OT: Actor Heath Ledger dies - at 28.

[jrnyman28]

Am I the only person who didn't care for Heath? He was good in The Patriot, but everything else I have seen him in has been fair at best. I don't like the slurring, half-drugged style he portrayed "so well". And it seems drugs and depression were his role of choice.

I do give him credit for turning down work because he didn't like the roles. Apparantly after "10 Things I hate About You" he got a ton of offers for similar roles and he passed waiting for something meatier. That I can respect. He was not the typical media whore!

I agree that here is someone who seems to have been very troubled living a life most of us would eagerly accept given OUR everyday stresses. It is difficult to find sympathy. But then again, I have never gone through a divorce or celebrity so I guess I cannot relate.

Finally, why would he have been legitamately taking sleeping pills if he had an appointment with a masseuse? Accidental? On purpose? Or just stupid...

[Rockindeano]

Yeah. I've done that after gigs to Deano. I call it "Elvis-ing" to get some sleep!

Now I am scared. It feels so good to sleep that sound, but goddam, the dry mouth is awful.

[Classic Rock]

I found this in the trivia section for The Dark Knight on IMDb

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/trivia

“The Joker's character is based on his first two appearances in the comic books, as well as his portrayal in the graphic novel "The Killing Joke." To prepare for the role, Heath Ledger lived alone in a hotel room for a month researching the character and developing his performance, which he claims is based upon Sid Vicious and the character of Alex in A Clockwork Orange (1971). Ledger found the role extremely difficult, and suffered insomnia as a result.”

Wonder if this has anything to do with the sleeping pills?!

[Rhiannon]

[finalfight]

That poster is a fan made and doesn't represent how Heath looks in the movie, not even sure it is him at all.

May he rest in peace.

[treetopovskaya]

i'm shocked. }:C((

[Luvsaugeri]

Yeah. I've done that after gigs to Deano. I call it "Elvis-ing" to get some sleep!

Now I am scared. It feels so good to sleep that sound, but goddam, the dry mouth is awful.

Dean you should be very careful. Tylenol contains acetaminophien which is metabolized by the liver. As is alcohol. I tell all my friends that if you have been drinking you shouldn't take Tylenol. Ibuprofen is much better to take.

I had a patient that was in her 30's. She and her husband had a night out and when she came home she took some Tylenol to try and avoid a hangover. She was not an alcoholic or anything. Somehow the combination of alcohol and acetaminophen caused her to go into liver failure and she died. It's very rare that it happens but it's not a chance you should take.

[Ms_M]

Am I the only person who didn't care for Heath? He was good in The Patriot, but everything else I have seen him in has been fair at best. I don't like the slurring, half-drugged style he portrayed "so well". And it seems drugs and depression were his role of choice.

I do give him credit for turning down work because he didn't like the roles. Apparantly after "10 Things I hate About You" he got a ton of offers for similar roles and he passed waiting for something meatier. That I can respect. He was not the typical media whore!

I agree that here is someone who seems to have been very troubled living a life most of us would eagerly accept given OUR everyday stresses. It is difficult to find sympathy. But then again, I have never gone through a divorce or celebrity so I guess I cannot relate.

Finally, why would he have been legitamately taking sleeping pills if he had an appointment with a masseuse? Accidental? On purpose? Or just stupid...

I'm not a big fan of his either. Just find the whole thing shocking.

[sadie65]

I guess sadly I am not shocked. 28 is too young to die. I feel sadness for the daughter he left behind.

I never thought he was all that great as an actor, but I certainly find it sad he died so young.

[JH'sTXfan]

Holy crap! Now that is very sad! Way too young and a damn fine actor!

My daughter made me watch the teen movie "10 Things I Hate About You." Been a fan ever since.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIW7WXPb-dc

My daughter got me into that movie also. That is the best scene. I'm glad you found it.

[Arkansas]

What does Heath Ledger have in common with Freddie Mercury?
They both got hold of some bad crack.

(All BBM bad humor implied.)


later~

[RedWingFan]

What does Heath Ledger have in common with Freddie Mercury?
They both got hold of some bad crack.

(All BBM bad humor implied.)


later~

Not at all funny.

[wildone]

If it was suicide ....and I hope to god it wasn't ....if they find that to be true ...he was a fuckin coward!!!How Dare he leave a 2 year old without a father...you all can beat me up for my opinion all you want ...but that is just wrong....nothing could be so bad to have to leave your daughter alone...It's just a cowards way out.

[STORY_TELLER]

I think Heath's detractors would have become fans of his after they see his portrayal of the Joker this summer. That being said, details are starting to show that this might have been an accident, not suicide:

NEW YORK (AP) _ Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday in a Manhattan apartment, naked in bed with prescription sleeping pills nearby, police said. The Australian-born actor was 28.

There was no obvious indication of suicide, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said.

Ledger had an appointment for a massage at the SoHo apartment that is believed to be the home of the ``Brokeback Mountain'' actor, Browne said. The massage therapist and a housekeeper found his naked body in the bed at about 3:30 p.m. They tried to revive him, but he was already dead.

And in what may be his final finished performance, Ledger proved that he wouldn't be intimidated by taking on a character as iconic as Jack Nicholson's Joker. Ledger's version of the ``Batman'' villain, glimpsed in early teaser trailers, made it clear that his Joker would be more depraved and dark.

Curiosity about Ledger's final performance will likely stoke further interest in the summer blockbuster. ``Dark Knight'' director Christopher Nolan said earlier this month that Ledger's Joker would be wildly different from Nicholson's.

``It was a very great challenge for Heath,'' Nolan said. ``He's extremely original, extremely frightening, tremendously edgy. A very young character, a very anarchic presence that taps into a lot of our basic fears and panic.''

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 newspaper. ``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.

Ledger was a widely recognized figure in his Manhattan neighborhood, where he used to shop at a home and children's store. Michelle Vella, an employee there, said she had frequently seen Ledger with his daughter _ carrying the toddler on his shoulders, or having ice cream with her.

``It's so sad. They were really close,'' said Vella. ``He's a very down-to-earth guy and an amazing father.''

[scarygirl]

I read on tmz.com that he had had pneomomia at the time of his death. That combined with his insomia could have have easily contributed to his taking otc sleeping pills to get some relief. The accounts I reaad said his maid found him face down on the floor. The pills could have been strewn around in his confused state. IF you're really trying to kill yourself do you think you'd do with a masseuse coming in less than an hour? I think he got out of bed trying to get help.

[ProgRocker53]

What does Heath Ledger have in common with Freddie Mercury?
They both got hold of some bad crack.

(All BBM bad humor implied.)


later~

Not at all funny.

Agreed.... ugh

[Perrydise]

This is shocking.

A poor little girl will not get to be with her daddy any longer.

[scarygirl]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/ ... index.html

All signs point to tragic accident. In some ways, this sucks even more.

[Ms_M]

I think Heath's detractors would have become fans of his after they see his portrayal of the Joker this summer. That being said, details are starting to show that this might have been an accident, not suicide:

NEW YORK (AP) _ Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday in a Manhattan apartment, naked in bed with prescription sleeping pills nearby, police said. The Australian-born actor was 28.

There was no obvious indication of suicide, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said.

Ledger had an appointment for a massage at the SoHo apartment that is believed to be the home of the ``Brokeback Mountain'' actor, Browne said. The massage therapist and a housekeeper found his naked body in the bed at about 3:30 p.m. They tried to revive him, but he was already dead.

And in what may be his final finished performance, Ledger proved that he wouldn't be intimidated by taking on a character as iconic as Jack Nicholson's Joker. Ledger's version of the ``Batman'' villain, glimpsed in early teaser trailers, made it clear that his Joker would be more depraved and dark.

Curiosity about Ledger's final performance will likely stoke further interest in the summer blockbuster. ``Dark Knight'' director Christopher Nolan said earlier this month that Ledger's Joker would be wildly different from Nicholson's.

``It was a very great challenge for Heath,'' Nolan said. ``He's extremely original, extremely frightening, tremendously edgy. A very young character, a very anarchic presence that taps into a lot of our basic fears and panic.''

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 newspaper. ``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.

Ledger was a widely recognized figure in his Manhattan neighborhood, where he used to shop at a home and children's store. Michelle Vella, an employee there, said she had frequently seen Ledger with his daughter _ carrying the toddler on his shoulders, or having ice cream with her.

``It's so sad. They were really close,'' said Vella. ``He's a very down-to-earth guy and an amazing father.''

This was definitely different than what was released by the NYPD earlier. I heard a lot about his insomnia, etc. Having suffered with it myself, I know how bad it can be to want to sleep and not be able to. Either way, it is very sad for his friends and loved ones.

[Vladan]

Sad day for aussies and the world.

RIP he was my age, same height as well, it's crazy.

[larryfromnextdoor]

ive had the entire day to hear about this..

the internet has created a mindboggling world... this man was found dead, and Nora had this thread posted within 30 min of the maid calling EMS.. that means that i probably knew about his death before his family did,, or they could have read it on the internet before they got that terrible call.....

before 1995 you would have had to wait until the evening news or until the morning paper was delivered... weird.

[mistiejourney]

Yeah. I've done that after gigs to Deano. I call it "Elvis-ing" to get some sleep!

Now I am scared. It feels so good to sleep that sound, but goddam, the dry mouth is awful.

Dean you should be very careful. Tylenol contains acetaminophien which is metabolized by the liver. As is alcohol. I tell all my friends that if you have been drinking you shouldn't take Tylenol. Ibuprofen is much better to take.

I had a patient that was in her 30's. She and her husband had a night out and when she came home she took some Tylenol to try and avoid a hangover. She was not an alcoholic or anything. Somehow the combination of alcohol and acetaminophen caused her to go into liver failure and she died. It's very rare that it happens but it's not a chance you should take.

Death by Tylenol overdose is very prolonged and horrible - I've seen two deaths from it and it isn't pretty

[Just Sara]

I thought it was a hoax when I first heard about it.
I still can't believe it.

He was young, good-looking, a good actor (yes I think he was good! Not all of his movies were great but he was)
He had so much going for him.

As far as what happened, I've heard different reports from different sources all day!

Accidental overdose in his own apartment does not good ratings make.
Sprawled naked on the floor of Mary-Kate Olsen's apartment surrounded by pills, does.

Unfortunately there's no way to be 100% sure if it was suicide or an accident.

I can't stop thinking about his poor daughter.

Dang, I wish the media would just give it a rest! [/i]

[StoneCold]

I thought it was a hoax when I first heard about it.
I still can't believe it.

He was young, good-looking, a good actor (yes I think he was good! Not all of his movies were great but he was)
He had so much going for him.

As far as what happened, I've heard different reports from different sources all day!

Accidental overdose in his own apartment does not good ratings make.
Sprawled naked on the floor of Mary-Kate Olsen's apartment surrounded by pills, does.

Unfortunately there's no way to be 100% sure if it was suicide or an accident.

I can't stop thinking about his poor daughter.

Dang, I wish the media would just give it a rest! [/i]

I read it was Ambien and Pneumonia.

Doubt it was suicide, he always spoke about how much he loved his daughter so he had a lot to look forward to.

[Rockindeano]

Dean you should be very careful. Tylenol contains acetaminophien which is metabolized by the liver. As is alcohol. I tell all my friends that if you have been drinking you shouldn't take Tylenol. Ibuprofen is much better to take.

I know you hate me and for good reasons, but I sometimes throw a good 20 beers, a couple Prednisones, a couple Vicodins and a handful of Tylenol PMs in a single night. Hell, if that won't kill me, NOTHING will.

Hell, I have mowed down a Safeway truck full of groceries at 79mph in a passenger train and survived. Maybe I am the anti-christ?:evil:

Thanks tho LuvsAugeri.

[7 Wishes]

What does Heath Ledger have in common with Freddie Mercury?
They both got hold of some bad crack.

(All BBM bad humor implied.)


later~

Not at all funny.

Agreed whole-heartedly.

Arkansas, I have lost all respect for you as of this moment.

[IngoK]

This is shocking.

A poor little girl will not get to be with her daddy any longer.

Agree absolutely.

[Rip Rokken]

Saw this while onsite yesterday... I was looking at a client's computer when the news popped up on the screen, and I gave a noticeable exclamation of shock. They thought something horrible had happened to their computer when I did that...

Extremely sad, and he really was a great actor. Saw him for the first time in "Knight's Tale" and was a fan ever since. Dang, if he was only 28, then he must have made that movie in his teens... Looks older than he really was! Can't wait to see what he did in "The Dark Knight", but it's horrible if it's true that playing that role may have led to his needing sleeping pills. Those things are nothing to mess around with...

R.I.P., Heath...

[Red13JoePa]

Some "expert" was on CNN yesterday last night hinting that playing the Joker f-d him up mentally to the point of this happening.

I've only seen Ledger in The Patriot...great movie, own it of course.

[Moon Beam]

ive had the entire day to hear about this..

the internet has created a mindboggling world... this man was found dead, and Nora had this thread posted within 30 min of the maid calling EMS.. that means that i probably knew about his death before his family did,, or they could have read it on the internet before they got that terrible call.....

before 1995 you would have had to wait until the evening news or until the morning paper was delivered... weird.

It is oddly ain't it Sir......creepifies me completely.