Heathcliff Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an Australian actor and director. After performing roles in several Australian television and film productions during the 1990s, Ledger left for the United States in 1998 to develop his film career.
For his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain, Ledger won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor and Best International Actor from the Australian Film Institute, and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Ledger died on 22 January 2008 from an accidental intoxication from prescription drugs. A few months before his death, Ledger had finished filming his performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight.
I still remember where I was to this day: sitting in my college cafeteria at NYU when my best friend Caroline approached with the news. I didn’t know what to say. Our generation had yet to see one of our own heartthrobs pass away at the young age of 28. Needless to say, everyone was devastated.
Heath is survived by his former partner Michelle Williams and their absolutely stunning daughter Matilda, who was clearly his main priority in life. His extreme passion, dedication to his craft and humble ways were merely a few of the things that made us admire Heath.
This pictures breaks my heart. This is Heath and his daughter Matilda (with Michelle Williams) soon after her birth. There were tons of adorable shots of Heath and his baby girl, who clearly made him the proudest dad in the world.
His portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight (for which he won a posthumous Oscar) was one of the most nuanced and complex performances of all time. These intense roles were Heath's bread and butter.
Here he is in one of my favorite movies, 10 Things I Hate About You. Look at those locks. Pure perfection.
Heath famously played a homosexual character opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain. He didn't worry about what people would think, and again truly devoted himself to the performance.
Heath may have not hit the streets in tailored Tom Ford suits, but he was not afraid to make a fashion statement. His downtown chic style was an inspiration for guys everywhere.