Author Topic: Heath Ledger - News Accounts  (Read 1142211 times)

Offline BelAir

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #570 on: February 09, 2008, 10:59:20 am »
from the New York Daily News:

Honoring Heath Ledger Celebs, family remember fallen star at service


BY DAVID COHEN in Perth, Australia, and LEO STANDORA in New York
DAILY NEWS WRITERS

Saturday, February 9th 2008, 4:00 AM


A star-studded funeral was held for actor Heath Ledger Saturday in the Australian hometown he left nearly 10 years ago to become a Hollywood heartthrob.

More than 700 people - many from Hollywood and others from the Australian sports, business, arts and entertainment worlds - gathered at the exclusive Penrhos College in Perth for a service before his body was laid to rest.

A hush descended on knots of people waiting outside shortly after noon as Ledger's parents and his ex-girlfriend Michelle Williams arrived in a gleaming black BMWs.

Williams, wearing a stylish but subdued cream knee-length dress with black edging, supported Ledger's sister, Kate, who was in tears and trembling as she walked in.

Matilda Rose, the 2-year-old daughter of Williams and Ledger, did not appear.

Heads also turned when model Gemma Ward, an ex-Ledger girlfriend, arrived with her sister, Sophie.

Gemma Ward looked like she had stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine in a knee-length black dress.

Others attending were actors Bryan Brown, Cate Blanchett and Joel Edgerton and movie directors Phillip Noyce and Neil Armfield.

Jake Gyllenhaal, who co-starred with Ledger in his most famous film, "Brokeback Mountain," arrived in Australia Friday but wasn't seen at the college.


A local musician said he opened the service by playing an ancient Aboriginal dirge on a didgeridoo. Music played a large role in the ceremony, which ended with the Beatles' "Come Together."

Ledger, 28, died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in his SoHo apartment Jan 22.

After the service, 10 family members left to bury Ledger's remains at a Perth cemetery.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/02/09/2008-02-09_honoring_heath_ledger_celebs_family_reme-1.html

maybe Jake didn't go because the media were there?
"— a thirst for life, for love, and for truth..."

Offline BelAir

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #571 on: February 09, 2008, 11:01:41 am »
This seems very nice. Side note: I wonder if People has a mole in the funeral. How do they get this information? I doubt it is made up.

Michelle Williams Takes Ocean Plunge to Honor Heath
By Brenda Rodriguez

What started out as a subdued wake after Heath Ledger's funeral ended in an emotional goodbye by mourners including Michelle Williams, who all took a plunge into the ocean as the sun began to set.

"It's exactly what Heath would have wanted," one mourner told PEOPLE, dripping wet in his underwear as he made his way out of the water.

An unidentified man led Williams by the hand, followed by several guests, who walked down the stairs behind the Indiana Tea House on Cottesloe Beach, the site of the wake and one of Ledger's favorite spots.

At least 50 people attending the wake ran onto the beach and many began to take off their clothes. While some women took the plunge in their black dresses, other men and women stripped down to just their underwear and jumped into the ocean.

Williams, still wearing her cream-colored sundress and black sunglasses, was briefly dragged into the water as everyone cheered. She was then quickly surrounded by a group of mourners, creating a protective circle around the actress.

Those in the water laughed and cheered as Michelle watched from the shore. Ledger's sister Kate also took a dive into the water and was surrounded by pals splashing around her while her father Kim Ledger watched from the restaurant's balcony and shouted, "Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!" giving two thumbs up in the air.

As the sun began to set, the swimmers came on shore and stood in a line on both sides of Williams and linked arms. In the last five minutes, as the sun moved toward the horizon, the mourners stood in silence, watching and embracing.

Williams hugged Kate Ledger and smiled as she watched the sunset at 8:15 p.m., local time.

Two mourners in the group summoned up the moment as they stood behind Williams.

"The sun goes down on our love," they said. "But it will never go down on Heathy."


http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20177222,00.html

wow, that makes me cry.  sounds very, very special.
"— a thirst for life, for love, and for truth..."

Offline MaineWriter

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #572 on: February 09, 2008, 11:04:36 am »
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/gallery/0,22010,5029493-5006020-1,00.html

This photo gallery has pictures of people in the water at the beach, and a very nice picture of Michelle, smiling.

L
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Offline opinionista

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #573 on: February 09, 2008, 11:07:39 am »
maybe Jake didn't go because the media were there?

I know this is unlikely but maybe he stayed with Matilda. She wasn't seen there either.
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement. -Mark Twain.

Offline MaineWriter

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #574 on: February 09, 2008, 11:08:48 am »
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Offline MaineWriter

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #575 on: February 09, 2008, 11:09:44 am »
I know this is unlikely but maybe he stayed with Matilda. She wasn't seen there either.

Yes...being a godfather, perhaps?

Although, I have to say, if I flew all that way, I'd be devastated to not be able to go to the actual service!
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Offline MaineWriter

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #576 on: February 09, 2008, 11:12:04 am »
from the Sydney Morning Herald:

A beautiful life ... order of service


Opening music: These Days (Powderfinger), Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd), Superstition (Stevie Wonder), The Times They Are A Changin' (Bob Dylan), Seven Nation Army (White Stripes), The Past And Pending (the Shins)

Words: Kate Ledger

Family montage: To Here Comes The Sun by the Beatles

Paul Summers: Speaks on behalf of Ledger's American agent Steve Alexander

Matilda's montage: To Happy Everafter In Your Eyes written for Matilda by Ben Harper

Words: Neil Armfield

Off-screen footage

Words: Cate Blanchett

On-screen footage

Words: Kane Manera, Paul Mullvert

Friends' montage: To 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins

Words: Kim Ledger, Sally Bell

Family montage: To Old Man by Neil Young

End of service: To Come Together by the Beatles

http://www.smh.com.au/news/heath-ledger/heaths-goodbye-is-a-celebration-of-life/2008/02/09/1202234225490.html
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Offline MaineWriter

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #577 on: February 09, 2008, 11:14:18 am »
from the Sydney Morning Herald:


Heath's goodbye is a celebration of life

Melissa Kent in Perth
February 10, 2008


IT WAS the day Hollywood came to suburban Perth on a mournful mission to farewell one of their own.

The late actor's former fiancee Michelle Williams and sister Kate Ledger - their arms entwined - were among 600 invitation-only guests who filed into Penrhos College in Como to say goodbye to the brooding actor.

The A-list mourners included Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett, model Gemma Ward, Candy director Neil Armfield, director Philip Noyce, actors Rose Byrne, Bryan Brown and Shane Jacobson (aka "Kenny"), actor brothers Joel and Nash Edgerton, Perth rock band Eskimo Joe, West Coast Eagle David Wirrpanda and disgraced former Eagle Ben Cousins.

Williams - the mother of Ledger's two-year-old daughter Matilda, who did not attend - stayed close to his sister.

Ledger's father Kim and his wife, Emma Brown, arrived in one of four police-escorted black BMWs, sharing the sad ride with Ledger's mother, Sally Ledger Bell, and her husband, Roger Bell.

The ceremony was held in the theatre of the private girls' college where, as a child, Ledger often sat in the front row watching his sister perform in school plays.

Ms Ledger spoke of her love for her brother, who, after death, will be seen as The Joker in the latest Batman film The Dark Knight.

WA Opposition Minister for Arts Barbara Scott said: "Kate spoke of the unique bond [they] shared . . . how he would ring her three or four times a day and how he never forgot his friends, even at the height of his fame."

Blanchett, pregnant with her third child, delivered a tribute that one mourner said was "a funny and moving eulogy about their times spent together".

The order of service read: "This room is filled with the love we all felt for a great friend ... We want to thank those of you who took care of him and participated in his beautiful life."

Mourners were reduced to tears by Happy Ever After, a song written for Matilda by musician Ben Harper.

Perth-born Ward, who dated Ledger during his last Christmas holiday in Perth, left the service distressed.

Ledger, an Oscar nominee for his role in Brokeback Mountain, was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on January 22 of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/heath-ledger/heaths-goodbye-is-a-celebration-of-life/2008/02/09/1202234225490.html
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Offline opinionista

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #578 on: February 09, 2008, 11:15:57 am »
Yes...being a godfather, perhaps?

Although, I have to say, if I flew all that way, I'd be devastated to not be able to go to the actual service!

For some people attending wakes and funeral can be an excruciating experience. I have a friend who did not attend her father's funeral because she could not deal with it. So, if it is true that Jake actually flew to Perth, maybe he just wanted to be near the family. It is also possible that he wasn't in Perth at all. Who knows.
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement. -Mark Twain.

Offline MaineWriter

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Re: Heath Ledger - News Accounts
« Reply #579 on: February 09, 2008, 11:16:55 am »
Another picture from the beach:

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