Ledger, 28, was well known for his role in “Brokeback Mountain,” and he stars in the upcoming “The Dark Knight” Batman movie as the Joker.
He split last year from wife, Michelle Williams, with whom he has a daughter, Matilda.
His apartment was strewn with sleeping pills and it was unclear if it was an intentional or accidental death.
His housekeeper tried to wake Ledger up for a massage appointment and found him unresponsive at 3:20 p.m.
She then called paramedics at 3:26 p.m. and father of one was pronounced dead at 3:35 p.m.
Ledger’s early career as an actor was marked by small roles in several independent features in his home country of Australia.
He broke onto the international movie scene in 1999 with his turn as the brooding high-school heart-throb who captures Julia Stiles’ attention in “10 Things I Hate About You.” After starring roles in “The Patriot,” “A Knight’s Tale,” and “The Brothers Grimm,” Ledger earned critical acclaim with his poignant performance as a gay cattle rancher in director Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain,” for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
In 2007, he appeared in the independent film “I’m Not There,” as one of many incarnations of Bob Dylan. He recently wrapped filming on ‘The Dark Knight,’ the sequel to ‘Batman Begins,’ in which he plays the villainous Joker. His most recent role was in director Terry Gilliam’s ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,’ which is listed as still “in production” on imdb.com.
Ledger’s love life earned him as many headlines as his acting career. He has been romantically linked to such A-list starlets as Naomi Watts and Heather Graham. He has a daughter, Matilda Rose, with actress Michelle Williams. The couple, praised for their down-to-earth lifestyle in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens, announced their split earlier this year.
UPDATE– Here’s the video:
Here’s the last photo taken of Ledger before his untimely death:
Bindi Irwin, the 8-year-old daughter of Australia’s “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin kicks off her American showbiz career this week with a series of high-profile television appearances and speeches across the United States.
Bindi Irwin, who will star in the 26-part “Bindi, the Jungle Girl” series on Discovery Kids network this year, will address the National Press Club in Washington, as well as appear on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “The Late Show” with David Letterman.
“She’ll be welcomed with open arms and rightly so. She’s a very special child,” Discovery senior vice-president Annie Howell told Australian media on Monday.
Steve Irwin, 44, died on September 4 after a stingray’s serrated barb pierced his heart while he was filming scenes for a documentary off Australia’s northeast coast.
Bindi’s U.S. tour coincides with the airing of the “Ocean’s Deadliest” documentary her exuberant, khaki-clad Australian naturalist father was working on when he died.
While with her U.S.-born mother Terri Irwin, Bindi and her Crocmen backing dancers will team up with The Wiggles for concerts in Los Angeles and New York. Bindi has been performing her show already to thousands at Australian Zoo’s Crocoseum.
“That’s what her dad did for the last three years, he went over every year and did that and he did a big show,” manager John Stainton said.
As part of an Australian government promotion, she will also join Australian actors Russell Crowe and Naomi Watts , as well as Australian-born media baron Rupert Murdoch, for a gala dinner.
Discovery’s Howell said Bindi’s television series would premiere in the U.S. in the next several months.
Sophia Loren may be 71 frickin’ years old but she’s still a calendar girl.
SCREEN legend Sophia Loren shows she still has what it takes to make men go weak at the knees – as she poses for the Pirelli calender at the ripe old age of 71. The Italian stunner flashes her luscious curves alongside younger beauties including film stars Penelope Cruz and Naomi Watts in next year’s edition of the famous calendar.
Sophia, who won an Oscar in 1960 movie La Ciociara, was recently voted the world’s most naturally beautiful person. Once again she beat off competition from younger lovelies, including Catherine Zeta Jones, Cameron Diaz and Charlotte Church.
The phrase “beat off” may be a bit inappropriate in this case.
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have gotten married, reps for the couple have confirmed to PEOPLE. The all-candlelight ceremony took place just after sundown Sunday night at Sydney, Australia’s Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel on St. Patrick’s Estate at Manly.
Guests at the black-tie event included Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts and Rupert Murdoch. Kidman’s wedding party consisted of her sister Antonia, who was her maid of honor, and daughter Isabella, 13, who was her bridesmaid. Antonia’s daughter, Lucia, was a flower girl. On the groom’s side were Urban’s brother Shane, who served as best man, and longtime buddy Marlon Holden, who produced Urban’s first solo album in 1991.
Kidman wore a dress by Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga. Her father, Antony, walked her down the aisle under the dramatic glow of a spotlight. She kept her veil on throughout the ceremony, only lifting it when it came time to say the (very traditional) vows.
[...]
“Nicole cried all the way to the church in the car and then she cried all during the ceremony and had to wipe her eyes under the veil,” a guest tells PEOPLE. “It was the most emotional and beautiful ceremony. Nicole looked ethereal with her veil floating, like a vision in white. … Keith cried when he looked at her. “It was so intense,” the guest says. “When her veil was lifted, he moved right in and he grabbed her and kissed her. It was a long, passionate kiss. (Then) everything went from being quiet and elegant and intense to really loud, like we were suddenly at a soccer game. There was screaming and hollering and such excitement. “But when Nicole and Keith looked at each other it was like they were the only two people in the room. They are so deeply in love. It was the most incredible wedding.”
[...]
Both Jackman and Crowded House’s Neil Finn performed at the reception, which had a “passion” theme and red color scheme – including red carnations hanging from huge chandeliers and red roses on the tables.
The nuptials followed nearly a week of high-profile preparation. On Monday, the couple issued a statement saying they had returned to their native Australia to get married. “We are very happy to be back in Australia. We have come home to celebrate our wedding with our family and friends.”
Over the next several days, wedding guests including Jackman, Watts, Isabella and Connor and Urban’s parents and brother arrived Down Under for the celebration. “I’m very excited for my friend,” Watts told reporters upon her arrival. Jackman, who arrived later that day, joked, “Wedding? What wedding?”
Kidman and Urban’s openness about their nuptials was unusual for the normally fiercely private stars. But the couple have taken the spotlight in stride, even sending cold beer on Tuesday to the paparazzi camped outside Kidman’s home. On the case of 24 bottles of Victoria Bitter beer was a note: “Enjoy! Nicole & Keith.”
They managed to carry this off with class and like grown-ups who understand that they have chosen a life in the public eye. Good for them. And my best wishes to both.
Update: AP has more photos. This is the best of the lot:
Other’s with Kidman-Urban Wedding photos and/or coverage: WBP, PopSugar, Jared, ASL
Actress Naomi Watts, special representative to the United Nations’ program for HIV/AIDS, was among United Nations employees, special representatives, tourists and other participants who took part in an event to form a human red ribbon to symbolize the fight against HIV/AIDS in the North Garden at United Nations headquarters today.
You see? Naomi Watts is not only a hot classy chick, she also cares about serious issues that need to be dealt with. Personally, I’m in love.
Pictured in the last photo are Mary Fisher, right, and Peter Piot, center, executive director of the program.
Even though I run at Hollywood-dedicated blog, I didn’t watch the Oscars. Frankly, I don’t care what movies insiders think are good. I seldom agree.
Now, if you want to talk about how the hotties looked on the red carpet, that’s a whole ‘nother matter. AP Fashion Writer Samantha Critchell has a great roundup of who wore what and who shoulda worn something different. She thiinks Keira Knightley stole the show:
Keira Knightley proved to be fashion royalty at the Academy Awards. She wore a wine-colored, one-shoulder gown by Vera Wang that hit the right balance between youthful funkiness and movie-star glamour. The 20-year-old wore her strawberry blond hair in a loose ponytail, and she had on a one-of-a-kind necklace with emeralds, rubies and diamonds from the 1960s she chose from the Bulgari archives.
Knightley looks good, to be sure:
So do Charlize Theron and Salma Hayek. But then, what else is new?
One suspects Helena Bonham Carter was trying to distract attention from her escort:
Michelle Williams modeled herself after classic screen sirens, wearing a yellow chiffon gown with tulle pleats surrounding the V neck. On her arm was Heath Ledger in a classic bow-tie tuxedo, down to the white pocketsquare.
Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillipe looked like a superstar couple — she wore a gown with rows of silver beads and he was dressed in a three-piece suit with a black tie.
Felicity Huffman wore a supersexy black gown by Zac Posen with a plunging V neck, keyhole back, sheer panels on the side and pleated bodice and hem.
For Rachel Weisz, who is 7 months pregnant, comfort was important in picking her long, slinky black gown with cap sleeves — which also showed off significant cleavage. “My friend Narciso Rodriguez made me three dresses and I chose one this morning,” she said. Her Chopard emerald-cut diamond demi-drop earrings had round white diamond studs.
Jessica Alba, who was caught by the cameras touching up her Dior lipgloss, chose a tight gold Versace halter gown with floral beading that she said “fit like a glove,” and Jane Seymour was in a champagne satin halter gown with jeweled accents on the bodice by Pamella Roland.
Sandra Bullock and Amy Adams both picked gowns with pockets. Bullock’s navy gown was by Angel Sanchez and Adams’ chocolate brown gown with ribbon applique was by Carolina Herrera. Adams even borrowed Herrera’s own aquamarine dangling earrings.
Charlize Theron’s forest-green, handpainted gown with a bow on one shoulder was designed by John Galliano for Christian Dior. She said the leather silk satin fabric was “insane” — but some might have said that about the too-big bow.
Jennifer Lopez was in a lighter green gown with a fitted bodice that laced up in the back like a corset.
Ziyi Zhang picked a Giorgio Armani gown fresh off the runway: a black scalloped seashell-shaped lace bustier with jet beading worn with a gray Swarovski crystal encrusted full crinoline skirt. Hilary Swank was in a sweetheart-style black strapless gown by Versace.
Jennifer Aniston was in a black tank gown by Rochas with a long train and a vintage platinum-and-diamond Bulgari necklace from the 1930s. Makeup artist Angela Levin, calling Aniston “a sun-kissed angel,” emphasized her eyelashes with a not-yet-available Chanel mascara.
Nicole Kidman was in a cream-colored strapless gown with beautiful delicate embroidery, and Naomi Watts wore a nude-colored, one-shoulder gown with frayed fabric on the top by Givenchy. As the model in jeweler David Yurman’s new ads, Watts’ rose quartz-and-diamond earrings and a rose quartz ring were made especially for her.
Jennifer Garner wore a halter-style, hand-embroidered Michael Kors gown in nude-colored tulle featuring Swarovski crystals and sterling silver flowers.
Jada Pinkett Smith was in a bright blue strapless column gown by Roberto Cavalli. “I just wanted to be a little vibrant and a little sexy on the carpet,” she said. Husband Will Smith chimed in, “That’s my wife in the dress. It becomes difficult to notice the dress itself.”
Salma Hayek had on a slate blue gown, and her hair was long and loose.
One of the biggest misses of the night was Helena Bonham Carter. Her off-the-shoulder, tea-length blue satin gown was fine but her bed-head hair and clunky white shoes were not.
Oscar.com fashion analyst Tom Julian was a fan of Meryl Streep’s plum V-neck gown with long sleeves that she wore with dangling earrings. Julian also noted that the shape of the Oscar gowns shifted to full skirts from the more formfitting styles at the award shows earlier in the season.
As for the men, George Clooney was trying to be sarcastic when he told E!’s Isaac Mizrahi “I’m very stylish,” but he indeed was in his Armani two-button peak lapel tuxedo.
Ledger, 28, was well known for his role in “Brokeback Mountain,” and he stars in the upcoming “The Dark Knight” Batman movie as the Joker.
