Glancing at a review of Shooter today (which, in all honesty, doesn't sound like my cinematic cup of tea), I noted that Rade Serbedzija is among the cast...which means I conceivably can claim about four degrees of separation from our man Heath!
An explanation: Back in 1999, I took a friend (half-Yugoslav [father was half-Serb, half-Hungarian], half-French) to see the film Eyes Wide Shut. During the course of the movie, when actor Rade Serbedzija appeared on screen (playing the character Milich), my friend exclaimed (quietly) "That's my brother-in-law!" He explained to me after the film that Serbedzija was married to his younger half-sister, and was actually quite a well-known and respected actor in the former Yugoslavia. And though Serbedzija had informed my friend that he had worked with Tom Cruise, my friend didn't realize that their mutual film was Eyes Wide Shut. (Incidentally, Serbedzija told my friend that he found Cruise a very nice and attentive person, and felt great respect and admiration for him).
And today, learning that Serbedzija is in the new film with Kate Mara, I calculate that about four degrees of acquaintance separates me from the talented Mr. Ledger. There's me, then my friend, then Serbedzija, then Ms. Mara, and finally Heath! Kinda neat, no?