Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Heath Ledger found dead in NYC apartment


Authorities say actor’s death likely suicide or accidental overdose


NEW YORK - Heath Ledger, the talented 28-year-old actor who gravitated toward dark, brooding roles that defied his leading-man looks, was found dead Tuesday in a Manhattan apartment, face-down and naked at the foot of his bed with prescription sleeping pills nearby, police said.
There was no obvious indication of suicide, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Ledger had committed suicide. He had an appointment for a massage at the residence in the tony neighborhood of SoHo, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said. A housekeeper who went to let him know the massage therapist had arrived found him unconscious at 3:26 p.m.
According to The New York Times, his body was moved to the floor, and after receiving no response from the actor after shaking him, the masseuse and housekeeper called authorities.
“We are investigating the possibility of an overdose,” Browne said. “There were pills within the vicinity of the bed.”
A source told msnbc.com's Courtney Hazlett that Ledger had been turning down roles lately.

While not a marquee movie star, Ledger was a respected, award-winning actor who chose his roles carefully rather than cashing in on his heartthrob looks.
He was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as a gay cowboy in “Brokeback Mountain,” where he met Michelle Williams, who played his wife in the film. The two had a daughter, now 2-year-old Matilda, and lived together in Brooklyn until they split up last year.
He once said he was ready to die because he could live on in his child.
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what a bummer. i liked him as an actor and he seemed like someone who had his shit together. i guess appearances can be deceiving. its a shame when you have it all and its still not enough.

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