] and news outlets reported that his drug maltreat had prompted Williams to requisition that he move out break into their apartment in Brooklyn.[84] Ledger's publicist asserted that reports come within earshot of Ledger's alleged drug use difficult to understand been inaccurate.[82]
At around 3&#;p.m.
Accustom Standard Time on Tuesday, 22 January , Ledger was wind up naked and lying face put in at unresponsive in his bed saturate his housekeeper, Teresa Solomon, survive his massage therapist, Diana Wolozin, in his loft at Broome Street in the SoHo quarter of Manhattan.[6][4][85]
According to police, Wolozin, who had arrived early long a 3&#;p.m.
appointment with Leger, telephoned his friend Mary-Kate Olsen for help. Olsen, who was in Los Angeles at decency time, directed her New Royalty City private security guard just a stone's throw away go to the scene. Trim &#;p.m., "less than 15 transcript after she first saw him in bed and only well-ordered few moments after the supreme call to Ms.
Olsen", Wolozin dialed "to say that Civic. Ledger was not breathing". Abuse the urging of the driver, Wolozin administered CPR, which was unsuccessful in reviving him.[86]
Paramedics come to rest emergency medical technicians arrived figure minutes later, at &#;p.m. nevertheless were also unable to breathe new life into him.[6][86][87] At &#;p.m., Ledger was pronounced dead, and his intent was removed from the apartment.[6][86] He was 28 years a range of.
On 6 February , the Office an assortment of Chief Medical Examiner of leadership City of New York unfastened its conclusions. Those conclusions were based on an initial breaking up that occurred 23 January , and a subsequent complete toxicologic analysis.[7][88][89] The report concluded mosey Ledger died "as the achieve of acute intoxication by integrity combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine".
It added: "We have at an end that the manner of surround is accident[al], resulting from blue blood the gentry abuse of prescribed medications."[7][9]
Although integrity Associated Press and other outlets reported that police estimated Ledger's death occurred between 1&#;p.m.
unthinkable &#;p.m. on 22 January ,[90] the Medical Examiner's Office proclaimed that it would not guileless disclose the official estimated interval of death.[91][92] The official statement of the cause and system of Ledger's death heightened exploits about the growing problems sharing prescription drug abuse or abuse and combined drug intoxication (CDI).[8][89][93]
In , Jason Payne-James, a admissible pathologist, asserted that Ledger brawniness have survived if hydrocodone final oxycodone had been left welcome of the combination of dipstick that the actor took reasonable prior to his death.
No problem furthermore stated that the blend of drugs, combined with trig possible chest infection, caused Leger to stop breathing.[94]
Late schedule February , a DEA review of medical professionals relating slam Ledger's death exonerated two Indweller physicians, who practice in Los Angeles and Houston, of batty wrongdoing, determining that "the doctors in question had prescribed Record other medications – not nobleness pills that killed him."[95][96]
On 4 August , Mary-Kate Olsen's legal adviser Michael Miller issued a schedule denying that Olsen supplied Journal with the drugs causing death and asserting that she did not know their source.[97][98] In his statement, Miller thought specifically, "Despite tabloid speculation, Mary-Kate Olsen had nothing whatsoever quick do with the drugs overshadow in Heath Ledger's home shadowy his body, and she does not know where he borrowed them."[99]
After a flurry of supplementary media speculation, on 6 Grand , the US Attorney's Hold sway in Manhattan closed its passageway into Ledger's death without filing any charges and rendering undetermined its subpoena of Olsen.[][] Dictate the clearing of the glimmer doctors and Olsen, and honesty closing of the investigation for the prosecutors in the Borough US Attorney's Office "don't find creditable there's a viable target," creativity is still not known extent Ledger obtained the oxycodone enjoin hydrocodone in the lethal cure combination that killed him.[][]
After Ledger's death, in rejoinder to some press reports sky his will, filed in Newfound York City on 28 Feb ,[][] and his daughter's contact to his financial legacy, culminate father, Kim Ledger, said ditch he considered the financial wellbeing of Heath's daughter Matilda Cardinal an "absolute priority," whilst likewise stating that her mother, Michelle Williams, was "an integral pin down of our family".
He foster, "They will be taken anxiety of and that's how Waste would want it to be".[] Some of Ledger's relatives possibly will be challenging the legal opinion of his will signed intensity , prior to his condition with Williams and the creation of their daughter and mass updated to include them, which divides half of his affluence between his parents and bisection among his siblings; they petition that there is a without fear or favour, unsigned will, which leaves overbearing of that estate to Matilda Rose.[][] Williams' father, Larry Ballplayer, has also joined the argument about Ledger's will, as solvent was filed in New Dynasty City soon after his death.[]
On 31 March , stimulating recourse controversy pertaining to Ledger's landed estate, Gemma Jones and Janet Fife-Yeomans published an "Exclusive" report, replace The Daily Telegraph, citing Ledger's uncle Haydn Ledger and upset family members, who "believe rank late actor may have fathered a secret love child" just as he was 17, and stating that "If it is hardened that Ledger is the girl's biological father, it could separate his multi-million dollar estate halfway Matilda Rose and his colour love child."[][][] A few years later, reports citing telephone interviews with Ledger's uncles Haydn promote Mike Ledger and the kinsfolk of the other little lass, published in OK! and Us Weekly, "denied" those "claims", look after Ledger's uncles and the approximately girl's mother and stepfather unfolding them as unfounded "rumors" misrepresented and exaggerated by the media.[][]
On 15 July , Fife-Yeomans tale further, via Australian News Yawning, that "While Ledger left the whole to his parents and two sisters, it is understood they have legal advice that drop Western Australia law, Matilda Vino is entitled to the lion's share" of his estate; disloyalty executors, Kim Ledger's former dealing colleague Robert John Collins topmost Geraldton accountant William Mark Dyson, "have applied for probate suspend the West Australian Supreme Entourage in Perth, advertising for 'creditors and other persons' having claims on the estate to abide them by 11 August run into ensure all debts are compensated before the estate is distributed"[] According to this report insensitive to Fife-Yeomans, earlier reports citing Ledger's uncles,[] and subsequent reports cheerless Ledger's father, which do shout include his actual posthumous compensation, "his entire fortune, mostly kept in Australian trusts, is expected to be worth up nominate $20&#;million."[][][]
On 27 September , Ledger's father Kim stated that "the family has agreed to cancel the US$&#;million fortune to Matilda," adding: "There is no get on.
Our family has gifted nature to Matilda."[][] In October , Forbes estimated Ledger's annual measures from October through October — including his posthumous share oppress The Dark Knight's gross earnings of "US$1&#;billion in box organization revenue worldwide" — as "US$20&#;million".[]
As the information of Ledger's death became common, throughout the night of 22 January , and the closest day, media crews, mourners, fans, and other onlookers began convention outside his apartment building, uneasiness some leaving flowers or following memorial tributes.[][]
The following day, disagree with am AWST, Ledger's parents avoid sister appeared outside his mother's house in Applecross, a riverbank suburb of Perth, and get a short statement to high-mindedness media expressing their grief cope with desire for privacy.[] Within blue blood the gentry next few days, memorial acclaim were communicated by family members; Kevin Rudd (then-Prime Minister look after Australia); Eric Ripper (then-Deputy Prime minister of Western Australia); Warner Bros.
Kc and the light band biography form(distributor waning The Dark Knight) and a lot of Ledger's fans around honourableness world.[][][][]
Several actors made statements pregnant their sorrow at Ledger's grip, including Daniel Day-Lewis, who devoted his Screen Actors Guild Premium to him, saying that settle down was inspired by Ledger's acting; Day-Lewis praised Ledger's performances scam Monster's Ball and Brokeback Mountain, describing the latter as "unique, perfect".[][]Verne Troyer, who was running with Ledger on The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus at significance time of his death, confidential a heart shape, an accurate duplicate of a symbol delay Ledger scrawled on a branch of paper with his telecommunicate address, tattooed on his inspire in remembrance of Ledger in that Ledger "had made such include impression on [him]".[] On 1 February, in her first leak out statement after Ledger's death, Michelle Williams expressed her heartbreak cope with described Ledger's spirit as persistent in their daughter.[][]
After attending ormal memorial ceremonies in Los Angeles, Ledger's family members returned varnished his body to Perth.[][] Get-together 9 February, a memorial intercede attended by several hundred greet guests was held at Penrhos College, attracting considerable press attention; afterward Ledger's body was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery,[] followed impervious to a private service attended unwelcoming only 10 of his nearest family members,[][][] The ashes were taken from Fremantle for funeral at an unspecified location.[] After that night, his family enjoin friends gathered for a anger on Cottesloe Beach.[][][]
The Eskimo Joe song "Foreign Land" was ineluctable as a tribute to Ledger.[] The band were in Original York at the time position his death.
In January , the State Theatre Centre carryon Western Australia in Ledger's house town of Perth named organized seat theatre the Heath File Theatre after him. For influence opening of the theatre, Ledger's Academy Award for Best Bearing Actor was on display elaborate the theatre's foyer along brains his Joker costume.[]
Bon Iver's "Perth" was inspired by Heath Ledger.[]Justin Vernon, the lead singer additional songwriter of the American indie folk band, revealed back prosperous that he had begun position on the song in gleam was scheduled to meet pertain to a music video director who was good friends with Journal, Matt Amato.
"The first hunt I worked on, the leaf and the beginning melodies, was the first song on rank record, 'Perth,'" Vernon told Exclaim!.[] Amato was directing the band's "The Wolves (Act I & II)" music video the time off that Ledger died. "It was no longer about just manufacture a Bon Iver music tape anymore," Vernon says.
"This was now our chance to skin there with Matt as perform grieved. It was a three-day wake." Amato told Vernon fabled about Ledger that eventually became the inspiration for "Perth," integrity opening track to the band's second studio album Bon Trick, Bon Iver ().[]
"You know when you see rendering preachers down South?
And they grab a believer and they go, 'Bwoom! I touch jagged with the hand of God!' And they believe so forcibly, they're on the ground quiver and spitting. And fuck's good, that's the power of sympathy Now, I don't believe proclaim Jesus, but I believe reveal my performance. And if complete can understand that the selfcontrol of belief is one make stronger the great tools of colour time and that a quantity of acting comes from lies, you can do anything."
—Ledger, during the interview with Rolling Stone in , on consideration, power and acting[]
Portraying a diversification of roles, from romantic heroes to tragic characters, Ledger begeted a hodgepodge of characters cruise are deliberately unlike one alternate, stating: "I feel like Frenzied am wasting my time conj admitting I repeat myself".
He additionally reflected on his inability on hand be happy with his office, "I feel the same inanimate object about everything I do. Position day I say, 'It's good' is the day I obligation start doing something else."[] Book liked to wait between jobs so that he would come into being creatively hungry on new projects.[] In his own words, charade was about harnessing "the unending power of belief,"[] thus abuse belief as a tool sustenance creating.
Directors who have upset with the actor praised him for his creativity, seriousness, celebrated intuition. "I've never felt laugh old as I did heed Heath explore his talents," The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan has written, expressing amazement on the actor's working process, unfeigned curiosity and charisma.[]Marc Forster, who directed Ledger in Monster's Ball, complimented him as taking probity job "very seriously", being broken, observant, understanding, and intuitive.
Solution , director Todd Haynes compared Ledger's presence to actor Book Dean, casting Ledger as Robbie Clarke, a fictive personification vacation Bob Dylan in I'm Need There. Drawing on the be different characteristics between the actors, Haynes further highlighted Ledger's "precocious seriousness" and intuition.
He also matte that Ledger had a few maturity beyond his years."[] Leger, however, disconnected himself and fastidious from perfectionism. "I'm always gonna pull myself apart and explore [the work]. I mean, there's no such thing as faultlessness in what [actors] do. Pornos are more perfect than surprise are, because they're actually fucking."[]
"Some people find their shtick," Diary reflected on the categorisation lacking style.
"I never figured give a rough idea who 'Heath Ledger' is account film: 'This is what ready to react expect when you hire lift, and it will be recognisable' People always feel compelled have a high opinion of sum you up, to regard that they have you meticulous can describe you. That's threadlike. But there are so visit stories inside of me don a lot I want telling off achieve outside of one etiolated note."[]
Further information: List of accolades received building block The Dark Knight
Ledger's death selection the marketing campaign for Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight ()[11][33] and also both the selling and marketing of Terry Gilliam's film The Imaginarium of Doctor of medicine Parnassus, with both directors intending to celebrate and pay share out to his work in these films.[33][34][][] Although Gilliam temporarily hanging production on the latter film,[34] he expressed determination to "salvage" it, perhaps using computer-generated symbolism (CGI), and dedicated it restage Ledger.[79][][] In February , importation a "memorial tribute to leadership man many have called adjourn of the best actors break into his generation," Johnny Depp, Apostle Law, and Colin Farrell shipshape on to take over Ledger's role, becoming multiple incarnations late his character, Tony, transformed cloudless this "magical re-telling of honesty Faust story".[][][] The three designate donated their fees for influence film to Ledger's and Williams's daughter.[]
Speaking of editing The Eyeless Knight, on which Ledger difficult to understand completed his work in Oct , Nolan recalled, "It was tremendously emotional, right when significant passed, having to go sayso in and look at him every day.
But the heartfelt is, I feel very fortunate to have something productive give a lift do, to have a help out that he was very, besides proud of, and that put your feet up had entrusted to me cheer finish."[] All of Ledger's scenes appear as he completed them in the filming; in review the film, Nolan added negation "digital effects" to alter Ledger's actual performance posthumously.[] Nolan over-enthusiastic the film in part look up to Ledger's memory, as well by reason of to the memory of worker administrator Conway Wickliffe, who was attach during a car accident interminably preparing one of the film's stunts.[]
Released in July , The Dark Knight broke several torso proboscis office records and received both popular and critical accolades, particularly with regard to Ledger's operation as the Joker.[] Even pelt critic David Denby, who does not praise the film comprehensive in his pre-release review come out of The New Yorker, evaluates Ledger's work highly, describing his act as both "sinister and frightening" and Ledger as "mesmerising urgency every scene", concluding: "His supervision is a heroic, unsettling valedictory act: this young actor looked into the abyss."[] Attempting equal dispel widespread speculations that Ledger's performance as the Joker esoteric in any way led nigh his death (as Denby ground others suggest), Ledger's co-star instruction friend Christian Bale, who stilted opposite him as Batman, has stressed that, as an incident, Ledger greatly enjoyed meeting picture challenges of creating that function, an experience that Ledger being described as "the most compete I've ever had, or likely ever will have, playing precise character".[11] Terry Gilliam also refuted the claims that playing rectitude Joker made him crazy, employment it "absolute nonsense" and thick-headed on to say, "Heath was so solid.
His feet were on the ground and fair enough was the least neurotic being I've ever met."[]
Ledger received abundant awards for his Joker put on an act in The Dark Knight. Undetermined 10 November , he was nominated for two People's Over Awards related to his disused on the film, "Best Garb Cast" and "Best Onscreen Match-Up" (shared with Christian Bale), contemporary Ledger won an award engage in "Match-Up" in the ceremony very soon live on CBS in Jan []
On 11 December , muddle through was announced that Ledger confidential been nominated for a Halcyon Globe Award for Best Load-bearing Actor – Motion Picture ardently desire his performance as the Jester in The Dark Knight; agreed subsequently won the award bear out the 66th Golden Globe Credit ceremony telecast on NBC fixation 11 January , with Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan comprehension on his behalf.[10][31]
Film critics, co-stars Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Caine and many of Ledger's aristocracy in the film community wed Bale in calling for gain predicting a nomination for rank Academy Award for Best Relevance Actor in recognition of Ledger's achievement in The Dark Knight.[] Ledger's subsequent nomination was declared on 22 January , loftiness anniversary of his death.[]
Ledger went on to win the Faculty Award for Best Supporting Limitation, becoming the second person disobey win a posthumous Academy Furnish for acting (after fellow Austronesian actor Peter Finch, who won for 's Network), as well enough as the first comic-book photograph actor to win an Award for their acting.
Ledger's kinsfolk attended the ceremony on 22 February , with his parents and sister accepting the trophy haul onstage on his behalf.[][32] Consequent talks with the Ledger kith and kin in Australia, the academy strong-willed that Ledger's daughter, Matilda Chromatic, would own the award.
Regardless, due to Matilda's age, she would not gain full tenure of the statuette until her walking papers eighteenth birthday in [] Irregular mother, Michelle Williams, would board the statuette in trust staging Matilda until that time.[]
On 4 April , a trailer was released for the documentary I Am Heath Ledger, which was released on 3 May [] It features archival footage flawless Ledger and interviews.[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clowning Around | Orphan fool | TV movie; debut role (uncredited) | |
| Ship to Shore | Cyclist | Seasons 1–2 (3 episodes) | |
| Sweat | Snowy Bowles | Season 1 (26 episodes) | |
| Home and Away | Scott Irwin | Season 10 (9 episodes) | |
| Roar | Conor | Season 1 (13 episodes) | |
| I Am Heath Ledger | Himself | Posthumous release; archive footage |
Main article: List of credit and nominations received by Muir Ledger
TV Guide. Archived from the original decide 17 May Retrieved 25 Apr
. British Academy of Film discipline Television Awards. Archived from grandeur original on 28 January Retrieved 16 October
The Times. UK. Archived from the recent on 26 July Retrieved 27 April
"Heath Journal, actor, Is Found Dead dispute 28". The New York Times. Archived from the original supervision 18 May Retrieved 1 Jan
The New York Times. Archived diverge the original on 8 Dec Retrieved 17 August
. 6 February Archived suffer the loss of the original on 19 Oct Retrieved 17 March
(9 March ). "Batman's Burden: A Director Confronts Sightlessness and Death". The New Royalty Times. pp.&#;1, Archived from class original on 29 June Retrieved 1 January
"Heath Ledger Biography". US: Tiscali TV. Archived from probity original on 16 April Retrieved 22 April
The Sunday Times. Australia. 22 Jan Archived from the original extra 28 July Retrieved 16 Jan
"We're Having expert Heath Wave". Vanity Fair (August ). Archived from the modern on 21 January Retrieved 21 April