From People:
Ang Lee Calls Heath's Death 'Heartbreaking'
Anything from Jake?
This made me cry.... :'(
Ellen's tribute to Heath....
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20173248,00.html (http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20173248,00.html)
I guess it is not hard to see why the last thing on Jake's mind right now would be to talk to the press.
I know that wouldn't be the first thing to pop into my head after a close friend has passed away...
I still just can't get over how Brokeback really did make Heath, Jake, Michelle and Matilda a family.
Apparently, Daniel Day Lewis was on the Oprah Winfrey show today and got very emotional talking about Heath. Here's a link:
http://www.tmz.com/2008/01/24/sorry-oprah-i-want-to-talk-about-heath/
Disclaimer: I haven't watched the video myself because my computer is acting up, but the message I got from yb said it was worth a look.
L
Oh God, those words from Heath's family are so beautiful, I'm crying at my desk at work... :'( I especially feel for Kate. Losing a brother like that, I can only begin to imagine this, because the thought of the possibility of losing my sister crosses my mind all the time since she was diagnosed with cancer, and the feelings she expresses in those words ring so true.
From Celebrity Baby Blog:
A look back on Heath Ledger as a father
http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2008/01/tribute-to-cele.html#more(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/ffrraann/ABC%20Food%20used/heathledgermatildahug_cbb.jpg)
From: People
Tributes
Heath Ledger's Family Pours Out Grief
By Mike Fleeman
Originally posted Thursday January 24, 2008 09:30 PM EST
(http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2008/news/080204/heath_ledger6.jpg)
Heath Ledger's family members bared their grief in an Australian newspaper, writing of the heart-wrenching loss of the Hollywood actor – who to them was always a brother or a son.
In one of several messages in the death notices section of the West Australian on Friday, his mother Sally wrote:
Our darling boy, special in so many ways to all of us. You knew you were so loved. You lived life with courage and daring and we are so grateful for the wonderful times we shared. We will be there for Matilda.
His older sister Kate, who called her brother by the pet name "Roast," wrote:
I can hardly breathe when I try to write this. We were the ultimate in soul mates. I feel both my heart and life have been torn apart. I loved our special talks, our daily chats from where ever you were in the world.
I especially loved all the precious time we spent together. We were so fortunate to have you as long as we did. You were so many things to so many people, but to me you were just my little brother.
There will never, ever be another "Heath" and I think that in itself is the greatest tragedy.
I will continue to talk with you everyday and love you just as if you were here. You will never leave my thoughts "Roast", ever.
A Message from His Father
His father Kim, who called his son by the nicknames "Heatho" and "Beef," writes:
My beautiful boy, so loving, so talented, so independent, so caring, so young . . . no more chess games mate . . . this is it, couldn't beat you anyway!
My body aches for the sound of your voice, our chats, our laughs and our life and times together.
Your truly varied artistic skills, insatiable desire to improve and eclectic abilities set you apart from any other person on the planet . . . it had only just started for you ... and for us to further enjoy. We were one, in soul and commitment. Just . . . Father and Son. I will love you forever, Dad.
His Entire Family Writes
And a note signed by his entire family read:
How do we describe our sudden and tragic loss? ... You were the most amazing individual "old soul" in a young man's body.
You so loved us, as we dearly loved you. As a close knit and very private family unit we have observed you so determined yet quietly travelling in your self-styled path in life, nothing would get in your way ... no mountain too tall, no river too wide.
You dreamed your dreams and lived them with passion and intelligent commitment. We have been privileged to accompany you on a ride through life that has simply been amazing and through it all, we have loved each other beyond imagination.
Your true legacy lives on in beautiful little Matilda, who will always remain in the greatest of care. Our hearts are broken.
I found this over on the Davecullen site:
this was posted on the BBM Yahoo Group:
Send Private On Line Condolances to the family of Heath Ledger Here:
http://www.frankecampbell.com/condolences.asp
And Sign The Public On Line Guest Book Here:
Frank E. Campbell The Funeral Chapel
1076 Madison Avenue at 81st Street
New York, NY 10028
Telephone: 212 288 3500 Toll Free: 800 423 5928
I posted a private condolence there:
To the parents of Heath Ledger: My heart goes out to you in your loss of your son. You had the pleasure to have known him, but those of us who loved him in his films have the pleasure of having enjoyed his work which will live on. May he rest in peace.
Louise van Hine
(((Mel)))
Ijust found this article and thought some other people might enjoy it. It is almost 2 years old but has some wonderful observations pf Heath.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/film/tale-of-an-untrained-homeboy/2008/01/23/1201024944702.html
There is a member here who has met Annie Proulx and is a 'friend of a friend' and got word that she was extremely upset about his death.
There is a member here who has met Annie Proulx and is a 'friend of a friend' and got word that she was extremely upset about his death.
"Heath did not become an actor for the fame or fortune.
"He loved his craft and he loved helping his friends.
"He loved chess and skateboarding too.
"My image of Heath in New York is him with his skateboard, a canvas bag and his beanie.
"That was Heath to me."
There also were chills and tears when a minute's silence was held in Ledger's honour.
One of 28-year-old actor's iconic photos, a Brokeback Mountain promotional shot of him in a cowboy hat leaning back smiling, was projected on a screen during the tribute.
"The response we have received here in New York about Heath's tragic passing is certainly an indication that Heath is held in high esteem as an exceptionally talented actor," Olsen told AAP.
Ledger would have cracked a smile if he attended the G'Day Ball as the historic Manhattan hotel looked, tasted and smelt like Australia.
Hilary, a merino sheep wearing a G'Day USA designer shirt, shared the Waldorf red carpet with Hollywood glamour girl Jessica Alba, Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr, Australian Transformers star Rachael Taylor and actors Julian McMahon and Jack Thompson.
Inside the Waldorf's grand ballroom, the guests sipped Jacob's Creek wine and feasted on a menu co-created by Australian celebrity chefs Luke Mangan and Neil Perry.
Entertainment included performances by Shannon Noll, Christine Anu, the Qantas Choir and, undoubtedly a first for the Waldorf and continuing the sheep theme, a shearing demonstration.
"It's hard putting this in the past tense. I know everyone, even those who never knew or met him, is finding this really, really hard."
"Back on LaSalle Street, I turn to my assistant director and I tell him to clear the skateboarding kid out of my line of sight when I realize—it's Heath, woolly hat pulled low over his eyes, here on his night off to take me up on my offer. I can't help but smile."
"At the minute, frankly, I am still recovering from the shock and sadness of his death," Shiach said. "He was a lovely and modest and decent and nice man, and how sad it is that we have lost the immense potential that he had. I think he was extraordinary, because he was a very, very thoughtful person."
But Shiach added that Ledger was making practical plans right up to the day he died about The Queen's Gambit and other matters.
"I spoke to him last week about the schedule and the budget and we were to meet this coming week, on Monday and Tuesday in London. We were down to casting details and things."
Ledger was going to act in the film, as well as direct it. They had offered the lead role to Ellen Page, the Oscar-nominated new star of the comedy Juno. They were waiting for her to confirm acceptance and were planning to shoot in North America and Russia this year.
Shiach, who works in the movie business under the name Allan Scott, revealed Ledger had also set himself a personal goal. "One of his reasons for being interested in The Queen's Gambit was the fact that he was a very, very advanced chess player. He was in fact very close to grandmaster and he said to me he thought he would try and go for grandmaster before we started shooting the movie."
The Queen's Gambit is based on a novel by Walter Tevis, whose other works include The Hustler, The Color Of Money and The Man Who Fell To Earth, all of which have been filmed.
Its central character is Beth Harmon, who grows up in a Kentucky orphanage, where the children are given tranquillisers to keep them quiet.
She learns to play chess with the janitor. She proves a teenage phenomenon, but has become addicted to drugs and is also a habitual thief.
Shiach has had the film rights to The Queen's Gambit for 20 years and wrote the screenplay. At various stages actress Molly Ringwald and the late Italian film director Bernardo Bertolucci were involved.
Ledger, who made his Hollywood debut in 10 Things I Hate About You in 1999, persuaded Shiach to let him direct on the strength of music videos and commercials he had directed. "We worked for about a week in New York and then we worked briefly in LA and then we worked quite a lot in London, because he was in London a lot last year, with Batman as well as the Terry Gilliam film."
http://heathledgermemorialblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-friend-heath-would-never-commit.html
Not real sure how to take this, but I'll let y'all read it for yourselves.
http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272618513.shtml
Maybe because I'm tired or something, but it doesn't seem to make all that much sense to me.
EJ
I hadn't heard of Jason Ritter, but he is John Ritter's son. His next movie, incidentally, is called A Hand Full of Beans (which is about all we got left...).
Here's a rather lukewarm tribute from PerthNow, Australia:
By movie critic Margaret Pomeranz
The tragedy is that you feel that Heath wasn't at the peak of his career, he'd achieved a lot but you felt that more wonderful work was still to come.
There is such a sadness that he was so young, so talented, seemingly so good at handling the superficialities of the industry in which he was involved.
And so damned nice! What a loss.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23132845-948,00.html
I think Wes Bentley's written tribute was wonderful. It fills in a lot of blanks, in a way. A lot of people close to Heath are probably in no emotional shape to make a 'statement', and he has come out with something heartfelt and dignified.
Go Wes!
I have not read all the tributes, but to me Christopher Nolan's has to be among the best, you could clearly tell the love he has for Heath.
I thought the one from A.O. Scott in the New York Times was also excellent. It should be near the very beginning of this thread, it came out last Wednesday.
L
Mr. Ledger’s work will outlast the frenzy. But there should have been more. Instead of being preserved as a young star eclipsed in his prime, he should have had time to outgrow his early promise and become the strange, surprising, era-defining actor he always had the potential to be.
I am sorry if this has been posted before. This is probably the most amazingly beautiful video tribute to Heath.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UpwlBGFK10[/youtube]
I hadn't really cried and still find it hard to believe that Heath is no longer with us. This vid is the first one that actually made me cry like a baby. It is a wonderfully crafted tribute. My sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. Hugs to all of you.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mf7zJbqi4Q[/youtube]
From YouTube:
About This Video
"Heath Ledger called me up and said, 'Ben, I'm having a baby and you need to write a lullaby for my baby girl'.
I obliged and out came Happily Ever After in Your Eyes.''
http://attitude.themercury.news.com.au/cheese_harper.htm
Thank you for posting, but oh my God, I'm such a mess right now, I can't stop thinking about Matilda never knowing her father, even though there is nobody in the world who looks more like him than she does...It may be some consolation to reflect that Matilda did interact with her father, and he her, and in this sense did know him, however briefly. It's very unlikely she will retain much if any memory of him, but there will be many wonderful people in her life who will share precious stories of him with her, and she will also be able to explore the significant body of work he leaves behind. And she carries some of that legacy within herself simply by virtue of being his child.
It may be some consolation to reflect that Matilda did interact with her father, and he her, and in this sense did know him, however briefly. It's very unlikely she will retain much if any memory of him, but there will be many wonderful people in her life who will share precious stories of him with her, and she will also be able to explore the significant body of work he leaves behind. And she carries some of that legacy within herself simply by virtue of being his child.
At press time, the New York Police Department has yet to settle on an official cause of death, but in a sense it's right there in front of us. Ledger made great demands on his heart — romantically, professionally, personally, physically. And in the end, his heart said "No."
I thought it was one of the best tributes to Heath I've seen written yet.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mf7zJbqi4Q[/youtube]
From YouTube:
About This Video
"Heath Ledger called me up and said, 'Ben, I'm having a baby and you need to write a lullaby for my baby girl'.
I obliged and out came Happily Ever After in Your Eyes.''
http://attitude.themercury.news.com.au/cheese_harper.htm
Yes, the BAFTAS were last night and they, like the SAGs before them and the Oscars to come, pay tribute to those who have passed away. Unlike the SAGs they've had time to do it properly, too... *sigh*
Here it is, and Heath is the last one out;
:'(
Well done, I'm thinking. Tears in my eyes - again. :'(
Also, one has to wonder about the choice of the speaking scene; it contains the most famous line from Brokeback, of course, but then comes "Why don't you - Why don't you just leave me be, hunh?" and well.... that seems to carry a message that isn't just Ennis's at this point.
I actually liked it. Heath gets more screentime than the rest. I also liked the fact that they didn't honor just anglosaxon actors but also the ones from countries like Germany, Spain or Finland and those who work behind the camera that are always invisible and unheard of. I thought it was very good.Indeed they did. Also French actors were included. But they forgot Jean-Claude Brialy!! :( He had no connections to Brokeback Mountain, but he was an openly gay actor and a very fine one!
Also, one has to wonder about the choice of the speaking scene; it contains the most famous line from Brokeback, of course, but then comes "Why don't you - Why don't you just leave me be, hunh?" and well.... that seems to carry a message that isn't just Ennis's at this point.
Yes, the BAFTAS were last night and they, like the SAGs before them and the Oscars to come, pay tribute to those who have passed away. Unlike the SAGs they've had time to do it properly, too... *sigh*
Here it is, and Heath is the last one out;
:'(
Well done, I'm thinking. Tears in my eyes - again. :'(
http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/he-cut-his-own-way-through/2008 /01/26/1201157738740.html
I don't think I can watch that BAFTA clip again. Just too sad. :'( Orlando Bloom and Kevin Spacey looked quite moved.
Heath reacted immediately. He filled my house with roses.
I love that.
:)
Goodness!
My thought exactly.
Heath was not buried at Fremantle Cemetery, he was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery. Fremantle is where the crematorium is.
And seeing Marit Allen made me jump, even though I had read here that she died this year.
I agree, I love that the BAFTAs aren't UScentric, and show people from more places.
That made me cry, too. It was a lovely sequence, and I actually forgot Heath would be in it til he came riding toward us, blonde hair flying, in that scene from "A Knight's Tale." It just breaks my heart all over again. :'(
It was the same for me. I was focused on the people and names they showed, and suddenly there came Heath, the riding scene from A Knight's Tale. Tears were spilling faster than I could choke them down. :'( It's so wrong to see Heath in the memorial section.
(http://apu.mabul.org/up/apu/2007/12/23/img-53q9ppo6irw.jpg)The bonfire doesn't already warm
all the deep wrinkles in my soul.
My path is a hollow full with stones
that leads me to a Brokeback
whose landscape seems so uncouth.
Its bright sky draws a storm...
...since he's gone.
That's so beautiful, myprivatejack. Would you consider posting this in the new Brokeback Cult thread? There are a few other lovely Heath tributes there.
http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,3655.0.html
Thanks for posting that, Mel. I hadn't seen it before.
L
British Heath Ledger Biography Will Be Available in U.S. in June
BY LEON NEYFAKH | FEBRUARY 1, 2008
A biography of Heath Ledger which will be published as a paperback in England in April, will be available in the U.S. in June, according to a spokesperson for Trafalgar Square Publishing, the company that will import and distribute the book here.
The book, titled Heath Ledger: His Beautiful Life and Mysterious Death, is being written by journalist John McShane and published by John Blake Publishing. No word yet on how many copies of the book Trafalgar will be bringing over; we'll let you know when we find out.
Apparently Cate Blanchett dedicated her Independent Spirit Award (Best Supporting Actress for I'm Not There to Heath: "a beautiful independent spirit."
:'( :'( :'( <-- me again, after avoid this forum for a while.
http://carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/23/shes-right-there/
“I’m Not There,” the Bob Dylan biopic featuring portrayals of the singer/songwriter by actors of different ages, races and sexes, also did well, taking home the honor for Best Supporting Female (Cate Blanchett), as well as the Robert Altman Award created to honor the spirit of the directing great. As Todd Haynes accepted the Robert Altman Award on behalf of himself, casting director Laura Rosenthal and the entire cast of the film, he took the time to remember late actor Heath Ledger, one of the film’s stars.
“Honoring this amazing ensemble today is so bittersweet, given how shattered all of us are by Heath’s inconceivable absence,” said director Haynes. “I have no doubt he would have made an astounding director, and when I’m not looking bitterly or perhaps selfishly at the future of cinema without him, I treasure the time we shared on this film and the love and talent that he gave so freely.”
Wow, this is the most moving tribute I have seen. It's of the Australian Short Film Festival (Tropfest) Tribute....
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx/?mkt=en-au&brand=ninemsn&fg=rss&vid=2a738e92-72d7-4ac0-8cee-71471bea08fa&from=imbot_en-au_general&wa=wsignin1.0 (http://video.msn.com/video.aspx/?mkt=en-au&brand=ninemsn&fg=rss&vid=2a738e92-72d7-4ac0-8cee-71471bea08fa&from=imbot_en-au_general&wa=wsignin1.0)
I'm so glad you found that, Melissa. It really is a nice selection of Heath moments, and of course the song and the last scene are particularly dear to us Brokies. :'(
Yeah, and I just came back from seeing the movie on the big screen for the first time in 2 years and that scene was just so heartbreaking in the way that he says "I gotta go" and then rides off, it's just too much to take right now.
:'( :'( :'( :'(
Wow, this is the most moving tribute I have seen. It's of the Australian Short Film Festival (Tropfest) Tribute....
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx/?mkt=en-au&brand=ninemsn&fg=rss&vid=2a738e92-72d7-4ac0-8cee-71471bea08fa&from=imbot_en-au_general&wa=wsignin1.0 (http://video.msn.com/video.aspx/?mkt=en-au&brand=ninemsn&fg=rss&vid=2a738e92-72d7-4ac0-8cee-71471bea08fa&from=imbot_en-au_general&wa=wsignin1.0)
Wow, this is the most moving tribute I have seen. It's of the Australian Short Film Festival (Tropfest) Tribute....I can't watch the video just yet. I played it and only listened to the song from Willie Nelson. I'll safekeep it though.
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx/?mkt=en-au&brand=ninemsn&fg=rss&vid=2a738e92-72d7-4ac0-8cee-71471bea08fa&from=imbot_en-au_general&wa=wsignin1.0 (http://video.msn.com/video.aspx/?mkt=en-au&brand=ninemsn&fg=rss&vid=2a738e92-72d7-4ac0-8cee-71471bea08fa&from=imbot_en-au_general&wa=wsignin1.0)
Wow, this is the most moving tribute I have seen. It's of the Australian Short Film Festival (Tropfest) Tribute....
http://video.msn.com/video.aspx/?mkt=en-au&brand=ninemsn&fg=rss&vid=2a738e92-72d7-4ac0-8cee-71471bea08fa&from=imbot_en-au_general&wa=wsignin1.0 (http://video.msn.com/video.aspx/?mkt=en-au&brand=ninemsn&fg=rss&vid=2a738e92-72d7-4ac0-8cee-71471bea08fa&from=imbot_en-au_general&wa=wsignin1.0)
For some reason I can't get the link above to work. I looked on YouTube, is this the same one?
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF5yKm8BBm4[/youtube]
On the Walkabout
Remembering Heath Ledger (1979-2008)
As much as Brokeback Mountain functions as a kind of ensemble drama, it is Ledger who steals scene after scene with ferocious understatement. This makes his moments of uninhibited emotion all the more powerful. Who can forget his restless pacing by the window while he waits for Jack to arrive, and then his giddy bounding across the floor when he finally sees his pickup truck pulling up — one of the most honestly and unabashedly romantic moments in all of recent cinema. Or the way he lets his features distort with pain during the argument with Jack by the lake where they spend their precious time away from their heterosexual lives? And of course the last devastating close-up as he peers tearfully into his closet full of memories — a summation as succinctly elegiac and sublime as the closing shot of Victor Seastrom in Bergman's Wild Strawberries.
We are all deprived by the fact that Heath Ledger could not reach that destination.
Ang Lee talked emotionally about Heath in an interview at ShoWest 2008, here's the link to view the video:
http://video.accesshollywood.com/player/?id=228082
Ang Lee talked emotionally about Heath in an interview at ShoWest 2008, here's the link to view the video:
http://video.accesshollywood.com/player/?id=228082
Ang Lee talked emotionally about Heath in an interview at ShoWest 2008, here's the link to view the video:
http://video.accesshollywood.com/player/?id=228082
Ang Lee talked emotionally about Heath in an interview at ShoWest 2008, here's the link to view the video:
http://video.accesshollywood.com/player/?id=228082
Ang Lee talked emotionally about Heath in an interview at ShoWest 2008, here's the link to view the video:
http://video.accesshollywood.com/player/?id=228082
Again and again Ang slips into present tense when talking about Heath:" he shows every sign of ...; ...that's how intense and devoted he is...; he is a great actor, I miss him a lot"
Let me add my thanks for posting this. What a lovely man - so honest, open and unassuming, and it's clear that he speaks from his heart. I was so touched.
Marie
Heya Chrissi,
This is really interesting to note. :( :'( The present/past tense issue just really makes clear how much of a shock this tragedy regarding Heath still is. It's clear that a lot of folks who care about Heath really haven't adjusted to the new reality yet.
:(
Michael Stipe has paid tribute to Heath Ledger during R.E.M’s set at this year’s SXSW in Austin Texas.
The front man dedicated the track ‘Until The Day Is Done’ to the actor as they gave the audience a taste of their new album ‘Accelerate’.
Before performing the song he said, "This is dedicated to Heath Ledger who loved this song," before ending it with, "Goodbye Heath, we loved you!"
http://www.gigwise.com/news/41494/michael-stipe-pays-tribute-to-heath-ledger
Here's a link to the entire article on Heath in Interview magazine, complete with gorgeous photos. I think somebody's scanned the magazine, but if you keep clicking on each page, it zooms in enough that you can read it and see the photos clearly.
One mix of photos seems to have been taken by Naomi Watts' brother around the time of the movie 'Ned Kelly'. Heath himself has drawn and written on most of them. Priceless! The one of Heath with Michelle, him pretending to be pregnant with her, is just so sweet.
The great love and affection Heath's friends obviously felt for him, and the high esteem in which he was held, shines through in this moving article. Very beautiful. I loved it! It confirms so much of what I already thought about Heath, but didn't know for certain.
http://www.shareapic.net/283699-Heath-Ledger-in-Interview-Magazine-April-2008.html
I agree and Naomi Watts seems like she knew Heath through and through too, which I think is beautiful. They were together a long time, weren't they? Longer than he was with Michelle?
Small tribute from Anne Hathaway at the end of the speech:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZuIdQVEVY0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZuIdQVEVY0)
Thanks for posting that Milan. She's a classy lady! :)
sidenote - I didn't know her brother was gay.
This new reality bites!!
http://www.macuser.com/ipod/heath_ledgers_ipod_serves_as_a.php
July 17, 2008
Heath Ledger’s iPod serves as a living memory
Posted Jul. 17, ’08, 9:57 AM PT by Cyrus Farivar
As Batman: The Dark Knight Returns opens nationwide, there have been a lot of comments about the late actor, Heath Ledger, who passed away just after the conclusion of the film’s shooting.
Valleywag noticed that in a recent edition of The Today Show, Aaron Eckhart, a co-star in the film, talked about Ledger’s iPod and his friends’ relationship to it:
I told a little story about Heath’s iPod. Whenever we went into the trailer we’d say “Whose iPod is this?” Because it would always be some wacked-out music nobody had ever heard of before. And it was Heath’s. And that iPod has since become a symbol of Heath and his friends pass it around to each other, download the music and then pass it on.
Snarky comments about actors promoting music piracy aside, I guess I’d never considered someone’s playlist a reflection of who they are, but I suppose in a lot of ways, it is. I suppose I should make sure that someone has my iTunes Account password before I pass on so they can enjoy stuff that I bought too.
http://www.macuser.com/ipod/heath_ledgers_ipod_serves_as_a.php
July 17, 2008
Heath Ledger’s iPod serves as a living memory
Posted Jul. 17, ’08, 9:57 AM PT by Cyrus Farivar
As Batman: The Dark Knight Returns opens nationwide, there have been a lot of comments about the late actor, Heath Ledger, who passed away just after the conclusion of the film’s shooting.
Valleywag noticed that in a recent edition of The Today Show, Aaron Eckhart, a co-star in the film, talked about Ledger’s iPod and his friends’ relationship to it:
I told a little story about Heath’s iPod. Whenever we went into the trailer we’d say “Whose iPod is this?” Because it would always be some wacked-out music nobody had ever heard of before. And it was Heath’s. And that iPod has since become a symbol of Heath and his friends pass it around to each other, download the music and then pass it on.
Snarky comments about actors promoting music piracy aside, I guess I’d never considered someone’s playlist a reflection of who they are, but I suppose in a lot of ways, it is. I suppose I should make sure that someone has my iTunes Account password before I pass on so they can enjoy stuff that I bought too.
:) I'm not sure whether this has been posted before, but it is a great tribute to Heath
by another writer:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005132/board/thread/116608048 (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005132/board/thread/116608048)
I had never read this one and it was so sad but at the same time so loving and respectful.............................. :'(
Hey all,
Have not been here in a loooong while but I wanted to share something I just read that gave me chills.
Alec Baldwin, in answering questions for a Time Magazine piece, had this to say about Heath:
Watch a movie like "Brokeback Mountain," which is an incredible movie. You know, Heath Ledger dying was this huge tragedy because he gave one of the greatest screen performances of a male performer in 50 years, literally. Like with Brando. I would never say that, but he was that great in that movie. Forget Batman and all this other crap. "Brokeback Mountain" was just unbelievable.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/16/alec-baldwin-tina-fey-nai_n_126857.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/16/alec-baldwin-tina-fey-nai_n_126857.html)
Love,
Jenny
Hey all,
Have not been here in a loooong while but I wanted to share something I just read that gave me chills.
Alec Baldwin, in answering questions for a Time Magazine piece, had this to say about Heath:
Watch a movie like "Brokeback Mountain," which is an incredible movie. You know, Heath Ledger dying was this huge tragedy because he gave one of the greatest screen performances of a male performer in 50 years, literally. Like with Brando. I would never say that, but he was that great in that movie. Forget Batman and all this other crap. "Brokeback Mountain" was just unbelievable.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/16/alec-baldwin-tina-fey-nai_n_126857.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/16/alec-baldwin-tina-fey-nai_n_126857.html)
Love,
Jenny
Hey all,
Have not been here in a loooong while but I wanted to share something I just read that gave me chills.
Alec Baldwin, in answering questions for a Time Magazine piece, had this to say about Heath:
Watch a movie like "Brokeback Mountain," which is an incredible movie. You know, Heath Ledger dying was this huge tragedy because he gave one of the greatest screen performances of a male performer in 50 years, literally. Like with Brando. I would never say that, but he was that great in that movie. Forget Batman and all this other crap. "Brokeback Mountain" was just unbelievable.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/16/alec-baldwin-tina-fey-nai_n_126857.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/16/alec-baldwin-tina-fey-nai_n_126857.html)
Love,
Jenny
Wow, I love that sentence,forget Batman and all this other crap,BBM was just unbelievable and so say all of us.!!!!
Hey all,
Have not been here in a loooong while but I wanted to share something I just read that gave me chills.
Alec Baldwin, in answering questions for a Time Magazine piece, had this to say about Heath:
Watch a movie like "Brokeback Mountain," which is an incredible movie. You know, Heath Ledger dying was this huge tragedy because he gave one of the greatest screen performances of a male performer in 50 years, literally. Like with Brando. I would never say that, but he was that great in that movie. Forget Batman and all this other crap. "Brokeback Mountain" was just unbelievable.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/16/alec-baldwin-tina-fey-nai_n_126857.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/16/alec-baldwin-tina-fey-nai_n_126857.html)
Love,
Jenny
What's the point of 'forgetting' and denigrating everything else Heath did? He evidently didn't believe that his other work was "crap", and that doesn't honor his memory.
You can amend the statement to "so say all of us minus at least one." I want no part of that.
I did not read the statement as meaning the rest of Heath's work was crap. I cannot imagine a fellow actor being so rude as to even vaguely suggest that. I just took it to men all the "crap" that surrounded Heath's death.People crawling out te wood work to comment on his alleged heavy drug use, suggesting he had not provided for Matilda etc.
Maybe I am just naieve, but that is how I read it. Is BBM his finest acting role, for me yes, but did I also love Candy, TDK,AKT, Casanova, 10 things, yes I most certainly did.
Could Mr Baldwin be referring to some of the roles that the critics here,panned maybe.I am going to continue to read it as all the general hoopla surrounding Heath.
Sorry if I offended anyone, that was never my intention.
And what he actually said was "Forget Batman and all this other crap. 'Brokeback Mountain' was just unbelievable."
I agree.......in BBM Heath played a man, who many many people can relate to and understand, because he was REAL......his character in Batman was that of a, for want of a better word, "cartoon character", anyone who donned all that makeup would have looked like the Joker, but NO ONE could have played the part of Ennis, as well, and as perfectly as Heath did.
I met Heath Ledger in 2000. I was working on From Hell and he was shooting A Knights Tale which were both being shot in and around Prague.
It was one of the best and worst times of my life - I was in a Hollywood movie, shooting scenes with Johnny Depp and Robbie Coltrane but behind all the glitz and the glamour there was a sour taste to the whole experience: I (unlike many of the other actors working on the film), had been out in Prague for nearly three months, it was lonely living out of a hotel room and I had terrible anxiety and self doubt with regards to my part in the movie itself - coupled with some unpleasant incidents on set, I felt very isolated and vulnerable.
One evening during that time, some of the actors from my film had arranged to meet some of the actors from the other film at a night spot in Prague and I happened to be in that very same bar when they arrived. Out of everyone who was there, it was Heath who asked me if I would like to join their party, some of the guys had said hello to me when they arrived and Heath had deduced I must have been working on the other film and that I was on my own.
I had a really great time that night, and on a couple occasions Heath invited me over to his apartment to hang out with his friends. It was on one of those occasions that this photo was taken. Heath had discovered that I was an artist and that I was also a photographer and he had with him an old bashed up camera which he handed to me and asked if I wouldn't mind taking some shots of him and Heather Graham.
That will be my enduring memory of him - how he was completely genuine and his startling kindness - he made me feel included when I had been excluded and made my memories of Prague a great deal happier than they might have been... I can't imagine how devastated the people who knew him well must be.
I wanted to share this with the dA community as it's been reported that far right extremists intend to picket and disrupt his funeral. Know this, Heath Ledger was a good person, a kind person: please don't let anyone persuade you otherwise. His loss should be mourned, not mocked.
Scholarship in Ledger’s honour will give new talent a leg up
25th September 2008, 12:45 WST
A scholarship named in Heath Ledger’s honour will give an Australian actor a shot at making it big in Hollywood.
Los Angeles-based entertainment organisation, Australians in Film, and Ledger’s family unveiled details of the Heath Ledger Scholarship today.
“As a result of this scholarship, a talented Australian actor will gain valuable assistance to support their personal goals and an opportunity for recognition in the very tough US film industry,” Ledger’s father, Kim Ledger, said.
read the entire story here:
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=5&ContentID=99668
British funnyman SIMON PEGG was left stunned and "humbled" after meeting HEATH LEDGER, when the late star revealed he was a fan.
Pegg and his wife were mingling at the BAFTA Awards in Britain, when Ledger was nominated for Brokeback Mountain - and he was thrilled when the American made his way over to him to say hello.
The Hot Fuzz star recalls, "My wife loved Brokeback Mountain and said, 'Please introduce me to Heath Ledger,' and I'm like, 'I'm not gonna bother him. He gets bothered enough.' I was gonna have to go, 'Hello Heath, this is my wife,' which I was nervous about doing.
"That evening I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned around and it was Heath Ledger and his wife (girlfriend Michelle Williams). He said, 'I really liked Shaun of The Dead,' and I felt so humbled by that because he's such a massive star and he actually bothered to do that.
"It left me with such a good impression of him, which made his death even more awful after having that moment with him and meeting such a gracious person."
Pegg only wishes that every big star was like Ledger: "There's a lot of ego in this business and some people sometimes don't want you to know that you like them. I'm not like that. I do go up to people and tell them they're great. It's a relief sometimes when you go up to somebody to say hello and they know who you are; it just takes the edge off it."
imdb.com
A long time passed since 10 Things I Hate About You hit the big screen. Julia Stiles got Bourne, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has become a powerhouse on the indie scene, and Heath Ledger ... we know what became of him. I'm guessing that his death and reminiscing moments about his work is what inspired this next piece of news: Ace Showbiz reports that ABC Family is going to make the Shakespeare-inspired film into a television series, with the film's director, Gil Junger, signed on to helm the pilot. In it, Kate and Bianca Stratford will face "their new high school environment." I don't know if that means freshman hitting the big leagues, or the girls moving to a new zip code, but I can only hope that they come up with a new love interest for Kate. There's only one Patrick Verona.
'The Dark Knight' Brings Heath Ledger 2008 AFI Awards' Nomination
Through the announcement of L'Oreal Paris 2008 AFI Awards' nominees,
it is unveiled that Heath Ledger, Eric Bana and Nicole Kidman are among
those nominated for the international AFI award.
Heath Ledger's thrilling performance as Batman's psychotic villain, Joker, in 'The
Dark Knight' has brought him recognition from Australian Film Institute. On
Wednesday, October 29 as the Australian Film Institute announced the
nominees for L'Oreal Paris 2008 AFI Awards in Sydney, it was revealed that
the late actor has been listed among the nominees for the international AFI
award.
Two of Heath Ledger's close friends have revealed how the late Australian actor yearned for friendships with ordinary people as his celebrity status soared.
Jud Mongell, Ledger's business partner in the New York eatery Five Leaves, and tattoo artist Scott Campbell became firm friends with the actor after Ledger's Oscar-nominated performance in Brokeback Mountain.
Campbell had done seven tattoos for Ledger.
"We would all hang out in the West Village, and he was just like the guy with a cigarette," Campbell told the New York Times.
"He loved when anyone would react to him as a normal person. He really appreciated that."
Ledger would give out his cigarettes and strike up a conversation with just about anyone, he said.
But the minute anyone said, 'You're Heath Ledger', the conversation would become stilted, Campbell said.
Ledger, 28, died on January 22 from an accidental overdose of a cocktail of medications. He was found dead in his Soho apartment by a masseuse.
The actor had just completed his last film, The Dark Knight.
In 2005 Ledger and Mongell met at a beach party in Australia and as their friendship developed, they planned an Australia-meets-America cafe bar.
The nautical-themed eaterie, specialising in oysters, opened on September 17, in the Williamsburg district of Brooklyn where Ledger had spent some time.
The area is known for its arts community and ethnic flavours.
"After a while, Heath had all his regular spots around here, and no one would call Page Six (the gossip page of the tabloid New York Post) anymore when he walked in the door, because nobody cared," Campbell told the paper.
"This (the cafe bar) would have been Heath's hangout," Mongell told the Times.
Mongell runs Five Leaves with his wife.
He still refers to Ledger as an equal partner in the business and says Ledger's father, Kim, manages the business finances.
Mongell said the actor took New York to his heart.
"He taught his daughter how to skateboard. He rode his bike over the Williamsburg Bridge. He visited farmers markets. He played chess in Washington Square Park and he brought coffee for the paparazzi," he told the newspaper.
"He was just one of us, man."
Ledger's family slams 'false' biography
Mex Cooper, Daile Pepper
November 21, 2008 - 4:31PM
Heath Ledger's family has slammed a book written about the dead Australian actor that suggests he was mentally ill.
Ledger's family released a statement this afternoon slating the unauthorised biography, titled Heath: A Family's Tale.
The statement said author and News Limited journalist Janet Fife-Yeomans had falsely insinuated close family members had spoken to her.
Fife-Yeomans interviewed Ledger's uncle Hadyn, who is estranged from the family.
He tells the author about his own bipolar diagnosis and friends tell of their suspicions about the actor's mental health before he died of an accidental drug overdose.
The book suggests a family history of mental illness and has sparked worldwide media reports that Ledger could have suffered from bipolar disorder.
Ledger's immediate family, close friends and associates moved today to distance themselves from the book, they said contained false allegations about the actor's father, Kim.
"The book contains gross inaccuracies, false allegations (against Kim Ledger) and many incorrect and unsubstantiated comments about Heath in his youth, provided by estranged family members and some people who had little to do with Heath's life,'' the statement said.
"Further, Fife-Yeomans has no right to infer that we (as Heath's family) in any way authorised this book.
"We have never contributed to or authorised any publications about our son.''
Ledger, 28, was found dead in his New York apartment in January.
The book has been touted by publisher Murdoch Books as a "definitive look at the real life of Heath Ledger from childhood to fully fledged stardom, with exclusive personal insights from his family and friends''.
The Age was seeking comment from Murdoch Books at the time of publication.
This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/11/21/1226770725826.html
All this sensationalism and misinformation really is too bad. One thing I find kind of disheartening about this report and the family's reaction is the sense that they feel that a diagnosis of bi-polar disorder would be somehow shameful or a stigma. I mean, if Heath really wasn't bi-polar, then it's a good idea to stop the spread of false information. But, the idea that someone might be bi-polar isn't really a put down. It's an illness like any other illness and shouldn't involve judgment.
Well said, Amanda!
All this sensationalism and misinformation really is too bad. One thing I find kind of disheartening about this report and the family's reaction is the sense that they feel that a diagnosis of bi-polar disorder would be somehow shameful or a stigma. I mean, if Heath really wasn't bi-polar, then it's a good idea to stop the spread of false information. But, the idea that someone might be bi-polar isn't really a put down. It's an illness like any other illness and shouldn't involve judgment.
THERE is a scene in the new Hollywood blockbuster Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke finds impossible to watch without shedding a tear.
Tears rolled down her face when she shot the scene. Again in the quiet and darkness of the editing booth.
The emotional trigger has nothing to do with the storyline of Twilight or the acting by the young cast.
The scene takes place in a rugged, forest region of Oregon in the US north-west and it was while scouting the location on January 22 that Hardwicke heard her beloved friend, Heath Ledger, was dead.
"We were in a van scouting," Hardwicke, her eyes moistening again and hands trembling slightly, told AAP during an interview in a suite in Los Angeles' Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
"Someone's phone rang. They answered it and I instantly realised something was wrong with the reaction.
"It was very strange. The person said: 'OK, I won't say anything'.
"I said: 'What was that about?' and they said: 'We don't even know if it is true. There's rumours Heath has passed away'.
"Then one second later my cell phone rang and it didn't stop ringing."
Hardwicke, a 53-year-old California director whose breakthrough was the 2003 independent drama, Thirteen, cast Ledger as the lead of her 2005 film, Lords of Dogtown, set on the Los Angeles beaches of Santa Monica and Venice.
The director soon received confirmation the rumours were true.
Ledger had died from an accidental overdose of prescription painkillers and anti-depressants in his Manhattan apartment.
"Everybody who worked on Dogtown called because they all loved Heath," Hardwicke said.
"To all of the kids, Emile Hirsch and Victor Rasuk, Heath was their mentor. They all freaked out beyond despair.
"For me, I can't really watch the one scene in Twilight where I received that call.
"That's where I heard that news. It is my one little thing. My moment.
"To hear about someone you love, someone so magical, passing like that, was just crushing."
Here's kind of a happier Heath "tribute" (I see it as a tribute, anyway... 8) )
I picked up the "Election Issue" of MAD Magazine because it did a satire of The Dark Knight. There's a panel in which the Joker is dangling Rachel (Maggie G) out a skyscraper window. They drew him with a golden Oscar sticking out of his pocket!
(And he asks, "didn't I go camping with your brother once"?)
That's funny! Is that out on the stands now, or am I too late?
I don't know! I got it at the airport, around Thanksgiving. So it's either still on stands, or one issue back. The cover has Alfred E. Neuman in the Red/Light blue/Navy Barak Obama motif.
8)
(You can order back issues from MAD, I believe. You can get the one with the Brokeback Mountain satire while you're at it!)
Over on the MSNBC website today they have a big "slideshow" feature depicting in memorium portraits of celebrities and important public figures who have passed away this year. Of course, Heath is part of this set of portraits.
:'(
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/dec/14/terry-gilliam-remembers-heath-ledger
Heath Ledger
The actor, who died aged 28 on 22 January from an accidental overdose, remembered by the director who was working with him at the time
by Terry Gilliam
The Observer, Sunday 14 December 2008
.......
That's why, when he died, it was as if half of the world had collapsed.
Heath was nominated for a SAG award today! :)
While languishing in an airport over the weekend I bought the German quality news magazine "Der Spiegel's" 2008 cavalcade issue. It's filled with in-depth articles summarizing the main events of 2008. On the movie front, it singles out Heath and TDK for praise. Over 2 full pages, it concludes that TDK is the film of the year, and that Heath is the star of the year.
The lengthy article goes into the wonder of Heath's acting in TDK particularly and also summarizes his life and career, and moreover analyzes and praises the impact of TDK. There are 3 pictuers - one of Heath and Jake/Ennis and Jack during the dozy embrace, one of Batman and the Joker in the interrogation room, and one of Nicholson's Joker. And though I can't give you the full extremely positive and admiration-filled article, here is a couple of small excerpts.
The article describes Heath's Joker as;
"....ein luziferisch strahlende Verführer, wie man so unheimlich, so gefährlich und zugleich unwiederstehlich ins Kino kaum je einen gesehen hat." (A devilishly magnificent seducer, one so sinister, so dangerous and so irresistible that something similar may never have been seen in cinemas.)
The article concludes as follows:
..."der Joker wird eine der Super-Rollen bleiben, an die sich so bald keiner anderer wagt." (The Joker will remain one of those "Super-Roles" that no other actor will dare take on for some considerable time to come".)
Meet Scott Campbell
December 3, 2008 on 4:03 pm | In -Yale Breslin, Art, Other-NewMedia |
Scott Campbell, a Brooklyn based tattoo artist, recently compiled some of his archived work (both past and present) to create a book of his accomplishments to date.
---------
......I’ve been humbled by the honor of tattooing memorial tattoos on Heath Ledger’s mother, father and sisters at his house the night before his memorial services.
Well, it's all going to start up again, the year end tributes to those we lost.
Not to mention the year anniversary coming up in 23 days.
I'll never forget that day. Someone left me a message on my cell "hey, I heard someone from Brokeback died but I didn't hear who."
What a schmuck to leave me a message like that. Needless to say I found out who and the tears came.
But, they went to. Life goes on but we must always remember those things and people who changed and shaped our lives.
Thank you Ennis for showing me the way, thank you Heath for bringing me Ennis!
(http://entimg.msn.com/i/gal/InMemoriam08/HLedgerHG0474258_502.jpg)
Heath Ledger, Jan. 22, age 28: Ledger's shocking accidental death, from a combination of prescription painkillers, sleeping aids and other medications, cut short a brilliant career -- of which we got glimpses in films like "Brokeback Mountain" and "The Patriot." Ledger's chilling, tormented portrayal of the Joker, in the posthumously released summer blockbuster "The Dark Knight," reminded his fans all over again of the enormous loss of this true talent. Ledger's contested estate was recently settled, with all of it going to his daughter with former fiancée Michelle Williams, Matilda. "To most of the world, Heath was an actor of immeasurable talent and promise," Ledger's father, Kim, said after his death. "We knew Heath as a loving father, as our devoted son, and as a loyal and generous brother and friend."
New tributes by colleagues and friends in Entertainment Weekly:
http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20252991,00.html (http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20252991,00.html)
In 2002, while making the Australian film Ned Kelly, Naomi fell in love with co-star Heath Ledger. “I hadn’t really been that familiar with his work,” Naomi recalls. “Then, when I got to the set and did that first scene with him, I was like, ‘Wow! This guy is alive.’ It was just something deep in his eyes. You could look into them, and they would tell a thousand stories in one glance. There was a wonderful mixture of power and fragility at work in everything he did, which just pulls you in. His strength didn’t scare you. It intrigued you. And his fragility touched you.” The couple parted amicably in 2004, separated by the distance of two growing careers, but stayed friends until Heath’s tragic death from an accidental overdose in early 2008. “It’s still incredibly difficult,” Naomi says, her voice trailing off.
That's what Naomi said about Heath in the new Parade magazine:
http://justjared.buzznet.com/2009/01/29/naomi-watts-parade-magazine-cover/#comments (http://justjared.buzznet.com/2009/01/29/naomi-watts-parade-magazine-cover/#comments)
Heath Ledger and his 'gentle way'
Even as a teen-idol, he showed signs of being separate from the pack.
The late Heath Ledger's stunning, almost unrecognizable turn as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" shouldn't have come as a surprise.
It was far from the first time he had transformed himself for a role, whether drastically, as the scruffy skateboarding impresario in "Lords of Dogtown," or subtly, as the repressed, gay cowboy in "Brokeback Mountain." Here, the recollections of some who worked with the supporting actor nominee add detail to a picture of a complex man and challenging artist whose creative fire and generosity of spirit lifted those around him.
"His energy and enthusiasm for life will never cease to inspire me," said Ledger's longtime friend and business partner Matt Amato. "A friend of mine said after Heath died that we must continue in Heath's 'gentle way.' Those words sounded perfect to me -- Heath's gentle way."
From Heath Ledger's American debut in the underrated "Taming of the Shrew" adaptation "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999) through "The Patriot" and the Chaucer-inspired romp "A Knight's Tale," the handsome young actor looked to be on a teen-idol trajectory. But even then, he showed signs of being separate from the pack.
"I was intimidated by how worldly wise he seemed to be and how much he understood himself," said Jason Isaacs, who played the sadistic Col. Tavington in "Patriot." "He took a house in the forest while we all lived together in a condo. Like many in my profession, I seem to need company and to fill the silence with noise; he didn't need that, and he was very happy in his house in the forest. I know 21-year-olds; I'd never met a 21-year-old like him."
In 2001's "Monster's Ball," he made an indelible impression in a brief appearance as a tough death-row guard's sensitive son. It was an understated, soulful turn in a supporting role -- hardly the stuff of a teen idol lusting for fame.
Indeed, Daniel Day-Lewis, who had never met Ledger, cited that performance last year while dedicating his SAG win for "There Will Be Blood" to the young actor just five days after his death, saying his character "seemed to be almost like an unformed being, retreating from themselves, retreating from his father, from his life, even retreating from us, and yet we wanted to follow him, and yet were scared to follow him, almost. It was unique."
After a few relatively unremarkable lead turns, he flexed his acting muscles in an offbeat supporting role in "Lords of Dogtown" (2005), directed by Catherine Hardwicke.
"With his physicality, he had style," said Hardwicke ( "Twilight"). "He didn't just surf or skate, he did it with his own weird, funky Heath style."
His metamorphosis to play the real-life Skip Engblom was startling. With long, ratty hair and eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses, he insisted on wearing prosthetic teeth, causing much fretting among those who hired him in part "for his beauty," Hardwicke said.
But Ledger, then a grizzled veteran in his mid-20s, brought more than quirky talent to the production.
"The younger actors, he was kind of like the godfather to all these boys, the Fagin," Hardwicke said. "He would encourage them, take them under his wing. He had half a trailer, he was so modest but he set up a camp outside it. He set up tiki torches and people would play guitars and call it Camp Heath."
Next, a more delicate transformation earned Ledger his first Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Beyond his rich emotional life as Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain," his subtle technical choices in the film were the fine strokes that completed the painting. His clenched jaw, tight shoulders and habitual mumbling spoke of a man stoically refusing to express his true self. It was only with his secret lover that Ennis could allow his muscles to relax, his voice to come out clearly.
In 2005, Ledger joined Amato in the Los Angeles-based arts collective the Masses to hone the skills to direct films, starting with music videos. A rapidly developing visual style is apparent in the handful of his videos released so far, for artists such as Ben Harper. His steep growth curve can be seen in two pieces he directed for rapper and childhood friend Nfa: The first, "Seduction Is Evil," is a fairly straightforward presentation, possibly inspired by "Chicago"; the second, "Cause N Effect," is something much freer, abstract and striking. Two more are complete and awaiting release: one of Australian singer Grace Woodroofe covering David Bowie's "Quicksand" and an animated clip Ledger designed and storyboarded for Modest Mouse, completed after his death.
"Both these new videos reflect Heath's talents as a visionary artist. Someday, there will be an exhibit of his stunning photographs," said Amato in an e-mail exchange. "What Heath brought to us at the Masses was his pure creative energy, chessboards and surfboards.
"One fond memory I have is how he assisted me on a difficult edit. My carpal-tunnel syndrome was acting up . . . so Heath said, 'I'll be your hands.' And he was."
Ledger's next projects included the gritty drug-addiction drama "Candy" and the Bob Dylan tribute "I'm Not There," making it possible to trace the evolution of his sexual cool from the charming teen of "10 Things" to the swaggering musical star he played in the Todd Haynes movie. Then came "The Dark Knight." With his terrifying alchemy as the Joker -- which may earn only the second posthumous acting Oscar -- Ledger gave his final completed performance.
"Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan, at a recent DGA symposium, spoke of Ledger's deep commitment to the role for months before shooting even began, saying the actor would call him up to talk about the character, how he should play him, and about other actors, movies and TV shows that had influenced him.
"Patriot" costar Isaacs witnessed it firsthand. Just before "Dark Knight" started shooting in London, he ran into Ledger and his then-partner Michelle Williams and their baby daughter. The new father was carrying around a notebook in which he was jotting ideas about the Joker. Remembering the 28-year-old Aussie's "boundless energy" and love of life and his daughter, Isaacs said of the young actor's fatal overdose of prescription drugs, "I knew in my heart there was no way it was suicide.
"I'll tell you an odd thing that happened," he added. "He died and everybody who had known him and worked with him on 'The Patriot,' we all phoned each other. Not like everybody didn't know; it was all over the headlines. None of us had anything particularly interesting or profound to say; we just wanted to say his name out loud. And be sad together. Because he was a lovely person."
Thank you for posting this MiLAn. I think it is a very lovely article, with lots of sweet bits.
The last part part by Isaacs got me a bit choked up again. :'(
Thanks for the pictures John.
I googled Kahlil Gibran (he's not well-known in Germany) and the words from the insciption because I like them. I almost fell off my chair when I found them and only two lines above in the same poem I found another line I love very much, but didn't know it's from Gibran:
For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?
(from The Prophet, On Death)
Another Kahlil Gibran was my neighbor. "The Prophet" Kahlil Gibran died in 1931. His cousin, and godson, with the same name, was my neighbor for 15 years in Boston. He was a neighborhood treasure, a sculptor, and a friend. He died last year at 85.
I dont know whether this has been on here anywhere, but I heard this today, and I cant get the words out of my mind........
If you click on this link, you will have the lyrics and the you tube for a beautiful song.......
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/james_blunt/one_of_the_brightest_stars.html
Yes Fiona, I remember that incident.
Actually, what happened was someone from the press or connected with the media, squirted him with a water pistol, while he was walking the red carpet, and filmed his reaction.
It happened at the Australian premiere of Brokeback Mountain...
JOHNNY DEPP has paid a personal tribute to the late HEATH LEDGER by naming a section of his private paradise island in the Bahamas after the tragic actor.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star owns Little Hall's Pond Cay in the Caribbean and frequently travels there with his girlfriend Vanessa Paradis and their two children, Lily-Rose, 10, and Jack, seven.
Depp reveals he has renamed a prime snorkelling spot Heath's Place, in memory of his pal, and admits the sunshine getaway provides the perfect place to unwind and escape from the pressures of Hollywood.
He tells Vanity Fair magazine, "I don’t think I'd ever seen any place so pure and beautiful.
"(Pond Cay life) is my decompression. It's my way of trying to return to normalcy. Escapism is survival to me. You can feel your pulse rate drop about 20 beats. It's instant freedom. ...And a little morsel of anonymity.
"Whenever I was getting frustrated about being 'novelty boy' and making movies, I told myself, Calm down. I can come down here and disappear. I spent the Christmas season here with Vanessa and the kids. You can feed hot dogs to the nurse sharks in the Exumas (the outer islands of the Bahamas) - but it's best to not swim when doing it."
Ledger died from an accidental prescription drug overdose in January 2008.
Depp is one of three actors who have stepped in to take over Ledger's role in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, his last unfinished project, alongside Colin Farrell and Jude Law.
I guess because I am very proud to be an Aussie, that when my countrymen let me down, or show such disregard for human decency like those that harrassed Heath, it just makes me disappointed even more, than I would be if it was someone who came from somewhere else.
And when I think that their actions, may have changed the course of Heath's life, where he decided to live, it just makes it all the more despicable. One moment like that, had it not happend, may have made things different.
I too am a great fan of Adam Lambert. Unfortunately, now that American Idol has finished on Aussie TV, we dont get much press about him, but I do hope he gets treated fairly, and has plenty of support and protection from the idiots out there who seem to get pleasure hurting these people.
I watched a movie called "Two Hands" the other night. A film made in Australia when Heath was only 19. And like I cant help myself doing now, when I watch him in any film, I feel some kind of guilt or knowing something I shouldn't know, that he only has a limited time left. It overcomes me, and I cant stop thinking it, as I watch him. And eventually the guilt turns to a sadness, such a dam awful sadness.
I feel the same when I look at photos of family or friends that have passed on. Like I want to crawl into the photo or film and tell them to be careful. Its an awful feeling.
Just read two articles/interviews that I really enjoyed. Both are by Paul Fischer. The first is an interview with Heath done in 2006, the second piece is a tribute written after Heath´s death.
Perhaps they´ve already been posted here.
"Heath's the best actor I've ever worked with," he says. "Coming off The Brothers Grimm, which wasn't particularly well-received, I remember telling people about him. 'Heath Ledger, you mean the guy from A Knight's Tale?' they would say. I'd tell them, 'No, you wait!' And then he did Brokeback Mountain and The Dark Knight. People just got a glimpse of what he was going to do. He was so full of life. I don't think I'll ever get over that, nor will anybody who knew him. He was a miracle of a man. It's just horrible. It sucks." He starts to tear up, and gulps down some much-needed mineral water.
Matt Damon:
http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/culture/matt-damon-golden-boy-20091222-lb0e.html (http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/culture/matt-damon-golden-boy-20091222-lb0e.html)
I was re-reading the original Cult thread (recommended on important holy days such as today) and thought the Book of Ennis deserved a review. Thank you again, Heath, for Ennis in all his inarticulate glory. 8)
http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,3653.msg100086.html#msg100086
I did what our High Priestess recommends. I reread the Book Of Ennis first, then reread the whole original Cult Thread.
Well worth the time, and appropriate for today.
Right now I'm about to leave the house, going to see Love and Other Drugs. Since it's been out in Germany (roughly a week), I've been thinking how sad it is that we will never again be able to see a new movie with Heath in the theaters. :'(
The world was deprived of a good man on that day.
I was re-reading the original Cult thread (recommended on important holy days such as today) and thought the Book of Ennis deserved a review. Thank you again, Heath, for Ennis in all his inarticulate glory. 8)
http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,3653.msg100086.html#msg100086
how very bittersweet, Chrissie
Right now I'm about to leave the house, going to see Love and Other Drugs. Since it's been out in Germany (roughly a week), I've been thinking how sad it is that we will never again be able to see a new movie with Heath in the theaters. :'(
Very touching montage of Heath scenes in Brokeback, with "Amazing Grace" as background music. Other Heath videos on this YouTube account.[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0APzgyy9jM[/youtube]
He continues to blow through my life-less like a tornado now and more like a sweet spring breeze.
Just re-watched the you tube montage of Heath in Brokeback scenes, and think to myself, what other memorable films would he have acted in over the past 5 years.......would we be waiting eagerly now if he had been nominated for another Academy Award.....how many photos of him and Matilda would have been posted on his thread here....or photos of him wearing those striped socks again to some gala event......
Its so sad that we didn't see him get that little bit older, more mature, more settled.
I miss him, and what could have been........what would have been.....
Just re-watched the you tube montage of Heath in Brokeback scenes, and think to myself, what other memorable films would he have acted in over the past 5 years.......would we be waiting eagerly now if he had been nominated for another Academy Award.....how many photos of him and Matilda would have been posted on his thread here....or photos of him wearing those striped socks again to some gala event......
Its so sad that we didn't see him get that little bit older, more mature, more settled.
I miss him, and what could have been........what would have been.....