Topic: Death of Heath Ledger (Read 37382 times)

doki · « **on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:05 »

I know, im as shocked as you are...

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/actor-heath-ledger-is-found-dead/

Gemmwah · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:08 »

I literally heard about this ten minutes ago, and thought it was some kind of joke, but after checking up mtv i saw the report, I seriously couldn't believe it, he was so young.

I'm curious to know how he died.

tommydski · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:11 »

This is sad. I can't claim to be very familiar with his work but that is way too young. I was looking forward to the new Batman film.

RIP.

blanktom · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:13 »

i'm totally stunned.

this is probably the most unexpected hollywood death i have ever faced in my lifetime. i honestly dont know if i'll be able to watch dark knight now without feeling really crappy about it all.

rest in peace.

MusicScribbles · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:16 »

I don't...what...how...geeze.
Way too young. When I watch Dark Knight, this will probably affect my viewing experience as well.

SevenPinkerton · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:17 »

Wow, first Brad Renfro, now Heath Ledger. If I were a sexy young actor I'd be hiding under my covers right about now.

Liz · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:20 »

Oh man.

I know some of the people here were never a fan of his work, but I think he was an amazing actor. Whether you liked it or not Brokeback Mountain was a spectacular movie and he did the most amazing job in that one.

Johnny C · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:21 »

Constantly underrated young man. When he delivered on a role, he really delivered - Monster's Ball, Brokeback Mountain and from what I hear I'm Not There.

Thoughts are with his family right now.

Narr · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:22 »

Someone just mentioned this to me on AIM and I didn't believe them. Then I went to check his Wikipedia page and someone edited a giant erect penis to display over the entire article, and then I realized it wasn't a joke. I was scrambling to find an article about it.

Man, this sucks.

Scandanavian War Machine · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:23 »

this might be the most unexpected thing i've ever heard.

wow.

Dasota · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:29 »

They say tha it might have been drug use/suicide as they found sleeping pills by his bed. But there are also reports of it being a cardiac arrest/heart attack.

Liz · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:31 »

I'm curious to know what will happen with the movie he was filming before his death, since it sounds interesting. I wonder if they had filmed enough of his scenes to keep him in it, or if they will have to re-shoot with a new actor.

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #12 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:32 »

Quote from: blanktom on 22 Jan 2008, 14:13

this is probably the most unexpected hollywood death i have ever faced in my lifetime.

I presume you're unfamiliar with the murder of Adrienne Shelley, then.

captain zoe · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:40 »

I just heard this on the preview to the next news broadcast and just about felt my heart stop. It's so horrible. He was really a talented actor in just about everything he did, like someone else said I think he really was underrated...what a tragedy, and a shame.

The first article I read cited possible drug use but we'll see what happens...

Oh this makes me so sad.

mberan42 · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:54 »

Man, what am I going to think of when I watch ~~10 Things I Hate About You~~ ~~A Knight's Tale~~ ~~Brokeback Mountain~~ Monster's Ball now?

I'm a big fan of his work. Such a tragedy...

Liz · « **Reply #15 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:57 »

You like all three of those, don't pretend.

De_El · « **Reply #16 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 14:58 »

Holy christ. Always a shame when someone dies this young. And what a fucking swan song, too. With Brokeback Mountain it seemed like he was really hitting his stride and then with The Dark Knight I would have started to really pay attention to him. I mean, he's been in some mediocre movies too, but he was usually good.

I mean. What? Fucking. gah

Orbert · « **Reply #17 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 15:22 »

Heath Ledger found dead in New York

Meg · « **Reply #18 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 16:01 »

Sad. :/

Lines · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 16:06 »

That is sad. 28 is too young and his daughter is only 2, which means she probably won't remember him. His career was really beginning to take off, as well.

littlelove · « **Reply #20 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 16:30 »

on the plus side, at least his kid wont grieve too much, since she was so young?

tomselleck69 · « **Reply #21 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 16:31 »

Quote from: zerodrone on 22 Jan 2008, 14:32

I presume you're unfamiliar with the murder of Adrienne Shelley, then.

Way to one-up that grief! (high five)

RallyMonkey · « **Reply #22 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 16:47 »

I am going to compile a bit of the info that I have heard regarding his death.

First of all, in an article about a month ago, he talked about how the Joker was such a demonic and morally corrupt character, that ever since he started filming The Dark Knight, he hasn't been able to sleep more than two hours a night, because when he sleeps he has really terrible dreams about the Joker. So he had to start taking sleeping pills to get any sleep.

He was found with sleeping pills on his bed.

His maid said that when he took two sleeping pills, he would wake up after 2 hours, so likely he was trying to sleep longer, and thus, took more.

So, it is very possible that playing the part of Joker is what killed him.

This, along with the stuntman dying back in September on the Dark Knight set, must make Nolan feel terrible.

0bsessions · « **Reply #23 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 16:55 »

Source of that article? I'm genuinely curious about this.

jtheexploder · « **Reply #24 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 17:10 »

[img width= height=]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/fatkidAUCTIONS/heath.jpg[/img]

morbid...i know.

his death shocked me. just like Anna Nicole's

RallyMonkey · « **Reply #25 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 17:10 »

Are you talking about the interview in which he talked about not being able to sleep? I read it about a month ago, no idea where I found it from. I will try to find it.

Ozymandias · « **Reply #26 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 17:27 »

I'm wondering if his Joker diary contains "actor playing the Joker succumbs to the weight of the role and dies."

Why so serious?

Dissy · « **Reply #27 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 17:30 »

So, my mum calls me and says:
"So, the news right now is Fred Thompson has dropped out of hte race, and Heath Ledger has died."

I said:
"Yeah, yeah, yeah... Wait, The Joker died?!?"

Dasota · « **Reply #28 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 18:00 »

I would really like to know the source for that article. I'm not a huge Heath Ledger fan. I do like his work, but I never closely followed it, but for some reason I really want to dig deeper into this, especially since he did act as the Joker and my first thoughts from when I read about his death I thought that it was possible that his work on the movie and his role as the Joker might have messed him up mentally. I think that it might mostly be the curiousity in me of why people try to kill themselves that makes me want to work at this one. Even if it wasn't a suicide, it's still interesting with his mental health to me how a fictional character screwed with someone's head that much.

KvP · « **Reply #29 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 18:17 »

I don't know why, but I'm not feeling surprised at all.

Johnny C · « **Reply #30 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 18:31 »

Before we blame it on a curse, he'd also separated from the mother of his child in September.

There are a number of conditions that might have led to this. Let's not waste time speculating on them, hey?

De_El · « **Reply #31 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 18:48 »

Quote from: Ozymandias on 22 Jan 2008, 17:27

I'm wondering if his Joker diary contains "actor playing the Joker succumbs to the weight of the role and dies."

Why so serious?

You mean the list of things the Joker would find funny?

Ishotdanieljohnston · « **Reply #32 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 20:01 »

My Mum woke me up with this news and I just couldn't believe it. Poor guy, so fucking young. He'd actually been great in the last few movies I saw him in, he was fantastic in I'm not there and absolutely heart wrenching and disturbing in Candy. His work in the Dark Knight also looks terrific, and I can't wait to see it. What a fucking waste.

BekkahJane24 · « **Reply #33 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 20:02 »

Quote from: Dasota on 22 Jan 2008, 18:00

it's still interesting with his mental health to me how a fictional character screwed with someone's head that much.

Maybe it's not so far fetched, I remember when I was watching Eye for an Eye with Keifer Sutherland for a school project, the research I had to do... I found an article saying that he'd had to have therapy both during and after the production of the film to keep him from flipping his lid, because the character was an intensley f**ked up charachter.

Either way, his parents in WA just released a statement through the radio (currently listening to Vega here in Melbourne), saying it wasn't suicide and that he had indeed been sick with a bad flu the past month or so but was on his way to recovery.

Either way, still color me shocked. My boyfriend told me and I told him to stop being a nob... >.<

Ishotdanieljohnston · « **Reply #34 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 20:22 »

In some ways thats a relief, but it also upsets me too know he wanted to live... gee... I'm all sad about this.

DonInKansas · « **Reply #35 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 21:23 »

EDIT: Sorry, didn't mean to dry up all your tears. Carry on.

*feigned seriousness*

OMG an actor died from OD'ing on sleeping pills I'm so sad.

ThePQ4 · « **Reply #36 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 21:31 »

Um, well, I'm sure if your Aunt were a famous person who was in the limelight for quite a few years you, or if you were an older/more active member of the form, you could have made a thread about her death (sorry for your loss, by the way. Loosing family sucks).

However, she is not, so don't whine about that to us.

As for Heath Ledger --I was in the car on my way to work when I heard about it, and was like, "Whaaaaat?" switched to another station, heard it again, and basically drove to work in a bit of a shock. I mean, I've seen a pretty fair share of his movies, and I really liked him (not because he was a hottie, which was a plus, but because I really liked the characters he's played --10 Things I Hate About You is one of my favorite movies) as an actor. He really was just starting to develop a serious acting credit, and this is kind of shocking.

He's not that much older then me, and he's dead... There are actors way older then him that I am afraid of dying soon, and this just makes it all the more "in your face" that everyone's gonna go sometime. (On another, sort of similar note: I am now even more scared that Alan Rickman is gonna die before I get the chance to meet him...eeeeeeeeeeeee)

Johnny C · « **Reply #37 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 21:35 »

oh holy fuck are we going to have a conversation about relative worth every time someone dies

i mean i am sorry about your aunt too but jesus christ yeah thousands of people die the other day but a good chunk of people in this thread admired the man's work so they are entitled to grieve that loss

god amighty

Orbert · « **Reply #38 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 21:37 »

Some actors can switch a character on or off quite easily. To them, acting is just a job, and when you're off duty, you're done.

With others, they totally immerse themselves mentally and emotionally into the character. They really do "become" the character. Try as much as possible to think like him, embrace his values, study his backstory and believe it is real, in order to act like him. Some actors do go a little nuts when the role is very intense. Heath was apparently that way. So in a way, yeah, The Joker killed him.

thehollow · « **Reply #39 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 21:44 »

Am I going to hell because my first thought upon hearing this was "At least they finished filming batman"? Seriously though, this is pretty shitty. 28 is way too young for anyone to die. He was a pretty good actor, and definitely seemed to be on the verge of a really good career. I wouldn't be surprised if the death was somehow related to the joker role. If anything, it just gives credit to how seriously he took the part and how much he invested into making it a great performance.

And if we're talking about people we're afraid are gonna die soon, I gotta add George R.R. Martin to the list. I know he's really not that old, but at his current rate there's a very real chance he could die before finishing all of the SoIaF series.

DonInKansas · « **Reply #40 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 21:45 »

Quote from: ThePQ4 on 22 Jan 2008, 21:31

Um, well, I'm sure if your Aunt were a famous person who was in the limelight for quite a few years you, or if you were an older/more active member of the form, you could have made a thread about her death (sorry for your loss, by the way. Loosing family sucks).

However, she is not, so don't whine about that to us.

I wasn't whining, I was making a point. Do you cry for every millionaire that OD's on sleeping pills, or just the pretty ones with talent?

I don't see what my postcount has to do with anything. I guess I haven't quite got the attitude right that I've seen from so many others around here that have spewed worse bile without being harassed. Guess I need an e-penis implant.

I edited my first post so you could continue your weeping. Carry on.

KvP · « **Reply #41 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 21:53 »

Quote from: Orbert on 22 Jan 2008, 21:37

Some actors can switch a character on or off quite easily. To them, acting is just a job, and when you're off duty, you're done.

With others, they totally immerse themselves mentally and emotionally into the character. They really do "become" the character. Try as much as possible to think like him, embrace his values, study his backstory and believe it is real, in order to act like him. Some actors do go a little nuts when the role is very intense. Heath was apparently that way. So in a way, yeah, The Joker killed him.

I'd have an easier time believing his character from Candy killed him. Rampant speculation though it may be, people are throwing around vids of interviews in which Ledger scratches at himself quite a bit. Some opiates cause histamine reaction, most codeine-based medicines contain caffeine to counteract the effect. But hell, he may have just had a rash or something.

Alex C · « **Reply #42 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 22:00 »

I'll tell you why people responded so badly DonInKansas.

First and foremost: You're being a dick. Seriously, wtf? You basically walked into the thread, slapped people in the face and demanded justification as to why they feel simple empathy. Fuck that noise.

Second, we've done this before in the Terry Pratchett has Alzheimer's thread, which quickly devolved into a flaming pile of shit for the same reasons I previously mentioned.

ThePQ4 · « **Reply #43 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 22:02 »

Quote from: DonInKansas on 22 Jan 2008, 21:45

...just the pretty ones with talent?

I don't get what being pretty has to do with it --just because he was attractive doesn't mean that his death is more devistating. He was a great actor, and I enjoyed his films, and I am genuniely sorry that i won't get to see any new ones (after Dark Knight). Do I think that he was attractive, yes I suppose I do, but is that why I will remember him: No, of course not. Even some of the most unattractive actors (in my perspective) are missed, (i.e. first person to mind is Richard Harris) . And why are they missed? BECAUSE THEY ARE FUCKING FANTASTIC PEOPLE WITH INCREDIBLE TALENT.

I think you're jealous. Or bitter. Or both. Get over it and stop trying to make everyone mad.

Edit: Okay. Whipstich beat me to the last bit, and put it much more simplisticly then I did. I am now in a ranty mood...gah.

DonInKansas · « **Reply #44 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 22:05 »

Sorry, didn't mean to rile you all up. I'm all done. It sucks he died. He was good at his job.

Are you sure Whipstitch has enough posts that his opinion matters, though?

ThePQ4 · « **Reply #45 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 22:08 »

Whipstich is not contributing to the assholery.

(I'm done derailing the thread now, back to what the thread is about)

Ladybug · « **Reply #46 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 22:11 »

Wow.. I got chills when I saw a headline saying he'd been found dead.. It's just..unbelievable, in a way. I'm a huge fan of his work, and he was so young, and with a little daughter and all

It's just not right..

RIP

KickThatBathProf · « **Reply #47 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 22:12 »

Quote from: ThePQ4 on 22 Jan 2008, 21:31

Um, well, I'm sure if your Aunt were a famous person who was in the limelight for quite a few years you, or if you were an older/more active member of the form, you could have made a thread about her death (sorry for your loss, by the way. Loosing family sucks).

PQ4 was not implying that your opinion doesn't matter. You have a right to your own opinions just as much as someone with 5000 posts (unless they're completely wrong). He was merely stating that you (and your aunt by proxy) are not well known enough to have a thread. I sincerely empathize with your loss and I am not saying that you or your aunt are not worthy of empathy from all of us, but the loss of a young actor who was just beginning to get into his prime years as an inspiring actor is a grave loss to many of us.

Adnrew · « **Reply #48 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 01:13 »

Sad.

I'm glad his final role was The Joker.
It looks promising:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vsAoqSOv5mo

doki · « **Reply #49 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 01:22 »

i'm by no means a Heath Ledger fan, in fact i thought that lance he carried in Knights Tale was the less wooden of the two. that said, the man had made a genuine effort in the world of acting. stuff like Brokeback and, hopefully, dark knight showed how much better he was actually becoming. he had a lot of potential and not enough time to bring it out. that's what i thought the true tragedy was

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Author Topic: Death of Heath Ledger (Read 37382 times)

doki

tommydski

SevenPinkerton

Narr

captain zoe

BekkahJane24

Adnrew

doki