Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Obituary: Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger was found dead at a Manhattan apartment this afternoon in what appeared to be a possible drug-related death. The actor was discovered in one of the SoHo apartment's bedrooms at 15:31 p.m. An initial police report also cited by the New York Times said that foul play was not suspected and that pills had been found near Ledger's body.

A native of Australia, Ledger shot to fame as a teen heartthrob in 10 Things I Hate About You before graduating to more adult roles, most notably his Oscar-nominated turn in cowboy fag-fest Brokeback Mountain. Engaged to Dawson's Creek's Michelle Williams, the two had a kid before a split in recently.

I first noticed Ledger in The Patriot where he played Mel Gibson's character's eldest son Gabriel who joins the American forces fighting the British in the Revolutionary War and helps his father fight a guerrilla war after serving time as a British prisoner prisoner. He was later most adequate in a starkly contrasted role as William Thatcher in the slightly ridiculous lighthearted adaptation Geoffrey Chaucer's A Knight's Tale.

However it is only this year that he has completed the movie which he will be now be remembered for all time. In August 2006 I broke the news here that Ledger was to play The Joker in the Batman Begins sequel film The Dark Knight. His progress in the role was reported on 2IGTV in a number of episodes in 2007. It does appear that that he had finished filming on that and the movie is currently set for release this summer so there is no fear for a need for a "Brandon Lee" or worse an "Oliver Reed" substitute situation.

It's a true tragedy that such a promising career has been cut short so early. I'll leave the wild speculation and unsubstantiated theories as to why in the more than capable hands of the bottom-feeding "press".


THE COLONEL SAYS NO TO DRUGS!

7 comments:

Bruce Russell said...

This really is a shame. 28 years old! Four years younger than me!

Anonymous said...

What a tragic waste, considering his potenital. The real question now is, who will replace him in the sequel to Dark Knight?Apparently the joker does have a( albeit reduced) role. Based on heath's performance in the trailer Id suggest paul giomatti. Particularily after seeinf "shoot 'em up." Of course a little suspension of disbelif would be necessary.

Anonymous said...

It was the sleeping pills, Ledger was an insomniac, in a recent interview, he said that he had trouble sleeping due to work stress. one pill had no effect, he'd take a second and wake up two hours later with his mind racing, I remember thinking that didn't sound too good. Accidental, unintended, substance abuse is just as deadly as intentional misuse.

I remember seeing Mr.Ledger for the first time in the Australian movie "Two Hands", funny as hell, He will be sadly missed.

As for the Dark Night, Ain't it Cool News, states Ledger's work was complete and there will be no recasting or dubbing of his work.

Anonymous said...

One thing is for certain, whichever Pharma that made the sleeping tablets Ledger was using can expect a run on it's share price. Can you imagine your Doc making out a prescription to your pharmacist, "Give him the stuff that killed Heath Ledger", ah, No thanks Doc, you keep that. I'll stick with some hot Coco. People will be switching medication in droves.

Unknown said...

Does the Colonel think that this is devine retribution for besmerching the good name of cowboys everywhere by starring in a fag cowboy movie where he "gave it" to another fag cowboy actor up the wrong 'un???

Anonymous said...

I find it revolting that you refer to Brokeback Mountain as a "fag fest". You ought to be embarassed that you are unfairly perpetuating the stereotype of the ignorant military man. Those who speak so hatefully of homosexuals often remind me of Shakespeare:"the lady doth protest too much". Because you are clealy a neanderthol, I will explain the line. Those who oppose certian lifestyles so vehemently are often concealing who they truely are and use hate as a disguise. This man was a fine actor and he was fantastically poingnant in that film. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

Major General Creedon said...

You're absolutely right! From henceforth; Brokeback Mountain will be referred to as a "Queer Caper" as opposed to "Fag Fest". Thank you for setting me straight.

More serious than movies promoting deviant lifestyles: People with opinions should learn to spell so that whatever they write can be understood by those they seek to reach. But what would I know? I'm only a "neanderthol" (whatever that is?).

You ought to be ashamed of yourself with spelling like that. Go to school, looser!