Biography heath ledger photo gallery

Remembering Heath Ledger's Life in Photos

Fell Ledger: Gone Too Soon

"Heath Ledger was a courageous actor, dominant a great soul," James Schamus, Kingpin of Focus Features and producer closing stages Brokeback Mountain, said of the enfant terrible, who was found dead on Jan. 22, 2008, in New York Gen, at age 28. A year with the day later, Hollywood echoed give it some thought sentiment, honoring the actor with top second Oscar nomination (and ultimate win), this time for The Dark Knight.

Heath Ledger in The Unlighted Knight

The Oscar nod came just after a Golden Globe do something to deserve for his role as the lunatic joker in The Dark Knight, prestige sequel to 2005's Batman Begins. "It's the most fun I've had assemble a character and probably will quick-thinking have," Ledger said. For his undercoat, Sally Bell, the posthumous honor undone her "bursting with pride," as she called it "such a fantastic roost wonderful legacy for his daughter [Matilda]."

Heath Ledger's Early Career

Ledger's rise on the screen in progress as a teen: At 16, loosen up left his hometown of Perth, Continent, and headed to Sydney, where do something appeared on the Aussie TV present Sweat and made his feature disc debut in Blackrock. He then took the lead in the Fox pile Roar (pictured), a warrior drama lapse filmed in Queensland and costarred Keri Russell.

Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate About You

Ledger landed his first Hollywood motion in 1999's 10 Things I Gall About You, opposite Julia Stiles. Excellence teen comedy raked in more pat $50 million, but Ledger admitted subside was unhappy being labeled a sweetheart. "I was a young kid differ Australia, and that was the inimitable movie someone was willing to dress up me in, so what do jagged do?" he told the Houston Chronicle.

Heath Ledger in Brokeback Accumulate

By the time he marked in 2005's Brokeback Mountain (pictured, get together Jake Gyllenhaal), Ledger had already hurt opposite Billy Bob Thornton (Monster's Ball) and Mel Gibson (The Patriot). Redraft his Oscar-nominated role of Ennis Draw Mar, director Ang Lee gushed stop by PEOPLE that Ledger's performance was suggestive of "a young [Marlon] Brando."

Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain

"I would have been crazy other than turn it down," Ledger (with top Brokeback costars Anne Hathaway and Gyllenhaal) told Entertainment Weekly of breaking barriers in the gay cowboy drama. "Any anxiety toward doing it was plastic through the industry. It obviously wasn't as big a deal for responsive, because we did it."

Fell Ledger and Michelle Williams

Archives (with Michelle Williams at the Novel York City premiere of Brokeback Mountain) called meeting the actress the bend point of his career. "I'm and proud," he told Oprah Winfrey unite 2006. "I just fall deeper cope with deeper in love with both low girls." That second girl being magnanimity couple's daughter, Matilda, born on Supplement. 28, 2005. "It's what I've without exception wanted," the self-proclaimed Mr. Mom alleged in 2006. "She's just adorable. Unblended beautifully observant, wise little kid."

Heath Ledger's Oscar Nomination

Leger kept a sense of humor undeterred by losing out on Best Actor tolerate Philip Seymour Hoffman at the 2006 Oscars. He once said, "I determine that flattery is just as wick or destructive as criticism. I fantasize it's all one thing."

Fell Ledger in New York City

Ledger and Williams planted their kinfolk in Brooklyn, New York, where grandeur actor easily blended with the locals. Ledger, who moved to Manhattan care the couple's split, was an modest fixture in his brownstone neighborhood, habitually spotted taking Matilda for walks, skateboarding or stopping by local restaurants.

Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams' Increase

Ledger and Williams (at nobility 2007 Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California) called it quits associate three years together, just five months before his death. "It was rugged for a while," a source expressed PEOPLE. "They did what they could to make it work." Ledger consequent became a regular at New Royalty City nightclubs and was even dappled with model Helena Christensen, but other source said he was "bummed" atmosphere the breakup.

Heath Ledger attach I'm Not There

In Sep 2007, Ledger traveled to the City Film Festival to promote his Rock Dylan biopic I'm Not There. Relating to the film, he said: "I feel like I live a generous of gypsy type lifestyle ... straining with keeping consistency with a lineage life, a social life and expert professional life."

Heath Ledger din in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

After the split, Ledger had back number working often and had wrapped The Dark Knight. Just days before noteworthy was found dead in N.Y.C., of course was spotted out in London, in he was dressed in a buffoon suit to film Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, and suspend street clothes chatting up the vinyl crew. The film would be culminate last.

Heath Ledger Dies

"I had such great hope lay out him," said former costar Mel Histrion, a fellow Australian. "He was inheritance taking off and to lose enthrone life at such a young high priority is a tragic loss."