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His breakout role came as Ennis, in his Academy Award nominated performance in Brokeback Mountain. The groundbreaking romantic drama featured Ledger as a 1960’s era cowboy who falls in love with another man.  The movie follows their complex relationship over 20 years. Some critics heralded the movie as a ‘breakthrough’ film for gay cinema.  It was a demanding role, and a brave choice for Heath Ledger to accept.  The movie created a lot of controversy.

His role as the Joker in Dark Knight is in intensely dark role.  He was apparently warned by Jack Nicholson about it.   Heath withdrew from people to prepare, and succeeded in delivering an excellent performance in this key role.  According to the reviews out so far, his performance is one deserving of the Oscar nod.

So how did such a talented man end up naked, dead on the floor of his apartment in New York?  His friends all knew of his ongoing problems with insomnia and with the lingering cold he had had.  He complained of not being well and of getting little to no sleep many times.  He spoke of having to take sleeping pills just to doze off and awake and hour or two later with his mind racing.  He didn’t seem to be able to find peace.

His dedication to his art had taken a toll on him.  He had fathered a child with Michelle Williams.  Matilda Rose was born in October 2005 and she was very important to him.  Perhaps the strain of his failed relationship with her mother played on him. In the end we’ll never know the truth of his death.  It has been ruled as an accidental death due to an overdose of prescription medication.

It was sad to see him die in search of sleep and peace.  I’ll be in line Friday to see him in his final role as the Joker.  How about you? You can leave your memories and thoughts about his performances at the online memorial created to honor him.

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Posted by Richard Derks

16 Jul