"I only do this because I’m having fun.

The day I stop having fun, I’ll just walk away."

Heath Ledger

April 4, 1979 Heath Ledger is born in the beachfront town of Perth, Australia. His dad, Kim, an engineer who designed race cars, and mom, Sally, a French teacher, divorce when Ledger is 11. The budding actor – who's already working regularly in community theater – adapts easily to shuttling between his parents' homes. "It set me up for this bohemian life I've been leading," he tells Rolling Stone in 2006. "I feel like I've been traveling with the same bag since I was 11."

At 16, Ledger, who says he "hates school," leaves home for Sydney, where he appears in the Aussie TV show Sweat. He also makes his feature film debut in Blackrock and takes the lead in Roar, Fox's new warrior drama – costarring Keri Russell. "It started off quite dignified and Braveheart-esque," Ledger tells Rolling Stone of the short-lived series. "But as they got desperate for ratings, slowly no one's wearing clothes." On the upside, he dates costar Lisa Zane (the sister of Titanic's Billy Zane), who's 18 years his senior.

Ledger hops a flight to Hollywood and lands the lead in 10 Things I Hate About You, opposite Julia Stiles. The teen comedy rakes in more than $50 million, but Ledger admits he's unhappy being labeled a heartthrob. "I was a young kid from Australia, and that was the only movie someone was willing to put me in, so what do you do?" he tells the Houston Chronicle. "You've got to start somewhere. I just didn't want to stay there." He adamantly turns down teen flicks for the next year.

Ledger stars as Mel Gibson's son in the Revolutionary War drama The Patriot . The movie hauls in $113 million and earns the 21-year-old his first taste of critical acclaim. Rolling Stone declares, "The Aussie newcomer has the talent and looks to become a major star." Ledger also lands on the cover of August’s Vanity Fair for a story breathlessly headlined, "We’re Havin' A Heath Wave."

While in Prague shooting A Knight's Tale, Ledger meets bombshell Heather Graham, who's also in Prague filming From Hell. "She's a beautiful, beautiful girl," he tells Movieline of the actress who's nine years his senior. "We make each other laugh – she's so f--king funny. That's the key. It's fun. It's a good relationship and a very truthful one." The two date for about a year before splitting in June 2001.

Fresh from being named one of PEOPLE's 50 Most Beautiful, Ledger's stars in A Knight's Tale. The comedy-adventure rakes in $117 million worldwide. "Once every 50 years, a guy like [Heath] comes along," director Brian Helgeland tells Vanity Fair.

After the overwhelming success of his first few films, Ledger signs on to a string of bombs, including Ned Kelly, an epic costarring Orlando Bloom that earns just $84,625 in the U.S. "I wanted to take the blond out of my career, kill the direction it was going in," he tells Rolling Stone. "Whether consciously or unconsciously, I perfectly sabotaged any studio interest in working with me." The dark period has two highlights: playing Billy Bob Thornton's suicidal son in Monster's Ball; and dating his Ned Kelly costar Naomi Watts.

Ledger signs on to star in Brokeback Mountain, a love story about two cowboys. The screenplay, long known as simply "The Gay Cowboy Movie," had bounced around Hollywood before landing in the hands of director Ang Lee. "My biggest anxiety wasn't having to kiss Jake",  "It was the perfect script and Ang Lee was the perfect director. So the anxiety for me was – I didn't want to be the one to f--k it up."

On the very first day of filming Brokeback, Ledger falls for costar Michelle Williams. "On the 5th take, Michelle and I [are] tobogganing down the hill..." he tells Rolling Stone. "And Michelle...twisted her knee – she was pretty much on crutches for the rest of the shoot. And I felt I always had to look after her after that." In May, PEOPLE reports that Ledger and Williams are expecting a baby. The pregnancy, Ledger tells Rolling Stone, is a surprise: "Our bodies definitely made those decisions for us." The two move into a brownstone in Brooklyn and begin nesting.

Williams gives birth to their daughter Matilda Rose. Ledger seems to revel in fatherhood. "I'm Mr. Mom," he tells the Boston Globe. "I get [Michelle] granola and cook her an egg, I clean the dishes, and then I'm cooking lunch. Later, I go out to the market and get fresh produce for dinner. And I love it! I love my new job."

Brokeback Mountain premieres in the U.S., and Ledger`s performance as the tortured, strong-and-silent Ennis Del Mar earns raves. The Los Angeles Times calls the actor "breathtaking," adding that he "brings this film alive by going so deeply into character, you wonder if he'll be able to come back." Director Ang Lee tells PEOPLE that Ledger's performance is reminiscent of "a young [Marlon] Brando."

Brokeback Mountain comes into Oscar night with eight nominations, including his-n-hers nods for Ledger and Williams. (He's up for Best Actor; she's in the running for Best Supporting Actress.) The couple shine on the red carpet, but the evening proves to be a disappointment. The movie's stars are shut out of all acting awards, and Crash pulls off an amazing come-from-behind win for Best Picture. Lee does, however, win Best Director.

It seemed Ledger couldn't stop gushing about his home life, calling Williams "the perfect mom" on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006. But in October 2007, Ledger and Williams announce their split. Soon after, Ledger is spotted with former supermodel Helena Christensen. But she is quick to shoot down rumors of romance. "It's so annoying," she tells PEOPLE. "I can't even tell you."

The Dark Knight – the sequel to 2005's Batman Begins starring Christian Bale – comes out in July 2008, but buzz about Ledger's portrayal of the Joker has already begun. Michael Caine, who plays trusted Wayne family butler Alfred, tells MTV that Ledger`s interpretation is "one of the scariest performances I've ever seen." Ledger adds, "He has zero empathy. It's the most fun I've had with a character and probably will ever have."

January 22,  2008

Heath Ledger is found dead at his Manhattan residence. He was 28. 

On February 6,  2008, the NYC medical examiner's office rules that Ledger died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

Biography source:  people.com

Bye Heath !

What started out as a subdued wake after Heath Ledger`s funeral ended in an emotional goodbye by mourners including Michelle Williams, who all took a plunge into the ocean as the sun began to set.
"It's exactly what Heath would have wanted," one mourner told PEOPLE, dripping wet in his underwear as he made his way out of the water.
An unidentified man led Williams by the hand, followed by several guests, who walked down the stairs behind the Indiana Tea House on Cottesloe Beach, the site of the wake and one of Ledger's favorite spots.
At least 50 people attending the wake ran onto the beach and many began to take off their clothes. While some women took the plunge in their black dresses, other men and women stripped down to just their underwear and jumped into the ocean.
Williams, still wearing her cream-colored sundress and black sunglasses, was briefly dragged into the water as everyone cheered. She was then quickly surrounded by a group of mourners, creating a protective circle around the actress.
Those in the water laughed and cheered as Michelle watched from the shore. Ledger's sister Kate also took a dive into the water and was surrounded by pals splashing around her while her father Kim Ledger watched from the restaurant's balcony and shouted, "Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!" giving two thumbs up in the air.
As the sun began to set, the swimmers came on shore and stood in a line on both sides of Williams and linked arms. In the last five minutes, as the sun moved toward the horizon, the mourners stood in silence, watching and embracing.
Williams hugged Kate Ledger and smiled as she watched the sunset at 8:15 p.m., local time.
Two mourners in the group summoned up the moment as they stood behind Williams.
"The sun goes down on our love," they said. "But it will never go down on Heathy."
Williams left the wake with Ledger's mother Sally Ledger Bell and her husband Roger Bell at 9:20 p.m., local time. Ledger Bell held on to Michelle as they got into a black SUV. Once inside, Sally rested her head on Williams' shoulder as the car drove away.

Source: people.com  (09-02-2008)

Heath Ledger's Scholarship Fund will aid Aussie actors

Australians in Film, the L.A.-based organization for ex-pat Australians in the entertainment industry, has established the Heath Ledger Scholarship Fund, to be given annually to a young Australian-based actor to help them pursue a career in Hollywood.

The scholarship fund in Ledger's name (he was an AIF ambassador before his death in January) has the full support of Ledger's family. Gregor Jordan, a longtime friend of Heath's who directed the young actor in "Ned Kelly" and "Two Hands," will read statements of support from Heath's family at AIF's 4th annual Breakthrough Awards on June 5.

The Breakthrough Awards will be held at the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills. Mira Wasikowska (HBO's "In Treatment") and Abbie Cornish ("Stop Loss"), who starred with Ledger in "Candy" (2006), will receive the awards, Golden Boomerangs, that night.

Ironically, long before AIF was founded, Susie Dobson, AIF president, met Heath Ledger at the Avalon during an Instyle party in 2000.

"Someone told me that there was a young and very, very shy Australian actor sitting on a couch by himself, and they suggested I go over and talk to him and try to make him feel at home," Dobson recalls. "It was Heath Ledger, and he was here to promote his first big U.S. film, 'The Patriot,' with Mel Gibson. He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt and was incredibly sweet, shy and soft-spoken."

Heath was already broken completely through and had become a major movie star by the time the Breakthrough Awards began. But he would definitely have approved of the scholarship and the awards which will be given out on June 5.

“We're so pleased to recognize the efforts and talents of Australia’s newest faces who are already proving they are on their way to join the ranks of the high-profile Australian talent working in Hollywood,” comments Dobson. “We are also thrilled that, through Heath's scholarship, we will be able to assist burgeoning Australian talent launch their careers in the U.S. to become potential future recipients of a Breakthrough Award.”

Source: ESNEAD - Los Angeles Times Blogs  (27-05-2008)

Heath Ledger's final role as the demented Joker is turning out to be one of his best.

The Australian actor, who died in January of an accidental prescription drug overdose, was nominated for a Golden Globe on Thursday for his role in the Batman movie "The Dark Knight", piling on the momentum for rare posthumous Oscar recognition.

Ledger, 28, won two awards in the past week for his acclaimed but unnerving performance in the movie that was released just months after his untimely death.

The Australian Film Institute awarded Ledger its prestigious international award for best actor on Saturday and on Tuesday the Los Angeles Film Critics Association chose him as best supporting actor of 2008.

"He will be a lock now for an Oscar nomination," said Tom O'Neil, columnist for awards Web site www.TheEnvelope.com after Ledger's Golden Globe nod as best supporting actor.

"As for whether he can win, we will see. The first test will be at the Golden Globe awards in January," O'Neil said.

Awards buzz for Ledger began as soon as "The Dark Knight" was released in July. But the Batman blockbuster, which has taken $997 million worldwide at box offices, is the type of comic book action series that Hollywood rarely favors when handing out its honors.

Posthumous awards are even rarer. Only one actor has won an Oscar after death - Peter Finch for 1976's "Network."

Ledger's father Kim, in Perth, Australia, said the family welcomed Thursday's Golden Globe nomination. In a statement, Kim Ledger said it was "deeply appreciated and is not lost on those of us who continue to love and miss him. We are so proud our boy's work is being recognized in this way."

In life, Ledger failed to win either a Golden Globe or an Oscar despite being a strong favorite for his 2005 role as a taciturn gay cowboy in "Brokeback Mountain".

This time around, it could be different.

"The nomination was expected...and Ledger may be a favorite in that category for sure," said Pete Hammond, film critic with Hollywood.com.

Ledger's fellow Golden Globe nominees include Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Cruise for their comic turns in the satire "Tropic Thunder", Philip Seymour Hoffman for church abuse tale "Doubt" and Ralph Fiennes for the costume drama "The Duchess".

Asked if Ledger would win the Golden Globe, "Hustle & Flow" actor Terrence Howard told Hollyscoop.com; "I'm sure he will. Even if someone else won in his category, if I had won in that category, I would give it to his family because he truly had the best performance."

Jorge Camara, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association which will hand out the Golden Globes on January 11, said; "It is just a shame Heath Ledger is not here to celebrate."

Source: LA (Reuters) - Jill Serjeant

Heath Ledger wins Golden Globe

By Gregg Kilday

Source: www.hollywoodreporter.com

Heath Ledger Receives Posthumous Oscar Nomination

Having just won a Golden Globe Award for his performance in 'The Dark Knight' the late Heath Ledger was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor this morning on the one year anniversary of his death.

The Dark Knight star is up for Best Supporting Actor, alongside Josh Brolin (Milk), Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder); Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt) and Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road).

The Dark Knight scored a total of 8 nominations including Art direction, Cinematography, Makeup and Film Editing.

Earlier this month, director Chris Nolan accepted a Golden Globe trophy on his behalf, and his family said it would eventually go to his daughter Matilda. 

Source: www.hollyscoop.com

'Emotional' Gary Oldman Accepts SAG Award On Heath Ledger's Behalf

Heath Ledger made it two for two on Sunday night, when the late actor won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor at the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Following up on his win at the Golden Globes, Ledger won the SAG award once again for his role as The Joker in "The Dark Knight."

After a standing ovation when Ledger was announced as the winner, the actor's "Dark Knight" co-star, Gary Oldman, accepted the award on his behalf.

"I'm quite emotional right now," Oldman said as he took the stage, visibly moved. "It's a great honor to be asked to accept this on behalf of Heath. He was an extraordinary man with an extraordinary talent. It is wonderful that you have acknowledged and honored that talent tonight."

Oldman, who played James Gordon in "The Dark Knight," thanked the Guild, as well as his fellow celebrities in attendance, for honoring his late colleague's work.

"On behalf of Heath, his family and his family on 'The Dark Knight,' I thank you," Oldman said, triumphantly hoisting Ledger's award in the air.

In addition to his wins at the Globes and the SAG Awards, Ledger also received a Best Supporting Actor nomination earlier in the week for the Academy Awards, which will be handed out February 22.

By Access Hollywood

Source: http://omg.yahoo.com 

Heath Ledger wins BAFTA

HEATH Ledger's menacing portrayal of the Joker has earned him another top honour, this time at Britain's version of the Academy Awards.

The Perth-born actor, who died after an accidental drug overdose in January last year, took out the British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) for best supporting actor at a star-studded ceremony in London on Sunday.

The award was the latest in a string of posthumous honours the actor has received for his role as the comic book villain in the acclaimed Batman thriller The Dark Knight.

Ledger beat off competition from Brad Pitt in Burn After Reading, Robert Downey Jr in Tropic Thunder, Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt and Brendan Gleeson for In Bruges.

Dark Knight producer Charles Roven collected the award on behalf of the late actor from an emotional Goldie Hawn.

"On behalf of Heath's family and all of us who were involved in the making of the Dark Knight we really appreciate and thank BAFTA for honouring Heath with this award.

"Knowing Heath I know that he would be very humble just to be in the company of the other performances that were also nominated this evening.

"I had the good fortune of making two films with Heath and I considered myself lucky just to have made one.

"He was as an actor and a professional and a human being, one of a kind.''

Ledger has already won a swathe of awards for his role, including a Golden Globe, making him a firm favourite for an Academy Award on February 22.

If he goes on to win an Oscar, Ledger will be just the second performer to win a posthumous Academy Award after fellow Australian, Peter Finch, collected one for Network in 1977.

The Dark Knight was nominated for a total of nine BAFTAs, including cinematography, editing, music and special visual effects.

Source: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au

HEATH LEDGER wins the 2009 MTV Movie Awards for the Best Villain category for his performance in The Dark Knight.
Heath Ledger convincingly delivers the warped psychopathic Joker of your nightmares in one of his last performances.