RIP Heath Ledger

[Ravster]

No way. Just no.


CNN reporting his death. No further details jsut yet. Why him?

[FISCHSTYX]

Whaaaaa????

[the poe collector]

Ravster returns with horrible news.

[Zer0-Sum]

This fucking sucks and it is true.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/22/heath.ledger.dead/index.html

RIP Heath. You were one of the new greats....

[Coded-Dude]

Academy Award nominee Heath Ledger, 28, has died of a possible drug overdose in New York, police have confirmed.

He was found dead in his bed in one of his residences in Soho in Manhattan by his housekeeper at 3.35pm local time, the TMZ website said.

A police spokesman told smh.com.au the cause of death was unknown, although there were reports that Ledger had taken drugs.
"We don't have that (the cause of death) yet. The matter is still under investigation," the spokesman said.

The Associated Press reported that Ledger had had an appointment for a massage today at the apartment that is believed to be his home.
The housekeeper went to tell Ledger the masseuse had arrived and found him dead about 3.30pm New York time (0730 AEDT), AP said.

Law enforcement sources told TMZ they believe the death was not the result of a crime.

Ledger was an Oscar nominee for his role in Brokeback Mountain and had numerous other screen credits.

The Perth-born actor had a two-year-old Matilda, with former fiancee and Brokeback Mountain co-star Michelle Williams.

Ledger was born in Perth, Western Australia.

He was the son of Sally Ledger Bell, a French teacher, and Kim Ledger, a race car driver and mining engineer.

[Black Dragon37]

This is a WTF moment...

[Zer0-Sum]

Why not Britney Spears or Keanu Reeves? They are less than worthless. Why Heath Ledger? He was talented. This is so damned pointless. Life is pointless sometimes. What a downer. I hope that they did not hope to have him int he next Bat Man(3).....

[Khaos]

Oh jeez! I can't believe this. Shit, son...

[Fillibuster]

My roommate came in a couple minutes ago and told me. So I checked it out. I was like WTF? MSNBC says there were pills strewn around his body...

[GTAce]

Wow thats horrible, i must admit im not a real fan of the movies he was in but he was a good actor and this sucks when you look at his age.

R.I.P and condolences to the family.

[Zer0-Sum]

MSNBC says there were pills strewn around his body...

Lets not start spreading rumors until we have some real news.

[Fillibuster]

Yeah, well I didn't know if other sources were reporting it too or not

[Zer0-Sum]

Yeah, well I didn't know if other sources were reporting it too or not

Nope, not even TMZ is reporting drugs or foul play. Just that he is really dead. Hell, it may be drugs. He may have just had a heart attack. Life is like that.

[DankHero]

So sad, my condolences to his daughter.

[Zer0-Sum]

Yes, condolences to his friends, family, and daughter. Hell, even his ex-wife/girlfriend must be messed up about this sudden death. His daughter is only 2. That is some sad shit right there....

[LiquidEagle]

Nope, not even TMZ is reporting drugs or foul play. Just that he is really dead. Hell, it may be drugs. he may have just had a heart attack. Life is like that.

New York Times is reporting the same thing... 28 year-olds don't just have a heart attack for the usual reasons.

This is a true bummer. I'm especially excited to see him as the Joker and I was really impressed with how he was playing the part, and it sounds like it drove him a little mad from what I've heard about his experience playing the Joker.

[Shadow Voa]

Rest in peace Joker, sorry for being so serious...

[JasonXe]

he was playing the joker in the dark knight right? I think they been finish shooting. They'll probably have something at the end of the movie like dedicated to heath leger 1980-2008. My brother told me about it but i kept on spelling his name wrong as keith because idiots pronounce it that way.

[IEatFriedPikmin]

That's so sad.

He was an amazing actor.

[Spatula]

This is depressing. And in the Olsen's apartment?

[Zer0-Sum]

This is depressing. And in the Olsen's apartment?

Yup, an Olsen twin.

Sleeping Pills are the rumor going around that he is dead. I read on mania.com that he was having bad sleeping problems from playing Joker. Actors can have problems like that with very disturbing rolls. This is like when River Phoenix died. And Brandon Lee. It was very sad going to see the Crow. Now it will be very sad to go see the Dark Knight.

EDIT:

The Academy Award nominated actor was 28.

"Pills were found in the vicinity of the bed," police spokesman Paul Browne told CNN.

"This is being looked at as a possible overdose, but that is not confirmed yet."

The pills appeared to be over-the-counter sleeping medication, said police spokeswoman Barbara Chen.

Ledger was unresponsive when he was found by a housekeeper who had gone to wake him for an appointment with a masseuse in the Soho apartment, Browne said.

The apartment is owned by the actress Mary-Kate Olsen, The New York Times reported.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/22/heath.ledger.dead/index.html

[dork]

Rest in peace, Heath.

[Zer0-Sum]

There are conflicting reports as to is he was at the Olsen twins place or his own. Who knows now? It is all BS till they report it for real. :mad: Stupid rumor mill.

[Black Dragon37]

At this point, it doesn't natter.

His death I'm sure was an accident. Playing The Joker fucked up his sleeping patterns, so it makes sense if he accidentally OD'd just to get some rest.

[Zer0-Sum]

Here is a ink to the most honest and accurate info I have found. It is from an Australian news paper.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/film/heath-ledger-dead-at-28/2008/01/23/1201024937592.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2

It seems that he was only sleeping a couple hours a night. And Black Dragon37 is right, in a November interview he said he was having trouble sleeping because of playing Joker who he called a "psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy". He may have delved to deep into madness to play the part perfectly. Many actors who really get into their roles have this problem. Gary Oldman is one famous case of this problem. What a sad story.

[Pro A.]

Why not Britney Spears or Keanu Reeves? They are less than worthless. Why Heath Ledger? He was talented. This is so damned pointless. Life is pointless sometimes. What a downer. I hope that they did not hope to have him int he next Bat Man(3).....

That's what I was thinking. This guy is a talented, though troubled, young actor and he's the one who ends up dead? Wow, that's just...

Some people are already calling him the next James Dean, which is eerie. That'll probably explode after Batman.

[MaceSin]

He was finally starting to get good roles and was moving out of the usual "pretty boy" roles to.

Damn.

[Gummy]

I was shocked when my g/f told me this.
It's a downer. =[

RIP

It looks like he did an awesome job being Joker too!

[Fillibuster]

It was really tough watching them taking his body out on the gurney. I'm still in shock at all of it...

[BigfootGus]

man

[<3frosty]

The NY Times retracted their statements about the apartment belonging to Mary-Kate Olsen last i heard around 5 on CNN. As soon as i heard he was dead at around 4 today, i immediately thought of his troubles sleeping during his portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight.

[BlazeKat]

Ravster returns with horrible news.

LOL


Its sad. I mean it's in all honesty a waste of a sexy man.

[Fillibuster]

The NY Times retracted their statements about the apartment belonging to Mary-Kate Olsen last i heard around 5 on CNN. As soon as i heard he was dead at around 4 today, i immediately thought of his troubles sleeping during his portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight.

That's what I thought too. I had read on Wikipedia I think (maybe some other site) that to prepare for the role he locked himself in his apartment for a month without leaving to come up with his portrayal of the Joker. I can imagine it was a pretty difficult role to have.

[SuperLuigiBros]

God fucking damn it, this sucks. I was working when my little brother messaged me saying he committed suicide. After reading this I find out it was an accident. The first thing I thought was that he was so involved in the role of the Joker. They better spam the credits of TDK with "dedicated to Health Ledger" and stuff. This is a real tragedy. :(

[BlazeKat]

I feel like you need a hug.

[Gummy]

I wanna hug too

[seahorse]

drugs and a hooker?
he was on for a good night!

rest in peace, man.

[SuperLuigiBros]

http://www.perezhilton.com/2008-01-23-hate-church-to-picket-ledgers-funeral

The "Reverend" Fred Phelps's Westboro Baptist Church announced plans to protest at the funeral of Heath Ledger.

Why?

The "God Hates Fags" hatemongers will picket the decease Aussie actor's funeral because he is a pervert who promoted homosexuality by appearing as a gay man in Brokeback Mountain.

We wish we could laugh at this stupidity, but it just makes us angry!

Heath may not have been perfect, but he doesn't deserve this.
Fred Phelps you fat asshole. This is like wanting to send him to jail for acting a villain in Batman.

[seahorse]

damn zealots

[Zer0-Sum]

The "Reverend" Fred Phelps's Westboro Baptist Church announced plans to protest at the funeral of Heath Ledger.

Why?

The "God Hates Fags" hatemongers will picket the decease Aussie actor's funeral because he is a pervert who promoted homosexuality by appearing as a gay man in Brokeback Mountain.

We wish we could laugh at this stupidity, but it just makes us angry!

Heath may not have been perfect, but he doesn't deserve this.

Wow, I hope that guy Fred Phelps gets hit by a car or something and dies. Sub-Human Hate Mongering Slime like him do not deserve to live on this planet.

[<3frosty]

Did he live a homosexual lifestyle? All accounts point to no. And, we know very little about him. Perhaps he even repented before he died? sigh.

[Zer0-Sum]

Did he live a homosexual lifestyle? All accounts point to no. And, we know very little about him. Perhaps he even repented before he died? sigh.

They are protesting his funeral because he made "Brokeback Mountain", in which he played a gay cowboy. The anti-gay hate mongers hated Ledger for just being involved in the movie.

[Cofey]

The NY Times retracted their statements about the apartment belonging to Mary-Kate Olsen last i heard around 5 on CNN. As soon as i heard he was dead at around 4 today, i immediately thought of his troubles sleeping during his portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight.
Never ever listen to anything you read in the NY Times. Their business is piss-poor, slanderous journalism.

[IEatFriedPikmin]

If I were driving by those picketers, I would be so tempted to run them over.

I thought they got sued for picketing at funerals... maybe it was just the funerals of american troops though.

[Kiwi]

Damn, that's just ridiculous. Fair enough if you don't agree with the whole thing, but don't go and protest at his funeral, that's just wrong on so many levels.

These people have no respect whatsoever, and I'm sure their "God" wouldn't be too happy at them hounding a dead person for being in a movie.

Anyway, rest in peace Heath.

[Zer0-Sum]

If I were driving by those picketers, I would be so tempted to run them over.

I thought they got sued for picketing at funerals... maybe it was just the funerals of american troops though.

Can I come if you do? Lets us a big fat old Cadillac from the 70's so we are sure to hit all of them.

[Black Dragon37]

Now papers are saying that Heath had pneumonia and that the excess sleeping pills was too much for the body and he died in his sleep.

[Zer0-Sum]

Now papers are saying that Heath had pneumonia and that the excess sleeping pills was too much for the body and he died in his sleep.

Yah, that's what they said in that Aussie news article in the link I posted. Kinda reminds me of Jim Henson. That shit is too sad....

[Bryan]

Can I come if you do? Lets us a big fat old Cadillac from the 70's so we are sure to hit all of them.

I have access to the perfect car for this deal, and it's totally clean.

Anyway, after The Dark Knight is released, he'll be a fucking legend. I still haven't been able to see "I'm Not There" but that looked fantastic as well. It just seems odd that such a talented actor could die so soon.

[Coded-Dude]

"Given that so much of the movie was about his character, it didn't appear that he had a whole lot of time to be out and about," said Rich Moskal, director of the Chicago Film Office.

Ledger didn't show up regularly in gossip columns here and didn't seek publicity while in town. In August, when the first live-action footage of his character debuted at comic book convention Wizard World Chicago, Ledger was conspicuously absent from a nearly complete panel of co-stars, including Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart and director Christopher Nolan. At the event, Nolan praised Ledger's gritty performance as the Clown Prince of Crime. "To be perfectly honest ... what he's doing is indescribable. He's figured it out," he said.

Oldman seconded his director's assessment of Ledger.

"He's going to knock everyone out of the ballpark," Oldman said.

Ledger's absence only added to his enigma in the role, though he did appear for a Chicago wrap party during last week of August.

"People were surprised by that," says Moskal. "He seemed very approachable and friendly and excited about the project."

During publicity interviews for the Bob Dylan-inspired film "I'm Not There," Ledger talked briefly about the Joker.

"That actually was the most fun—probably the most fun I ever will have—playing a character," Ledger said. "It was hard stamina-wise, because a high level of energy was needed, was required every day. But it was incredibly enjoyable."

[<3frosty]

They are protesting his funeral because he made "Brokeback Mountain", in which he played a gay cowboy. The anti-gay hate mongers hated Ledger for just being involved in the movie.

I understood that part of it. It clearly says that in the text/ad as well.

[BlazeKat]

Now papers are saying that Heath had pneumonia and that the excess sleeping pills was too much for the body and he died in his sleep.

Hmmm... This could happen to me.


As for the people "protesting" Heath's funeral. Look at it this way you guys, if that fatass(as stated above) Phelps didn't do it. Someone else would. There is always a bigger asshole out there then the one you are hating now. So don't just turn your hatred to one, turn it to them all.

[Zer0-Sum]

So don't just turn your hatred to one, turn it to them all.

Oh, I do. I am an Equal Opportunity Hater.

[BlazeKat]

Lol. I hear that sir.

[Zer0-Sum]

Lol. I hear that sir.

;)

[Black Dragon37]

Wow...

Beat Buy's idea of a memorial:

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/9145/heathledgememorialnh7.jpg

[Zer0-Sum]

Wow...

Beat Buy's idea of a memorial:

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/9145/heathledgememorialnh7.jpg

WOW! FUCK BEST BUY! What opportunistic pigs. I am now glad that I have been buying al my media from Amazon these days.

[Coded-Dude]

gotta love capitalism

[Zer0-Sum]

gotta love capitalism

There is Capitalism and then there is tact. Best Buy has none and are whores.

[LiquidEagle]

One of Heath Ledger's big influences for the Joker was Sid Vicious, as well, so that explains some of the craziness... On the plus side though, he's left us with what I know will be his best performance as the Joker.

[[Daniel Primed]]

This is definetly sad news indeed. Its such a terrible pity. I look forward to the new Batman movie even more now. It looks to be one of his best roles as well.

[Coded-Dude]

Jack Nicholson allegedly warned Ledger about the possibility of death. Whether that was related to a possible abuse of pills, or stress caused by role playing the Joker is unclear at this point.


Also, one of his final interviews.
peSGjwOLt0g

[OG_Monkey]

Rip :(

[Zer0-Sum]

It is official, no illegal drugs were found in his apartment. Just sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication. What a sad loss. He was supposed to grow old and be a gem like Anthony Hopkins or Peter O'Toole. Now I won't be able to watch the Dark Knight with out being sad. Just like twhen Brando Lee died making the Crow. :cry2:

[Moyospeed]

Truely a sad situation..

[Black Dragon37]

From IMDB:

Jack Nicholson has hinted he warned tragic Heath Ledger against taking on the role of The Joker in the new Batman film. Ledger, 28 - who was declared dead at 3:30pm at his Manhattan apartment on Tuesday - publicly declared himself exhausted and sleep deprived in November following the grueling shoot for The Dark Knight. He also revealed in an interview with the New York Times he'd resorted to taking sleeping pills - an overdose of which is believed to be the cause of his death - in a desperate bid to catch up on rest. And Nicholson, who famously portrayed the menacing Joker in Tim Burton's 1989 movie Batman, implied to the waiting crowd outside plush London restaurant The Wolesley on Tuesday night he spoke to Ledger about his role in The Dark Knight - and warned him about the pitfalls of taking on such a demanding challenge. When asked by the London crowds for his reaction to Ledger's untimely demise, a defeated Nicholson simply replied, "I told him so." Batman Begins prequel The Dark Knight is due to be released in July.

[Zer0-Sum]

From IMDB:

I knew Nicholson was as asshole, but saying "I told him so." is positively low. I mean, WTF? I had heard that he was jealous that Ledger was stealing his thunder from playing Joker before, but this pretty much proves it. What a fucking jerk.

[Zer0-Sum]

Gilliam's PARNASSUS Shut Down for Now

There has been some question in the media on whether Gilliam will continue with his latest film now that one of its stars passed away and that seems to have been answered today. US Magazine has issued a report saying the production crew for Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus were sent home after the actor's death yesterday. Production has been rolling since only late December and the blue-screen work was set to begin next week in Vancouver.

"I just got the call [Tuesday] saying everyone was being let go," the on-set source said. "We were supposed to start this weekend, but obviously they fired everyone today. They don't know yet what they are doing with the footage that was already shot," the source added.

Variety gave some background on the film and Ledger's involvement with the project.

Ledger was the biggest name in an ensemble cast including Christopher Plummer, Lily Cole and Tom Waits. It's the story of an ancient travelling show which arrives in modern London with a magical mirror that can transport its audience into fantastical realms of the imagination.

Plummer plays the impresario Doctor Parnassus, and Ledger took the role of a mysterious outsider who joins the troupe on a quest through parallel worlds to save the doctor's daughter (Cole) from the clutches of the devil (Waits).

The movie is produced by Samuel Hadida, Bill Vince and Amy Gilliam, and largely financed through Hadida's Paris-based Davis Film.

Ledger's involvement in the project was a key factor in raising the finance. He had a strong relationship with Gilliam from their last pic together, The Brothers Grimm.

In November 2000, Gilliam was forced to abandon his $32 million indie project The Man Who Killed Don Quixote after just a week of shooting, when his star Jean Rochefort was too ill to continue.

Ledger's death also came as he was working on what would have been his feature directing debut, an adaptation of the Walter Tevis novel "The Queen's Gambit," with British writer/producer Allan Scott.

The leading role of a young female chess prodigy had been offered to Oscar nominee Ellen Page. Ledger, himself a highly rated chess player, was due to play a supporting role.

http://www.mania.com/57229.html

More sad news. This sucks more and more everyday. I tried to watch "the Four Feathers" last night but I couldn't. It was too sad to see Heath in the movie and knowing he is dead now.

[Kiwi]

I knew Nicholson was as asshole, but saying "I told him so." is positively low. I mean, WTF? I had heard that he was jealous that Ledger was stealing his thunder from playing Joker before, but this pretty much proves it. What a fucking jerk.

Wow.

What an arsehole.

[BlazeKat]

You guys can't call Nicholson an asshole. We have no idea what conversation took place between them. It may have sounded mean but I don't think it was. Honestly reading that, I think, 'in my opinion', Jack and Heath may have had a really good relationship and something happened in that last conversation they had.

Maybe I just like to imagine things being more kosher then ultimately devastating. Not to mention my odd ass imagination running off. But still, is it just me or are you guys seriously trying to place even the smallest amount of blame on Nicholson? Stop trying to finger those who aren't guilty of the crime! Yes, its sad this sexy sexy man died. But it isn't anyone's fault but his own. (until they say otherwise)

[Zer0-Sum]

You guys can't call Nicholson an asshole. We have no idea what conversation took place between them. It may have sounded mean but I don't think it was. Honestly reading that, I think, 'in my opinion', Jack and Heath may have had a really good relationship and something happened in that last conversation they had.

Maybe I just like to imagine things being more kosher then ultimately devastating. Not to mention my odd ass imagination running off. But still, is it just me or are you guys seriously trying to place even the smallest amount of blame on Nicholson? Stop trying to finger those who aren't guilty of the crime! Yes, its sad this sexy sexy man died. But it isn't anyone's fault but his own. (until they say otherwise)


I am not blaming Jack in the slightest. No one was. He is just a fat jerk for saying shit like that, if he really did in fact say those things. Saying "I told him so" when someone died is just fuct up, period. But then Jack has been known for fuct up shit like that his whole life....

[Black Dragon37]

There are conflicting reports about what Jack said to Heath before his death...

Some say he was against Heath playing the Joker. Others say he was against Heath taking Ambien as his sleeping pills.

Either way, I don't see envy in his concern for Heath playing the Joker, as he's played that role before.

[Gummy]

I just saw the trailer for I'm Not There, it looks really good.

I'm sure jack was just misunderstood.
He's getting old man.

[BlazeKat]

I honestly can't really say anything guys. It's just a gut feeling I have. I just feel Jack was trying to warn Ledger and he completely ignored it. Ugh, Im not even going to begin taking sides. Im out.

[Coded-Dude]

Yes some reports are saying he said: " I warned him." While others are stating he said: " I told him so." Irregardless we have no idea to the context of the warning, and thus can't make a legitimately objectionable stance either way. If he wants to elaborate then we could form a more informed opinion, but until then take it as a grain of salt.

[Fillibuster]

I wouldn't be shocked if he warned him about taking Ambien. I've stories of people doing all kinds of shit in their sleep due to Ambien. My mom used to be a nurse and one of her old nurse friends said that a patient of theirs got really sick because she started eating cigarette butts in her sleep while she was taking Ambien...

[LiquidEagle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O6ZOExm2G4

Apparently, Jack consulted Heath on the dangers of the sleeping pill "Ambien" (and the trauma of playing such a disturbed character as "The Joker").

Press: Jack! Any comment about Heath Ledger's death?

Jack: About what? Keith? (inaudible)

Press: Heath Ledger, the actor, died tonight in New York.

Jack: What happened to him?

Press: Overdose. He died in New York.

Jack: Oh that's too bad...Oh that's awful...I warned 'em!

That can be seen as an asshole thing to say, Nicholson's no doubt seen a lot of actors go in his day... sometimes you gotta have some kind of sense of humor about it...

[BlazeKat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O6ZOExm2G4



That can be seen as an asshole thing to say, Nicholson's no doubt seen a lot of actors go in his day... sometimes you gotta have some kind of sense of humor about it...

No doubt. Being someone famous like that, you can only imagine the shit they have seen. Not having some sort of distance with these people only results in trauma to your own well being. You loose your sense of reality. But seriously, some people act like Nicholson and Ledger were father and son. I bet these 2 didn't even really know eachother that horribly well.

[Milly]

I am so disgusted by the media, when they were hounding him as they were bringing the body out of the appartment and then houding Michelle Williams and his little girl as they just arrived home after hearing of his death.

[Garfunkel]

I am so disgusted by the media, when they were hounding him as they were bringing the body out of the appartment and then houding Michelle Williams and his little girl as they just arrived home after hearing of his death.

Agreed. I can see why he hated the media.

What I find even worse is the media were trying to make it seem like his hatred of the paparazzi was a fault in his persona.

I am even more disturbed at that crazy religious group from the US that said "ahhh he will burn in hell for being 'gay' (or rather, acting gay in a movie that conveyed the emotional difficulties it carries). Then they have the nerve to call all Aussies "gay" and as such we should all burn in hell.

That is why I hate religion. It's funny too because he wasn't even a very christian man (was he even religious at all?) and yet they say he went against 'his god'. What god?

Fucking religious dicks can all get raped by their so called 'gods'.

[Gummy]

Oh my god, I remembered that clip where they were talking about the paparzzi bullshit.
I'm like... dude, focus more on his positive career?
I hate the media... they exploit too much.

[Kiwi]

No doubt. Being someone famous like that, you can only imagine the shit they have seen. Not having some sort of distance with these people only results in trauma to your own well being. You loose your sense of reality. But seriously, some people act like Nicholson and Ledger were father and son. I bet these 2 didn't even really know eachother that horribly well.

The way his words were first interpreted made him sound like a real jackass, but you know the media, always twisting shit. But yea, I'm sure he's seen a lot of this kind of shit in his time, so I shall retract my previous statement of him being an arsehole.

In one of the papers yesterday, they were going on about all of these drugs that Heath was supposedly addicted to, and basically saying that he got what he deserved. Meanwhile, a few pages later, they glorify the fact that Amy Winehouse smokes crack ¬_¬

[masteratt]

I said it in lots of places and to lots of people and I'll add this forum to the list when I say:

R.I.P Heath Ledger, you might be gone but your input to our lives will always stay on film.

Drugs are a mean thing in the film industry.

Taking medication to get through a production is very common due to extreme workload and some people can, some people can't handle it but I never knew of someone dying due to it.
Big shock and a big shame.

[Black Dragon37]

Oh my god...

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2392/whysodeadhd7.jpg

That's quite fucked. Both right and wrong at the same time.

[Zer0-Sum]

That is just fucked up man... :(

[LiquidEagle]

I have that poster in my room (the real one, though, not post-shop), and I'm still not sure if I want to put it up or not, it'll probably scare the crap out of me some night, but it's so goddamn cool...

[seahorse]

we miss you, ravster.

[Zer0-Sum]

Ledger's Death Ruled Accidental OD

The official cause of the Dark Knight star's death has been issued by the NYC Medical Examiner. Here's the official AP report:

Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose of painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medication and other prescription drugs, the New York City medical examiner said Wednesday. The cause of death was "acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine," spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said in a statement.

The drugs are the generic names for the painkiller OxyContin, the anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax, and the sleep aids Restoril and Unisom. Hydrocodone is a widely used prescription painkiller. Borakove wouldn't say what concentrations of each drug were found in Ledger's blood, or whether one drug played a greater part than another in causing his death.

"What you're looking at here is the cumulative effects of these medications together," she said.

The ruling comes two weeks after the 28-year-old Australian-born actor was found dead in the bed of his rented SoHo apartment. Police found bottles of six types of prescription drugs, including sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication, in his bedroom and bathroom.

Ledger was discovered by his masseuse on Jan. 22 after she arrived for an appointment that afternoon. She entered his bedroom to set up for the massage and found him unresponsive, and proceeded to call Mary-Kate Olsen three times over the next 9 minutes before dialing 911. Ledger had been dead for some time, and police say no foul play occurred.

"Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Ledger told The New York Times. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going." He said he had taken two Ambien pills, which only gave him an hour of sleep.

Ledger's family returned to the actor's hometown of Perth, Australia on Tuesday to prepare for his funeral. Arrangements were private.

In a statement released through Ledger's publicist, Ledger's father, Kim, said Wednesday: "While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage."

http://www.mania.com/57350.html

There you have it. It was an accident. No sleep, pneumonia, and too many prescriptions killed hum. Pretty dumb, but not having sleep for over a month will mess a person up in the head. How sad.