Bye Bye Heath

Heath Ledger is dead.



Apparently (because no one really knows yet) he died of a drug over dose (and we don't know if it was prescription or not, several reports say one or the other), in an apartment reportedly (and in other reports not) owned by Mary-Kate Olsen.

So basically all we know for sure is that he died, but not how, or in whose apartment. I have to say I'll miss the bugger. I liked most of his work, (Knight's Tale, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Patriot, Four Feathers, The Order) and was really excited to see him as the Joker. Apparently preparing for his role in Dark Knight drove him batshit crazy (pun surely intended).



From Wikipedia: "Heath Ledger plays the Joker, whom the actor described as a "psychopathic, mass murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy". Nolan had wanted to work with Ledger on a number of projects in the past, but had been unable to do so. When Ledger saw Batman Begins, he realized a way to make the character work in that film's tone, and Nolan agreed upon his anarchic interpretation. To prepare for the role he lived alone in a hotel room for a month, formulating the character's posture, voice and psychology. While he initially found it difficult, Ledger was eventually able to generate a voice which did not sound like Jack Nicholson's take on the character in Tim Burton's 1989 Batman film. He started a diary, in which he wrote the Joker's thoughts and feelings to guide himself during his performance. He was also given Batman: The Killing Joke and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth to read, which he "really tried to read and put it down". Ledger also cited inspiration in A Clockwork Orange and Sid Vicious. Ultimately, "there’s nothing that [is] consistent", as his main objective was to frighten the audience. The challenge of the role put a strain on Ledger's sleep patterns, finding himself unable to rest for more than a few hours each night."

Anyways, I am sorry to see him go, and in such a sad way. He was a talented actor who had alot of future in front of him, but he, like most of Hollywood, let the drug culture of our country get to him, and it cost him his life (speculation at the moment).

So here's to you Heath... may you be remembered for the good things in life and not the bad.

~Ian