Thursday, January 24, 2008

Such A Waste


Reading all the reports in the newspapers and online from people that knew Heath Ledger, a very different image of him is appearing than I originally had.


I'd been of the opinion that Heath was cocky and arrogant and a bit pretentious. He'd had scuffles with the paparazzi and complained that he couldn't be left alone, surely an unfortunate but to be expected part of his job. Lots of other celebrities, much more famous than Heath, don't get harrassed or object as violently as he did. It seems that he was a bit of a tortured soul and wasn't entirely comfortable with being a celebrity and was in the business to be creative and work his craft.


The movies I had seen him in I genuinely enjoyed (his performance in "Brokeback Mountain" made me cry) and I can't wait to see "The Dark Knight" where Heath will be seen playing the Joker. Sleeping tablets, pneumonia and rumours of heroin, anyway you look at it, it's not a pretty picture. I hope he's at peace now.

11 comments:

  1. That's funny, Mr Pink, I was surprised when I checked the blog, that nobody had mentioned him - looks like we were typing at the same time.

    I hadn't heard about the heroin... hope it's not true.

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  2. Seems to me guys that he was just an insomniac who took too many sleeping pills. A tragic accident, no more no less. Its a real shame and I just feel awful for his daughter and family. Most of all though, I really feel sorry for him. I think wherever he is, his heart is probably breaking at the fact that he'll never see his little girl grow up.

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  3. Am I just out of touch for not being taken in my the ground swell of discussion on this.

    I'm not intending to take away from what was a tragic event but is he a big enough star to have justified the mountain of text messages and phone calls that went around?

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  4. See, I don't think it's about being an issue of how big a star he was. To me it was about how big a person he was, and it feels to me like he did justify it. Otherwise why would people respond? I don't think his death would have been any more remarklable or lamentable had he won seven Oscars, for example.

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  5. Interesting Tib. I think Jo got it rght. He was not this gigantic Star. But he was someone who had an impact. A nice guy. When I was told first I thought they meant Ethan Hawke (who is feckin brill) but when I realised who it was I immedietely thought of A knights tale, and thought, Damn thats a great shame.

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  6. Tib - it's just the young actor thing.

    I realise now that I must be the only person who reads posts in chronological order, hence the only respondent to JM's email.

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  7. It's sad whenever anyone young dies, sad for his family in particular! Myself and my girlfriend (now, now) are spending new Wednesday evening with Brokeback Mountain a couple of bottles of wine? Any takers girls?

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  8. I was extremely shocked to hear this news. I have been an admirer of Heath since his blink or you'll miss it Home and Away days. He also started in a kids show called SWEAT in the early nineties which made him a bit of a teen heartthrob for me. I thought he was a wonderful actor and am so sad that he is gone. I think at this stage all evidence points to it being accidental which is so sad but will mean more closure for his family in the long run.

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  9. I blinked! I missed it! That's what I get for weaning myself off my unhealthy addiction.

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  10. I think there was an element of "Amy Winehouse is dead!", "Yeah, so what. Saw that coming"

    He seemed like a nice guy, very decent actor, young, had a young kid too even though he'd split with his partner (happens to the best of us), seemed thoughtful and intelligent in interviews.

    Just one of those things that catches people's imaginations.

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