CNN reports that it may have been a drug overdose. This is sad news.

Although I didn't care for him as an actor, I was looking forward to his Joker performance in Dark Knight.

Yeah, I JUST saw this on Fox 5 News.

I wonder who they'll fine to replace him.

he has done some decent stuff. He wasn't a terrible actor.

I just heard about this and can't believe it happened.

I hate it when a rising young star dies before his time. And I hate it even more that the media and tabloid press will tear into this like hungry jackals, exploiting a tragedy for their own gain. It disgusts me.

Also, could someone confirm this for me, but I had read that most of the primary filming had finished for the Dark Knight, meaning they might still be able to use his performance. Have I heard right, or wrong?

I believe the filming was wrapped. So the movie itself is in no danger.
Too bad. I liked him as an actor.

Yeah, the scenes that have him in it are done.

I was told by my friend. It was... wierd...

There's a thread going on about this in the General Discussion area, too. ;)

Crazy...and yet, The Dark Knight will make so much more money, a la The Crow.

He died of an Ambien overdose, brought on by a profound lack of sleep thanks to... Not being able to get out of the role of The Joker.

Playing The Joker killed him. At least this is what I've read so far in a variety of forums.

His scenes are done, however, the movie will not meet any halt because of this. But that's not is what is important. He was an amazing actor who never had a down moment in career. He went above and beyond in his acting, and will be deeply missed.

EDIT: Apparently it wasn't just that role that did him in. He was losing sleep over some others. I dunno, I'm keeping on top of a thread someplace else and for a while that's what everyone was saying. :/

I seriously thought it was a joke at first reading it off a very "random" image board. Then, as I kept exploring, the truth become more and more apparent that he had died. Which really sucks, not to mention he had a grand career ahead off him. God, it shocked me more than the time I found out Colin McRae died.

The first Heath Ledger movie I ever saw was A Knight's Tale and I really took a liking to the guy.

I was incredibly pleased when they cast him as the Joker, and when I heard the steps he took to prepare for the role, and the various clips that floated around with him in action I knew they'd made an excellent choice.

It's actually quite upsetting, I heard about his death when I got out of class and I was stunned.

Man, this just sucks.

So many Heath threads... SOOoooo many.

He was ok. Better than average for Hollywood, probably because he was Aussie ;)
It's true, he wasn't just another pretty boy going through the system. He was already a decent actor here before he made it over there.

I loved a Knights Tale it was something different

There wasn't enough CG though -_- :P

Meah, actually it was just cashing in on this really lame idea of ramming "hipster" current "edgy" pop culture into historical adventure type stories.. It was a bit of a side effect of the Buffy TV series. ANOYING FAD.
There was an English film about some highwaymen that did the same thing, and others..

Man, this is sad. :( And weird, too - I wasn't overly fond of him (I mean, he's in some movies that I like watching, but I'm not a huge fan of him), but this just feels weird. He was so young, and I didn't expect him to go out by ODing on drugs. o.O

It's like River Phoenix all over again. Or .

Michael Caine was quoted as saying (before Heath's death) that he wouldn't be surprised of Heath got an Oscar nomination for his role as The Joker. ...And as the Academy loves giving Oscars to old people and dead guys, you just know they're gonna be all over this like a moth to a flame.

If you become so devoted to a role that you lose as much rest as he did, you deserve some sort of award.

Also this is not his last film, he is going to be in another (at the moment the name escapes me), but iirc The Dark Knight counts as his last starring role. A good role to go out on, but I would rather have him keep making movies and be without Dark Knight, then see him go at such a young age.

lastcall
Michael Caine was quoted as saying (before Heath's death) that he wouldn't be surprised of Heath got an Oscar nomination for his role as The Joker.

Yeah when I heard about Heath's "Joker's Diary" I immediately thought, ok he's putting an oscar worthy performance into this one.

Yeah actually A Knight's Tale sucked. Not because it had Queen in there. But because the jousting was (1) boring and (2) poorly choreographed.

I mean, whenever the horses got close, the villain/loser would suddenly lower his spear so that Heath can whup him good with his spear. WTF.

There should've been more swordfight scenes. Any jousting knight who can still get up from an initial unsaddling should always demand a swordfight to settle it. The one swords scene in that movie was pretty good.

mlai
Yeah actually A Knight's Tale sucked. Not because it had Queen in there. But because the jousting was (1) boring and (2) poorly choreographed.

I mean, whenever the horses got close, the villain/loser would suddenly lower his spear so that Heath can whup him good with his spear. WTF.

There should've been more swordfight scenes. Any jousting knight who can still get up from an initial unsaddling should always demand a swordfight to settle it. The one swords scene in that movie was pretty good.

"We Will Rock You" at the beginning is what turned me off. I just couldn't make it past that. :|

mlai
Yeah actually A Knight's Tale sucked. Not because it had Queen in there. But because the jousting was (1) boring and (2) poorly choreographed.

I mean, whenever the horses got close, the villain/loser would suddenly lower his spear so that Heath can whup him good with his spear. WTF.

There should've been more swordfight scenes. Any jousting knight who can still get up from an initial unsaddling should always demand a swordfight to settle it. The one swords scene in that movie was pretty good.

It was the ballroom dance scene where they started rocking out in the middle of it that got me. I was ok until that.

I didn't say it was good I said I enjoyed it. Kinda like the way Nickleback has it's "fans"

Oh I'm not trying to come off like you have a bad taste or something, mate. I enjoy Tim and Eric Awesome Show, and so far I've only talked to three people who like it, and at least 20 or more who think I'm an idiot for finding it funny. What you enjoy is you're own deal. :D

I'm sure I would like it, I just need to not watch the opening.

Was the Brother's Grimm any good? I never saw that or Casanova...

also I kinda liked a Knights Tale for the actors and also I think Knights are cool outside of fantasy. Plus it's a sport movie that I would actually watch

As long as the new Batman movie is fine, then I don't care.

I still don't understand why whenever Joker shoots a gun, all of Batman's billion-dollar weapons platforms suddenly become useless clay pidgeons, be they armored bikes or armored jets.

Joker doesn't use conventional weapons. If its a gun, its got exploding tips on them or something.

It's really sad about him dying so young. Also, he'll probably be most remembered for Brokeback Mountain