Fans mourn on Ledger's eighth death anniversary
Fans of actor Heath Ledger- The Joker mourned his death on his eighth death anniversary. The Hollywood actor was remembered for his versatility and his histrionic acting in movies like 'Casanova', 'The Knight's Tale' and 'Brokeback Mountain'. Ledger had earlier been honoured in his hometown of Perth with the Heath Ledger Theatre named after him by the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia.
Who was Heath Ledger?
Heath Ledger was a famous Hollywood actor and director, hailing from Perth, Australia. Born in 1979, Heath left his home for Sydney wishing to taste success in acting. After a rough struggle, he returned to Perth and did small roles for TV shows 'Sweat' and 'Clowning Around'. In 1998, he left for the US to develop a successful acting career.
The Joker's family life
Heath Ledger became a father, at the age of twenty-six, when his fiancé Michelle Williams gave birth to their daughter Matilda Rose Ledger in 2005. His relationship ended with Michelle in late 2007.
Heath Ledger's roles that etched a mark forever
The Hollywood superstar has left behind a legacy of unforgettable roles within his comparatively short career span. He became a heartthrob with '10 things I hate about you' (1999) and with 'The Patriot' (2000) he proved his acting skills. His turning point came with the iconic role in 'Brokeback Mountain' (2005); however, the role that defined his success was in 'The Dark Knight' (2008).
Awards and accolades
Heath Ledger won 71 awards and several nominations. However, in 2009, he posthumously won the Oscar, BAFTA and the Golden Globe as the Best Supporting actor for his role in 'The Dark Knight'.
Events that rocked the actor's life
2004: The Sydney Press reported that Heath spat at the journalists on the film-sets of 'Candy'. 2005: The Los Angeles Times called his critically-acclaimed role in 'Brokeback Mountain' an "apparent gay spoof". 2006: Christopher Nolan, director of 'The Dark Knight' was scorned for choosing Heath Ledger as the anti-hero to Batman and his previous roles were publicly ridiculed with 'Gay Batman' jokes.
The death that shook the Hollywood industry
Heath Ledger died due to an overdose of drugs at the early age of 28, shocking his fans and the film industry. He was found, naked and unconscious with both prescription medication and non-prescription sleeping pills on his night table, by the NY city police. He was suspected of pushing himself into a spiral of depression and committing suicide due to drug-overdose.
Documentary on Heath Ledger
The often discussed theory that Ledger's role as 'The Joker' led to his depression and fatal drug-addiction was used to create a German documentary 'Heath Ledger: Too Young To Die' depicting chilling excerpts from his diary, which he maintained while preparing for his role.
