Heath Ledger

Yesterday afternoon, I received a simple email from a friend with the subject line that read “Wait, Is Heath Ledger Dead?” This is how I found out one of my favorite actors had passed away. After a few moments of frantic googling and even more moments of shocked disbelief, I emailed my friend back, “I’m sort of in shock over this.”

It is a story we’ve become all too familiar with, a talented actor gone from this Earth far too soon, but Mr. Ledger seemed the least likely candidate for one of these E! True Hollywood story. He wasn’t the type to have his face plastered all over the gossip rags for partying too hard at The Ivy. He wasn’t the type who was a mess of booze and drugs. By all indications, Ledger was a dedicated, talented actor and a down to Earth dad who bagged his own groceries and lived a low-key life, which only makes his passing all the more shocking. As a fan, I mourn the tragic loss of a unique, talented actor whom I was looking forward to watching for decades to come and I feel robbed and cheated that I will never see that. As a human being, I can’t help but feel for his family and his young daughter who were robbed of the man and that is so much more important everything I just wrote. His death has already become a media circus and I somehow feel that Heath “the man” will not be given the respect any person who has just passed away is due. I beg the media, please, don’t turn this into Anna Nicole part deux.

Like most pop culture geeks, I first noticed Ledger in the 1997’s very short lived Fox television series Roar, but it wasn’t until 1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You that I knew this kid might just have a career. He could have had a very easy career if he had just stuck to the “pretty boy” route and took the opportunities that I’m sure were offered after 10 Things success. He could have become a full-fledged teen heartthrob and no one would have found fault in that. Instead, Ledger took smaller roles in smaller films like 2001’s Monster’s Ball and 2003’s Ned Kelly. But I think we can all agree that it wasn’t until 2005’s Brokeback Mountain that everyone knew that this pretty face also had some deep substance. Ennis Del Mar is a tightly wound man who hates himself, hates his life, hates the world and Ledger’s performance is so deeply haunting, it almost dares you not to live your life a little more freely or run the risk of ending up like Ennis.

Whatever personal problems he may have been struggling with or whatever his life came to in the end, it is his life that should be the focus now and not how he died. Somehow, I doubt focusing on his life will sell more papers and deliver more ratings, which is the tragedy in itself. Ledger was a terrific actor. He leaves behind some amazing performances that I will watch time and again for the rest of my days, but there was so much more he could have done and that is what I mourn most right now.

Ledger, the actor, will be missed by fans like me who thought the world of his work and knew there was so much more in him that we had yet to see. I just hope the world gives Heath, the man, a bit of respect in the next few days and allow his family and friends the space to grieve. I know this is probably wishful thinking, but there is nothing wrong in having this hope.

Charlie Rose - Heath Ledger 2005 Interview