Heath Ledger was an Australian actor born in 1979 who rose to fame through roles in 10 Things I Hate About You and Brokeback Mountain. He had a daughter with actress Michelle Williams and was found dead in 2008 from an accidental prescription drug overdose. Ledger won numerous accolades for his acclaimed performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight, which was released posthumously.
2. Father
Kim Ledger
Mother
Sally Ramshaw
Sisters
Catherine (Kate) Ledger
Olivia Ledger
Ashleigh Bell
3. Ledger was involved in a long-term
romance with actress Michelle Williams
They were engaged but they split
September 2007
He has a daughter, with Michelle, 2-
year-old Matilda Rose Legder.
4. Ledger was born in Perth, Western
Australia, on April 4, 1979.
Involved in amateur theater from the age
of 10, he moved to Sydney at 16 to
pursue acting professionally
He soon found work on TV movies and
shows.
In addition to his acting, he produced
and directed music videos and aspired
to be a film director.
5. "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999)
"A Knight's Tale" (2001)
"The Order" (2003)
"Brokeback Mountain" (2005)
"The Brothers Grimm" (2005)
"The Dark Knight" (2008)
7. In 2006 Ledger directed music videos
for the title track on Australian hip-hop
artist N'fa's CD debut solo album Cause
an Effect
He also directed N’fa’s single "Seduction
Is Evil".
He directed a music video for Ben
Harper's song "Morning Yearning".[
8. Heath won at the 2009 Golden Globe for
Best Supporting Actor in a motion
picture.
He has also been nominated for and
won awards for his portrayal of the Joker
in The Dark Knight
He has been nominated for two Oscars
for best performance by an Actor in a
leading role
9. Named one of People Magazine's 50
Most Beautiful People in 2001.
Was a men's-fashion judge at the
Melbourne Cup Carnival in November
2001.
Was the first non-American actor to
portray the Joker.
10. Was one of seven godparents of
Elizabeth Hurley's son Damien.
Resided in Brooklyn, Los Angeles and
Sydney.
Chosen by Empire Magazine as one of
the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the world
(#79) 2007
11. First acting role was as "Peter Pan", at
age 10, at a local theater company.
Was very good friends with Russell
Crowe.
Owned a pet kangaroo that was found
by his mother as a child
12. On 22 January 2008, Ledger was found
unconscious in his bed by his
housekeeper, Teresa Solomon, and his
masseuse, Diana Wolozin, in his fourth-
floor loft apartment at 421 Broome
Street in the SoHo neighborhood of
Manhattan.
At 3:36 p.m., Ledger was pronounced
dead and his body removed from the
apartment
13. Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of
acute intoxication by the combined
effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone,
diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and
doxylamine.[
14. On 9 February 2008,
a memorial service
attended by several
hundred invited
guests was held at
Penrhos College
Afterward Ledger's
body was cremated at
Fremantle Cemetery,
followed by a private
service attended by
only 10 closest family
members.