Heath Ledger Died

[Gregoire]

It doesn't seem right. It's not fair.

 

At 28 years old...that's me in ten years. It's breaking news so nobody knows anything, but...

 

Does anybody else feel especially mortal right now?

 

http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?...54&GT1=7701

[Adrian Michaels]

I JUST saw the headline on the news... this is sad stuff.

[canundra]

That's terrible. I can't believe he's dead...

[Kurt]

Wow...

 

Here is an article on it.

[Myr]

This really sucks. I liked him. (Especially shirtless in Roar)

[canundra]

As soon as I found out, I turned to the news channels...It's disgusting. I couldn't watch it. They're focusing on the drugs and calling it a possible suicide. They already have psychologists/psychiatrists on the phone explaining the use of the different drugs found near his body. CNN already has a "close" friend of Heath's giving insight on what kind of person he was.

 

I know he was a famous figure, but give him a break. We just found out that he was dead, and already the media is playing it up. What bothers me, is that there are some people out there who only care about the fact that he finished his work on the new Batman movie. Besides that, they don't care if he's dead or alive.

 

It's sick.

[Graeme]

I'm in shock :wacko: I keep hoping it's a mistaken report....

 

My condolences to his family, and especially his two-year-old daughter.

[scoopny]

This is really really sad, he was a great actor.

[Tiger]

That's terrible. He was still in his prime. Somehow Hollywood turns young actors and actresses into drug addicts and alcoholics. Well, these types of tragedies are supposed to happen in threes. I hope that doesn't happen.

[YaP]

yea, thats really sad.. he was a good actor, and AFAIK not the typical crazy Hollywood guy. Too bad. Doesn't really sound like an accident though.

[ashessnow]

28 years old. So sad.

[Rakuten06]

That's terrible. He was still in his prime. Somehow Hollywood turns young actors and actresses into drug addicts and alcoholics. Well, these types of tragedies are supposed to happen in threes. I hope that doesn't happen.

 

 

Yeah, it seems that the Hollywood way has turned on a way that the legendary actor Rudolph Valentino did, more young people in movies began to wither away now...

[Jack Scribe]

What bothers me, is that there are some people out there who only care about the fact that he finished his work on the new Batman movie.

 

I'm sure the film, when it is released, will be a tribute to this fine actor.

 

The media is the media. The current hearing concerning Diana's death brings to mind the feeding frenzy that the press are capable of creating.

 

Heath Ledger will be missed.

[Rabble_Rouser]

It's said in that he was so young and had a young daughter and also that we lost an exceptional actor who didn't shy away from GLBT roles.

 

Steve

[FrenchCanadian]

It is totally horrible, it's a real big shame, a big loss. I first saw him in this ausie tv show, "sweat" where he played a gay cyclist in a elite sport school. I also loved him in his movie "the patriot".

 

a big loss, I hope lots of strength to his friends and family.

[AFriendlyFace]

I heard about it on the radio this afternoon; as soon as I got back to the office I googled and sure enough they were suspecting an O.D.

 

It's very sad, but unfortunately I can't say I'm surprised by the way the media is handling it. After all it's their job to report this stuff, and I think we can all admit that if ALL we knew was that he had died, and there were no reports at all, no speculation, nothing, well then I think we'd all be terribly curious and probably blaming the media for not releasing anything.

 

If it isn't drug related, then I think the media has transgressed terribly and they owe his family an apology and perhaps should be held accountable for libel. If, on the other hand, it is drug related (which does seem fairly likely given his age and apparent good health) then, as unfortunate as it is, I think they were mostly just doing their job.

 

In any case, I'm saddened by the news and my deepest sympathies are with his family, friends, and fans.

 

-Kevin

Edited January 23, 2008 by AFriendlyFace

[corvus]

Very sad; it's a horrible loss. It's both unsurprising and disgusting how some of the media has decided to report this.

 

[theschnauzers]

So far, CNN and the New York Post seem to be handling the circumstances with care and relying on NYPD sources, thanksfully.

 

It appears there were over-the-counter sleeping pills near the bed. He was found by his housekeeper who called EMS who were there in a matter of minutes. And the housekeeper apparently had gone into the bedroom to gwt Heath up so he could go to an appointment.

 

So it's sounding like if it was an overdose it was accidential, or it could be something else such as an allergic reaction, or something totally unrelated to an kind of medication.

 

Heath has had a string of popular, successful, or critically acclaimed movies. If I understood rightly, he has other movies that are is post-production or awaiting release in addition to The Dark Knight. I only got around to seeing Brokeback Mountain on DVD at Christmas (other things have been going on for the past couple of years for me, and I finally was in the mood to watch it.

 

it really is tragic, and his talent will be missed.

[Razor]

Those pills weren't OTC. Those were benzodiazepines, highly addictive drugs sometimes used in the treatment of anxiety. As for the way the media has reported it, yes, they usually are a little in your face about these things.

 

However, one does have to admit that given the presence of xanax and valium, this is an overdose and it was likely on purpose since it takes a good bit of those pills to kill you unless you mix them with other things.

[JamesSavik]

However, one does have to admit that given the presence of xanax and valium, this is an overdose and it was likely on purpose since it takes a good bit of those pills to kill you unless you mix them with other things.

 

 

That's not necessarily true Razor.

 

Simply mixing alcohol and valium can cause a reaction in some people that will cause you to just quit breathing. If you remember Karen Anne Quinlan, one of the first big right to die cases, was put in a permanent vegetative state by mixing alcohol and Valium.

 

Different people have different chemistries and anyone can have a bad reaction to any given drug- legal or otherwise.

 

Len Bias, a 1st round NBA pick, athlete in peak shape with a multi-million dollar future died after trying cocaine for the first time. Sometimes coke is cut with various "fillers" or the way the coke is chemically refined that can simply disagree with people to various degrees: everything from dropping dead to feeling sick.

 

When you do drugs (hard drugs- coke, downers, meth, etc), you are dealing with powerful chemicals (otherwise you would be doing aspirin). The chemistry of the drug and the complexity of your own particular system, allergies- it's all a crap shoot.

 

You can catch a buzz or a dirt nap. You just never know.

 

It's sad but its true and it happens every day. People just notice when it is a Brad Renfro, Heath Ledger or River Phoenix get a toe-tag.

[colinian]

Those pills weren't OTC. Those were benzodiazepines, highly addictive drugs sometimes used in the treatment of anxiety. As for the way the media has reported it, yes, they usually are a little in your face about these things.

 

However, one does have to admit that given the presence of xanax and valium, this is an overdose and it was likely on purpose since it takes a good bit of those pills to kill you unless you mix them with other things.

"The Hollywood culture encourages a dysfunctional lifestyle." This was a quote from a passerby who was interviewed on the KTVU-2 news tonight. Well said!

 

Colin

[dkstories]

I really did like Heath as an actor. What is really heartbreaking is how we go through this with beloved performers every decade or so. I still remember the death of River Phoenix, and the suicide of Kurt Cobain. Both of them were great losses to our world, and yes part of it is the dysfunctional nature of Hollywood.

 

Marilynn Monroe didn't die in an accident, and James Dean's accident, well let's just say the behavior pattern was another form of the same problem.

 

For those that don't remember, Heath recently split from his wife, and did not have custody of the daughter. There were many ills going on for him, and I just wish there could have been a better resolution.

[Krista]

Aww. This is really a heartbreaking death. I really liked him as an actor and he just had a daughter two years ago... shew.

 

 

Krista

[Ieshwar]

First words that came in my mind was sad and not fair. So young. Yes, Heath will be missed.

 

Rest In Peace

 

Ieshwar

[Drewbie]

As soon as I found out, I turned to the news channels...It's disgusting. I couldn't watch it. They're focusing on the drugs and calling it a possible suicide. They already have psychologists/psychiatrists on the phone explaining the use of the different drugs found near his body. CNN already has a "close" friend of Heath's giving insight on what kind of person he was.

 

I know he was a famous figure, but give him a break. We just found out that he was dead, and already the media is playing it up. What bothers me, is that there are some people out there who only care about the fact that he finished his work on the new Batman movie. Besides that, they don't care if he's dead or alive.

 

It's sick.

 

The so called news is disgusting, they do things for ratings, why some have a hard time calling them "news'"

 

He was a private guy, wonder what made him do it. really sad.