Ledger farewelled in emotional service
Saturday Feb 9
Heath Ledger has been farewelled in an emotional and moving hometown memorial service attended by some of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Ledger's former partner actor Michelle Williams, Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett, supermodel Gemma Ward, Australian actors Bryan Brown, Michael Caton, Rose Byrne, Shane "Kenny" Jacobsen and Joel Edgerton and footballer Ben Cousins attended amid tight security in Perth.
They joined family, school friends and politicians at the memorial for the 28-year-old actor, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Brokeback Mountain.
Before the service, Ledger's father Kim told reporters his family appreciated the outpouring of grief from around the world.
"It's a pretty sad time and we're finding it difficult to cope by ourselves, let alone cope with everybody around the world," Mr Ledger said.
"Having said that we do really appreciate the outpouring and the emotional support from all over the world, which, suffice to say, we're luckier than most families, most families that are in our position, our grieving position, don't have that kind of support.
"So thank you all very much.
"That's all I've got to say."
Williams and the actor's family drove in an escorted convoy of four black vehicles to the memorial service at Penrhos College, a private girls' school in the south Perth suburb of Como.
The couple's daughter Matilda was not with her emotional mother, who, clad in a cream dress, was supported into the building by Ledger's older sister Kate.
Mourners, who had to show identification to get into the service, were given a program that read: "This room is filled with the love we all felt for a great friend who will be missed by all of us.
"We want to thank those of you who took care of him and participated in his beautiful life."
One of the mourners said the service was emotional, moving and at times funny as it celebrated Ledger's life.
Blanchett "gave a funny moving eulogy about their times spent together", the woman said.
Kate Ledger spoke beautifully about her childhood with Ledger and how close she felt to her younger brother, she added.
Ledger's parents Kim Ledger and Sally Ledger Bell also paid tribute to their son.
Mourners watched family montages and a montage about Matilda, Ledger's two-year-old daughter with former fiancee Williams.
The service heard some of Ledger's favourite music including the song The Times Are A Changing by Bob Dylan.
His family and Williams left by a side entrance before going to Fremantle Cemetery, where it is understood they held a small, private cremation service while the other mourners gathered for a wake at a popular beachside restaurant in Cottesloe.
The memorial came after two farewells in Los Angeles, one a 1,000-strong, star-studded tribute for Ledger.
Ledger was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on January 22.
The New York Medical Examiner's Office ruled Ledger died from an accidental overdose of prescription medications.
Despite rampant speculation, plans for Ledger's funeral remained a closely-guarded secret - when Kim Ledger spoke to reporters for the first time since he read a statement to the press on the day his son died.
"I know that a lot of you have travelled from all around the world to take footage of as much as you can of our ceremony for Heath," Mr Ledger said.
While arrangements were made for the media to photograph mourners arriving and leaving the ceremony, Mr Ledger said the family wanted to grieve in private.
"I just ask you if you wouldn't mind to respect our privacy," he said.
"The funeral will be very, very private. There will only be 10 people there, immediate family and nobody else."
Those who attended the 90 minute memorial service included directors Phillip Noyce and Neil Armfield. Armfield, who directed Ledger in the Australian film Candy, also spoke at the service.
Actor David Wirrpanda and band members from Eskimo Joe also attended the memorial which began with a didgeridoo performance by local musician Levi Islam.
