We're still gaining our composure from the shocking news that Heath Ledger has died. We cannot even imagine what his loved ones are going through right now but they have shared a few words with us. Heath Ledger's father Kim and mother Sally stood with his sister Kate and spoke to the press today thanking many and asking for their privacy to grieve during this sad time. Their statement to the Australian press was:
Heath's family confirms the very tragic, untimely and accidental passing of our dearly loved son, brother and doting father of Matilda. He was found peacefully asleep in his New York apartment by his housekeeper at 3:30 p.m. U.S. time.
We would like to thank our friends and everyone around the world for their well wishes and kind thoughts at this time. Heath has touched so many people on so many different levels during his short life but few had the pleasure of truly knowing him.
He was a down to earth, generous, kind-hearted, life-loving and selfless individual who was extremely inspirational to many. Please now respect our families need to grieve and come to terms with our loss privately.
Other statements and news at this time:
- Michelle Williams' father also spoke out saying "I think Tennyson got it right in the poem when he described someone as having died at a young age but burning the candles at both ends, and oh what a beautiful flame he made, that was Heath, what a beautiful flame he made and a great talent... The saddest thing is his daughter whom he just loved dearly."
- His publicist Mara Buxbaum said, "We are deeply saddened and shocked by this accident."
- E! Online reports that Naomi Watts canceled all her Sundance appearances. She is in town to promote her movie Funny Games.
- Todd Haynes, the director of I'm Not There said, "Heath was a true artist, a deeply sensitive man, an explorer, gifted and wise beyond his years. There is no finer person on this earth.”
- James Schamus, CEO of Focus Features and a producer on Brokeback Mountain said, "Heath Ledger was a courageous actor, and a great soul... He gave us the gift of sharing his fearless and beautiful love—of his craft, and of all who worked with him—for which all of us will be eternally grateful."
Our condolences are with Heath's family and loved ones.
Balmain
Seafolly
Calvin Klein
Im not one who is usually affected by the going ons and deaths of celebs but this one really hit me (the only other death to affect me was Steve Irwin).
It was completely unexpected. It truly is a loss. I feel for his family and friends and specially his daughter who had such a short amount of time with him
1Such a sad day in Hollywood. What a great loss to the industry.
2there have been many tv dedications here in australia... a current affair dedicated their show to him
3This is such an unexpected tragedy! My heart goes out to his family, they must still be in shock over all of this. I especially feel for little Matilda, she's so young she'll never know her father or even be able to remember him. RIP Heath
4It's 10am here now and I'm still shocked...
My condolences to Heath's family and friends.
5I can't believe this. I can only begin to imagine how Heath's family must be suffering right now...
Rest in peace, Heath.
6he was a bit strange but i didn´t think he was de kind of guy to die of an overdose.
7brokenhalo i agree - so unexpected! and we can only hope that Michelle will gather the strength to raise her daughter without her father - I'm sure she will, but it's just so tragic as in any situation when a child loses a parent so young - she's been robbed of the opportunity to create a memory of her dad. so sad.
I don't know why this death hit me so hard, can't explain it , but it has.
I would think that Hollywood is in mourning - I just recall all the movies he's made with the likes of Halle, Jake , Matt et al - he really made a lot of movies for someone so young - he was 28, it's crazy to think he's gone.
8roor- Im with you...I dont know why his death has hit hard either. I do think there is something to say about the constant display of celebs who are constantly putting there lives at danger and who are truly sick (ie Britney Spears). There is almost an expectation that something bad like this would happen. But Heath seemed down to earth and focused on being a father and an actor and not a celeb and constant fixture in the news. I also think the fact that the death seems completely accidental makes it more tragic
9it's so shocking and so sad.
10So sad. I feel for his family. What a tough time it must be for them. But please, we should respect their privacy.
11The Fred Phelps cult has decided to protest Heath's funeral because he played a gay guy in a movie
12I just hope britney , amy winehouse etc, see this as a sign that you don't have to be living on the edge for tragedy to strike - so they really should stop tempting fate .
13Those are some really nice, heartfelt statements from his family and Michelle's dad. It couldn't have been easy to prepare something so quickly under these circumstances. I hope Naomi and Heather Graham are able to dodge the media and their stupid requests for a quote.
Of course it will be easier for media like the NY Times and AP to comment, since they probably had a half-written obit in the works for years.
14JessNess, these people truly sicken me.
I hope everything possible is done so that his family
and loved ones can mourn him in peace.
15This is so sad and like everyone say's such a shock. I feel so much for his family but more so for Michelle...
How do you explain to a two year old that her fathers gone and not coming back. How do you explain to a two year old that the whole world knows and feels for her loss... and worse of all how do you explain to a two year old that the media will want to cover it and take photo's of you...
I hope and pray that the media leave Michelle and Matilda and their family's alone during this sad sad time. x x x
16i feel so sad about all this...it reminds me of Michael Hutchence death 10 years ago...he was an aussi as well,and he had a little daughter too
17RIP beautiful Heath
18His death has really shocked me and affected me.I've always liked him as an actor and his anti-Hollywood,laid-back personality.I truly feel for his family,Michelle Wiliams and his daughter.
19when I read the news I could not believe that it is really true, I feel sorry for his family
20I can't believe it. He was a great man and a great actor. I miss him already in theatres.
21I'm still in denial. I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes. I can't believe he's gone.
22Beautiful words from his family, it must be so hard for them. I sill can't believe it. it is so unfair, why do the good ones have to go first?
23This one really shocked me, too.
24I just hope they have a kind and gentle way to explain this to his 2-year old daughter.
I was very shocked when I heard the news. Such a young, promising talent.
I think Michelle's father meant this poem:
My candle burns at both ends
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends -
It gives a lovely light.
It is not by Tennyson but by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Nevertheless I think it is a beautiful poem.
25I don't know why this hit me so hard. I was never all that fond of Heath Ledger, but he was truly a gifted actor and by all accounts a great father. May he rest in peace.
26This is just so sad. And he really made an impact on people Everybody who hears the news seems to have to express their shock. My sister, friends, colleages ... it's the same everywhere and that doesn't happen for every celeb. People really recognized himas a great talent.
My deepest sympathies to his family and friends.
27This whole thing is just shocking. It's nice to hear everyone say such nice things about him. I don't thin he had one enemy! That's pretty rare in this business.
28I still cant believe this. He was one of my favorite actors of our generation. I seriously fell in love with him in Ten Things I Hate About You, and looked forward to seeing what else he could do and where he would go in his acting career. Its so hard to believe that someone who seemed so charismatic and vivid and full of life is just...gone.
29pantalaimon- I know what you mean. I told my boyfriend last night, I didnt think he even knew who Heath Ledger was, but when I told him he couldnt believe it either. so sad.
30the drug problem for young america is truly going too far. i cannot believe i'm affected by his death so much.. celebrity deaths usually never affect me at all. i just watched 10 things i hate about you... i'm still shocked that he is gone
. . r.i.p. heath
31May he rest in peace. Such a huge shock. He is the last of Hollywood I expected to pass. That just goes to show every day is not promised to us.
32For everyone saying that Matilda wont have any memories of her father, I really hope that when she is older she doesnt find all these stories of what happened, and pictures of his body being carried out. THAT would be the saddest part of all this. Loosing a parent is hard enough, I cant even imagine loosing a parent and then growing up in the spotlight with everyone reminding you of what you've lost.
33Devastation supercedes belief. A beautiful creation lost, but will live on through Matilda. Rest in Peace Heath Ledger
34JessNess, I just read that. It makes me so mad that those people are planning on doing that. They have no hearts!!!
35I could not believe it either. I was so shocked, it really was a surprise to feel this. I don't know him (obviously), but my heart jumped and my eyes were filled with tears. Everything is so tragic, I thought of Michelle, imagined her shock. Their split is so recent,they had a daughter together, I can't imagine her not still having feelings for him. Imagine how she must feel? Imagine how it must be to look at their daughter, who looked so much like him, and all the feelings of pain and love - all mixed up. Having to be brave for Mathilda's sake, but just feeling like crying and wanting to turn back time...This is so hard, sad and irreversable..
36R.I.P. Heath!
So sad.
37This one hit me hard, too. Harder than most celeb deaths. And I'm not sure why. I'd only seen two of his films (10 Things and Brokeback) and, quite honestly, had no desire to see most of the others - not because of him, but because they're not the kinds of pictures I'm interested in.
But he seemed like such a decent, hardworking, down-to-earth guy and a good father. This is so, so sad.
38so shocking and sad.....he was a great actor
Rest in peace, Heath.....
39i cant belive this, im so sad about it, loved him in a knights tale, he was one of my fav actors, and even tho it feels stupid as we didnt know him im quite sad and shocked by it.
40I just read that there is a church group that is planning to picket his funeral. the "God Hates Fags" group is picketing his funeral because of his role in Brokeback Mountain.
This INFURIATES me! All these self righteous "christians" who think they are better than someone else. He was a man, a human, and his family deserves to be able to mourne his loss in PEACE, without HATE! If you want to picket something, picket his new movie coming out. NOT HIS FUNERAL! this makes me ill...
41This is sad beyond words... I am also still shocked
Can't even start to imagine what is
close-ones are feeling at the moment. And I just hope the paps REALLY leave them alone during that most traumatic time!
42I am still so shocked by this, it is so sad. I am sitting here trying not to cry for some one i didn't know.
I can't imagine what Michelle is going through i feel so bad for her and Matilda. Matilda is the spitting image of Heath i bet that will be very hard for a while but in the future i am sure it will bring Michelle happiness.
I seriously hope that no one picketts his funeral. That is absolutely awful. They are suppose to be church people. Well God loves everyone, even an actor who played a gay guy in a movie. How would they like it if some one picketted their loved ones funeral. I really hope there is some sort of security there and they keep those disgusting people away so his poor family can mourn, that's all they need is people starting fights at a funeral in front of a two year old who just lost her daddy and doesn't understand what is going on.
RIP Heath!
43So sad and shocking. I mean there was never even any speculation that he used drugs, so I totally didnt see this coming.
And its sad that he's recently separated and a dad, too
44I still so shocked! This one came way out of left field.
45So sad, I just can't get over it. May his loved ones find the strenghth to get through this tough time.GOD BLESS.
46İm so shocked Rest in peace Heath
47I am shocked and saddened by this tragic news.
48I still can't believe this
49Oh, God -- where do you start? I guess you're kind of forced into respecting yourself more. You learn more about yourself through your child. I think you also look at death differently -- it's like a catch-22.I feel good about dying now, because I'm alive through her, but at the same time you don't want to die because you want to be around for the rest of her life.
Heath
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