Dont blame fate - fate probably wanted him to make many many more great films. Instead he popped some pills and got the drop on fate.

I cant even name the film, but I caught a showing on Showtime one saturday of an Aussie film where he played opposite a young girlfriend who got wrapped up in drugs and dismay after a promising start. Despite its hauntingly prophetic nature, it was a very genuine performance by Heath; and showed some acting chops Id yet to see in any of his American works. If anyone knows the film, it should be mentioned in this thread so people can seek it out.

His performance in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN is one of the most emotionally nuanced I've even seen. When he was cast as the Joker in TDK, I knew we were going to be in for something good. I just can't imagine the sad shadow this is going to cast on that film...not to mention his life and legacy. A true shame.

RIP.

I'll grant you this: it is possible that he suffered some form of seizure while taking legal doses of medication, thus pills being strewn around him. Its also possible he took one, swallowed wrong, and simply choked on it. For these possibilities, he deserves a moratorium on our judgement.

But I'm going on record that this will be declared an overdose, and that we'll find some unscrupulous money-grabbing pill salesmen calling himself a 'doctor to the stars' at the bottom of this whole sad affair.

Besides, even drugs seem to choose victims randomly. We keep a formerly coke-snorting, alcoholic monster as president and lose a terrifically talented actor. We lose.

This seems inconceivable. Heath really WAS on top of his game - and about ot explode with the role as The Joker. The world was at his feet. He had one hell of a body of work behind him. And, most importantly, a family - whether they were together or not, he and Michelle still had a daughter.

RIP Heath - whatever troubled you in this life, may you rest in peace. All our condolences (my fiancee and I) to his family and friends. An ascendant, spectacular talent is gone from us, and I can't fucking believe it.

Watching THE DARK KNIGHT will feel like nothing so much as watching THE CROW. One with so much to live for, with so much yet to do, gone far too soon.

"Don't let anyone tell you you don't deserve what you really want" - 10 Things I Hate About You.

RIP Heath Ledger.

That having been said, it is widely known that Ledger locked himself in a hotel for months, trying to summon that same persona.

If I began to grow disturbed after a few days, I can only imagine how disturbed he eventually became during his so-called psychological "training," Actually, I guess I do know... now. R.I.P., Ledger. You are the only real person that the Joker killed.

That having been said, it is widely known that Ledger locked himself in a hotel for months, trying to summon that same persona.

If I began to grow disturbed after a few days, I can only imagine how disturbed he eventually became during his so-called psychological "training," Actually, I guess I do know... now. R.I.P., Ledger. You are the only real person that the Joker killed.

If anyone's more bothered about the film, then you need to hide from your reflection for a few weeks.

R.I.P. Heath

This is all so weird. A real shame. At least his final role will immortalise him and he'll never be forgotten.

2. How can he be a douche and fuck around with drugs when he has a daughter.

3. Thanks for the link misterdude.

4. My balls itch.

5. Seriously, why wasn't it Amy Winehouse in the news? RIP Heath...

If I began to grow disturbed after a few days, I can only imagine how disturbed he eventually became during his so-called psychological "training," Actually, I guess I do know... now. R.I.P., Ledger. You are the only real person that the Joker killed.

Not to go right into The Joker comments, but this IS AICN, after all. Aside from the "is it finished yet" question, I'm wondering what his fate at movie's end will be. This films may be letting villains stick around, but what if they've filmed it with the Joker dying at the end? That could end up affecting the film's release and everything. In any case, the film will be tainted somehow.

But wow, this sucks.

Nobody dies in a "social vacuum" either. His wife/gf/whatever and his child are going to pay the price for this for a very long time. Insurance? Survivor benefits? Nope. Not for a suicide. Just pray that he didn't squander his earnings like a lot of celebs seem to do.

Heath Ledger. Looked like he was on his way to being really great. Turned out he was just another selfish prick.

Maybe when we learn to take responsibility for our own actions as a culture, than we will be able to make strides. Until then...

If it's an overdose he got what he deserved. If you fuck around with drugs you better know your limits. And if you have children, don't fuck around with drugs.

Come over, you can dye my pubes pink.

If I began to grow disturbed after a few days, I can only imagine how disturbed he eventually became during his so-called psychological "training," Actually, I guess I do know... now. R.I.P., Ledger. You are the only real person that the Joker killed.

Now, I DO feel for those killed in combat out in Iraq. I care that countless species are dying due to man-made global warming. I care that dolphins get caught in tuna nets. I care that Britney Spears, fucked up as she is, is being hounded to her grave by the subhuman shutterbug cunts that litter your country and mine.

But THIS IS NOT THAT TALKBACK - READ THE FUCKING STORY!

If you want to mourn the dead of Iraq - which is a worthy and decent thing to do - go and open a new topic. Create a whole blog, or better yet, a website. Just don't fucking belittle how the Heath Ledger fans on here feel just because YOU want some fucking attention, you fucking lame-ass trolls.

Noiw show some FUCKING RESPECT. Heath is gone. To some of us, that fucking matters.

Batman smells

Robin laid an egg

Batmobile

Lost a wheel

And the Joker died of an overdose

I need to work on my rhyming skillz.

Long-time fans of Heath Ledger (I only recently became one myself) should take comfort in the fact that his final performance will be monumental and dignified. Other skillful actors, such as Raul Julia, whose last role was that of M. Bison in Street Fighter, were not so fortunate.

In attempting to stop people from jumping to conclusions, you've jumped on some yourself. Take your own advice and stop typing for about 2 more hours.

Remember: its an honor just being nominated.

As for Heaths future films never to be made, I'm going to regret not being afforded the luxury to be entertained by Mr. Ledger ever again. I guess that makes me a really bad person.

The difference being your opportunity to jump around shouting "PAY ATTENTION TO ME IN THIS TALKBACK!!!!"

go ahead Stewart - show everyone what you can do.

Brandon deserves to be remembered and honored by those who cared. Ledger does not.

I f Heath Ledger did OD accident or not, he has left behind alot of sad people..his family and friends and to an extent his fans..they would give up all teh fame and money he ever had to have him back this evening..

we may have strong opinions on drugs but we dont know teh full story yet, I jsut feel for all the poeple that are left behind now he is gone..

Wow. A hater to the bitter end, eh? Happy now?

You have your opinion, I have mine. Mine is an extreme opinion and I firmly believe in it. If he did indeed overdose, then HE GOT WHAT HE DESERVED.

I've had loss, I laugh at life and move on. The way you assholes are carrying on you'd think you were Heath's butt-buddies.

Or, continue whining as you must. I'm sure the news will be littered with bullshit about this MEDIOCRE actor for weeks.

We'll see discussions on all the entertainment shows about what a loss this is to the world and how there will be so many roles we won't get to see himm in.

Bill "Dickhead" O'Reilly will have a show about drugs in Hollywood and how actors are giving our kids the wrong message.

Radio talk shows will compare his death to Princess Di or River Phoenix (as many of you dipshits have) and how Heath's death will have a positive/negative affect on today's media/society.

Fuck Ledger. What about his daughter? WHAT ABOUT HER? Who gives a fuck about "le movies 'ee will nevAR make". How can he put himself in a position to make his daughter live her life without a father?

He's nothing more than a MEDIOCRE actor who was fucking a living skeleton and overdosed on sleeping pills/smack/cocaine/sugar water/Diet Dr. Pepper.

I'll shit a living walrus out my butt if this is part of a viral campaign.

We have every right to judge him.

Sad stuff, great actor, gone way too young. Guess it just goes to show, you never know the demons that people carry with them daily, all you ever get to see is the fascade they use to cover them up with, some more successfully than others.

This is River Pheonix all over again, a real waste.

I have a sinus infection and need to pay a couple of bills.

I take it all back!

1) Heartfelt condolences to his friends and family, especially his daughter. It doesn't matter how/why he died, they deserve our sympathy and support

2) Prayers for his soul/spirit/chi/etc, if you're of a religious persuasion

3) If you are someone who is neither a friend or family member of Heath, and you feel emotionally distraught, you need to get a grip fast. His death in no way effects you, and you acting like it does just reveals how self-centered you are. We don't know what else he would've done in his career. We don't know what the entertainment world missed out on. But to act like this is a tragedy for you cheapens both the situation and his life. He didn't die so you'd have an excuse to cry.

4) If you're angry at Heath because you think he killed himself (accidentally or otherwise), you too need to get a grip. By expressing outrage you too are revealing yourself as self-centered. No one cares that you have no respect for those that kill themselves or use drugs or what have you.

Every death sucks. Ask not for whom the bell tolls etc. The best thing we can all do is lend sympathy where it is needed, and exercise restraint where it is warranted. Some of you definitely need to work on the latter.

As time went on, I had forgotten about Heath. When you get to be as old as me, you tend to be busy with jobs, family, and kids, and not necessarily in that order. It was then that I saw Lords of Dogtown. By all accounts, ‘Dogtown was one of those films that fly under everyone’s radar, but is enjoyed by those who’ve seen it. Maybe it wasn’t that that important a film or that spectacular of a role, but Heath Ledger gave all he had to play the surrogate father figure. He lost himself in the role and thoroughly stole that film and with only 20 minutes of screen time!

Following this up with the one-two punch of the quiet yet earnest role of a pining lover in Brokeback Mountain and the evidence was clear: Heath was something special. Like Val Kilmer or Russell Crowe, Heath Ledger had the knack for being able to portray masculine bravado AND subtle honesty, which is no small feat in our modern Hollywood era of cookie-cutter instant stars. This man was a hard working actor. A man who actually TRIED to wow us, to give us what we want.

And then, like everyone else, I laid eyes upon the trailer for this summer’s The Dark Knight. In just a little over two minutes, it was clear that Heath Ledger was going to become one of our greatest actors. We saw his dark side, his nasty side, his demons that no one else knew about. For any fan of Batman, Heath Ledger seemed poised to give us what we have always wanted: Batman’s nemesis. For any fan of cinema, however, Ledger was poised to give us something larger: a truly great actor with enough range, enough good looks, and enough chutzpah to mesmerize audiences for years to come.

He was a young man in the prime of his life and we were going to see the beginning of something great…

We all were about to see a man change the stars..

I know not what demons possessed him to take his own life, and make no mistake, he did take his own life, whether born of misery or selfish neglect, I can never judge nor could I begin to even try. He was not taken by G-d, life, or the world. The tragedy is that he left of his own volition. Whether because of fear, shame, pain of the spirit, he left. He left behind his fame. He left behind his glory. He left behind his audiences who loved him. He left behind his wife who loved him in her own special way. And he left behind his own daughter, who will forever miss the most precious thing in her own life: her daddy.

But I will always remember him fondly and with heartfelt thanks. In his own way, he brought a small measure of joy and excitement in my life, and however that joy can be valued, I will always thank him for that gift. For the sake of his own wife and daughter and, in my own selfishness, the joy that he brought to my love of stories, I wish that he had lived longer. I wish he could have seen his stars changed.

May the Lord love you and forgive you, take you in his loving embrace, keep you under his wing. Whether you are awake or asleep, may your travels and dreams be equally blessed. Find rest, Heath…find peace…find your stars.

Amen

We will always miss you.

http://tinyurl.com/2mcvqm

Apparently he locked himself away for a month, trying to "find" the character. It seems awful to think about it now, but might have that preparation put him in an emotionally or psychologically unstable state?

The weight of that role, the nature of the character he had to inhabit for months on end, coupled with the breakup he was going through with his wife might, just might, have been too much to bear.

Of course, we'll never know. But the Joker is such a dark character that would take anyone (aside from Jack Nicholson) to such sinister places, it's not inconceivable that it might have been a factor.

So sad. :(

They are particularly distraught over media reports that he may have taken his own life. The family says he was not that kind of person.

As we just reported, Heath was ill with pneumonia when he died.

Just plain sad...

They are particularly distraught over media reports that he may have taken his own life. The family says he was not that kind of person.

As we just reported, Heath was ill with pneumonia when he died.

They are particularly distraught over media reports that he may have taken his own life. The family says he was not that kind of person.

As we just reported, Heath was ill with pneumonia when he died.

They are particularly distraught over media reports that he may have taken his own life. The family says he was not that kind of person.

As we just reported, Heath was ill with pneumonia when he died.

They are particularly distraught over media reports that he may have taken his own life. The family says he was not that kind of person.

As we just reported, Heath was ill with pneumonia when he died.

They are particularly distraught over media reports that he may have taken his own life. The family says he was not that kind of person.

As we just reported, Heath was ill with pneumonia when he died.

They are particularly distraught over media reports that he may have taken his own life. The family says he was not that kind of person.

As we just reported, Heath was ill with pneumonia when he died.

Find it funny how many retards are worried about a film. Don't worry. Your precious film will be released on time.

It will be interesting to see what the cause of death is. You hear so many things whether it be a website or the watching the news. Oh, and by the way, he wasn't married. For all the die hard Heath fans I figured you would know that.

What happens with pneumonia is that young, healthy people think it's just a cold or a flu or something they can deal with on their own, so they don't get it checked out by a doctor. By the time they can no longer breathe right, it's too late.

Ledger told The New York Times in a November interview that he ``stressed out a little too much" during the Dylan film, and had trouble sleeping while portraying the Joker, whom he called a ``psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy.''

"Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night,'' Ledger told the Times. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going." He said he took two Ambien pills, which only worked for an hour, the paper said.

That kind of shit will mess with your mind and body. And if you can't handle it, it'll break you down.

The REALLY sad thing is that, eveidently, there was no one around to see the signs and pull him back from the edge. He literally and figuratively was alone when he passed. Very sad.

But our opinions are defendable, whether you agree with the timeliness or not, because some of us are shocked and just trying to find meaning and reason for a senesless, tragic passing. Fuck whether we "knew him" or not. That's not the point. We feel some kind of loss.

But THAT was fucking tastless man. Shame on you. I'm so outta here.

Chrth made a point re: building up immunity. Happens to wrestlers all the time who are on the gas. They take roids until they hit this very high wall of tolerence. They go off them for awhile but when they hop back on to firm up, they take the same amount they last finished with....which kills them. Because their tolerance has dropped during the period they were not doing drugs.

Ahem, sorry about that

RIP

If it was the drugs, as seems likely, it's inane to blame fate. Man the fuck up, and lay responsibility where it belongs.

If you have a 2 year old kid, and you're doing drugs, you're a dick. End of fucking story.

"After several independent films, Ledger moved to Los Angeles at age 19 and costarred opposite Julia Stiles in "10 Things I Hate About You." Offers for other teen flicks soon came his way, but Ledger turned them down, preferring to remain idle than sign on for projects he didn't like.

"It wasn't a hard decision for me," Ledger told the Associated Press in 2001. "It was hard for everyone else around me to understand. Agents were like, `You're crazy,' my parents were like, `Come on, you have to eat.'"

When I read that "come on you have to eat" I thought about Pound Sand bringing on the "so and so gotta eat" catchphrase about a year ago or so.

More about Heath: for those of you who don't know, he was so worried about distancing himself from Nicholson's Joker that he checked himself into a hotel for a month and didn't leave and limited his interaction with other people. His goal was to get inside the head of the Joker and really create a new interpretation of the character. Talk about dedicated!

Lastly, one report I read said he had pnuemonia and may have died from choking to death. Considering I've just recovered from it myself (roughly a week ago) I can tell you its miserable...you can't breathe when you're awake so you try to sleep but can't because you cough too much. So you load up on anything to make you drowsy. Read that carefully folks. Just because sleeping pills were in his room doesn't mean anything. I agree w/Ultron--no rushing to judgement or being self-righteous okay! Autopsy is tomorrow so as soon as the results are released you can all pass judgement then.

Just imagine if his mother read those insensitive posts.

I live in his hometown (Perth, Western Australia), and I know many people who have met him - all of whom have nothing but good things to say about him.

This, like any life cut short, is a tragedy. If you really want to impress us by flaunting your moral superiority, maybe you should find a different forum to do so, because this one's about paying your respect - not being a complete cock-snorkler.

I, for one, would be quite proud of you guys for having the balls to show how much you truly respect Mr. Ledger and his family. Even if that means that this post must also be deleted!

Unless the dead person a murderer or child abuser/molester, then theres such a thing as a basic respect for the dead. When did people lose the ability to just say "What a shame, my condolences to his friends and family"? Is that so hard?

By all accounts the man was hard working, supported charities and was respected in his chosen field - that to me speaks of a decent person. Condemning him when we don't have all the facts is grossly unfair.

If after all is said and done and he DID kill himself, the real victim is his young daughter who will forever be without her father, and have a negative stigma throughout her own life. Ledger would still get some sympathy from me, as he clearly would have required help, and the mind can make people do some messed up things.

It's a shame when anyone dies so young, and the acting world has lost a great talent.

As a father, I'm torn apart by this. Heath seemed like such a solid guy.

God damn it.

Allowing fans to give their thanks and blessings to Heath and his family is one of the reasons why the internet is so great, however, the sick, heartless loners who trashtalk a dead human who can not defend themselves, make the internet a shitty place to be.

Allowing fans to give their thanks and blessings to Heath and his family is one of the reasons why the internet is so great, however, the sick, heartless loners who trashtalk a dead human who can not defend themselves, make the internet a shitty place to be.

I don't think that it's all about celebrity worship. Harry might be more affected because he actually met the man, and I can bet that Heath was someone that Harry looked up to. People can be upset because he was a talented, good natured person who had a bright future, it's not just about the headlines or because he was a god. It's because he went too soon and he's someone who shouldn't have.

Celebrity worship is when you mimic Paris Hilton's wardrobe or know who Jessica Simpson is dating this week. Mourning a talented actors death is not worship. And he was more than an actor, that's just what you and I saw from him. He was a person above that, and you shouldn't ignore that fact.