Topic: Heath Ledger - News Articles and Tributes

[Matt Nasty]

Michelle Willians is making a movie about Heath.


http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/showbiz/2008-07/09/content_6831416.htm


"This is incredibly important for Michelle to do. It makes Michelle's heart ache that Matilda was so young when Heath died and she's unlikely to retain any memories of her father.

She wants to keep his spirit alive with something Matilda can treasure all her life."

ink thats a lovely thing for michelle to do, and it will also put some of those awful rumours that said michelle didnt want anything to do with heath to rest.

[Emzan]

Michelle Willians is making a movie about Heath.


http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/showbiz/2008-07/09/content_6831416.htm


"This is incredibly important for Michelle to do. It makes Michelle's heart ache that Matilda was so young when Heath died and she's unlikely to retain any memories of her father.

She wants to keep his spirit alive with something Matilda can treasure all her life."

This sounds great

[keren_b]

I'm sure Michelle will make sure that Matilda knows what a unique man her father was.

[yb]

I don't think this article has been posted.  Being not familiar with The Independent, I'm not sure how reliable the article is, but anyway, it is written by an extra who was on set with Heath the last 3 days before he flew back to NYC in January. 

Heath Ledger's final cut: An exclusive, on-set diary

The cult of the late Heath Ledger is set to grow with his astonishing performance in the new Batman film. Sean Porter was on set with the troubled Hollywood star for his last ever shoot. Here, he reveals what happened during those three manic – and spookily portentous – days

Sunday, 13 July 2008

I'm breathless and Heath Ledger is downright furious. He rips off his frilly clown hat and hurls it to the floor. It's a minute past midnight and the cameramen are looking at their watches and mumbling stuff about "the union". The director Terry Gilliam is beside himself too, as he scrambles around the set of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus to persuade his mutinous crew to agree to one more take; but it's too late – the permit to film ran out at midnight, and pieces of equipment are already being hastily stashed into their silver flight-boxes, ready for the next job.

In a final attempt to salvage the situation, Heath joins Terry in petitioning them: "C'mon guys... Please! Just one more take... Just one more. I mean, c'mon, what difference is another 10 minutes going make?" But it's all in vain as they continue packing.

As it will transpire, the scene that's just been shot – a vile mob giving chase to Heath Ledger through the winding backstreets of London's East End – will be the last he'll ever shoot. I was a member of that mob; and in roughly 72 hours, Ledger's dead body will be found by his personal masseur in his loft apartment in New York City.

Nearly six months after his death, as the PR machine for The Dark Knight swings into gear, the actor will unavoidably be in the spotlight again; there's also a suggestion that he'll be nominated, posthumously, for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, for his role as the Joker in that film.

The first time I saw a publicity still from the Batman film, it was a disconcerting experience: a live man, looking like a dead man already. Heath Ledger as the Joker, with lax, yellow hair, caved-in face, and smudged, blood-red lipstick, bright and colourful and terrible, like a Japanese water-demon, or something from a Corman horror. This image, loaded with ghostly resonances, speaks solely of death; and this is what I find strange, because in those last three days I worked with Heath, I encountered a man who was so full of life.

This was my first job as an extra, and on the first day, before I'd even had the chance to sit down and quaff a quick coffee, we were given our call and escorted down to the set: a tatty and forgotten pub in the heart of Clerkenwell – The Ring O Bells. Terry Gilliam was dashing about, a hand on his battered, suede cowboy hat, to stop it flying of his head; in his wake, a small retinue of production minions struggling to keep up with him. The willowy and strangely beautiful Lily Cole was making her way across the set, and as if from nowhere, a tall, thin figure appeared and pranced and jigged his way towards us – it was Heath and he was dressed up like some daft and dishevelled Pierrot doll.

"Jesus! Heath, you look crazier than a clown's c*ck!" I offered. He creased up with laughter.

"And.... CUT," shouted a distant voice; then "Good... Good... We'll go again in five..."

"That's hilarious," said Heath. "Where'd you get it from?"

"A film called Kenny," I told him. "A mockumentary about this guy who's got a Portaloo business in Melbourne".

"Oh, Jeez... I know the one you're talking about, it's got what-his-name in it? Shane Jacobson – that's it! Shit, I really must get to see it..."

And with that, Gilliam beckoned him over to the monitors. It was soon apparent that Heath was utterly immersed in this role and in this whole project. After each scene had been shot, he'd be running off to watch it played back, regardless of whether he had starred in it or not. He was so active on set that if he wasn't wearing such an outlandish costume, it would have been impossible to distinguish him from the any of the production team's top brass.

All the talk on the set of was of his performance as the Joker. The buzz was that once it was released, Heath would to be seen in a whole new light – as a "proper" actor, a "brilliant" actor, possibly. He would be massive – absolutely massive; and after what I'd seen of his work ethic on that first day, absolutely wasted too. '

The following day, I happened to arrive at the unit base at the same time that Heath and his PA pulled up in some outrageous super-car a certain German manufacturer had loaned him while he was staying in London. The roar of the engine drowned out my quick "Hello", so I nodded casually and walked straight past, headed for the catering truck.

I popped back after lunch to have another look at the car. As I inspected it, I noticed Heath sat on the steps of his trailer, a black hoodie pulled tight over his head, skinny black jeans and a pair of sneakers, and sucking on a fag as usual. After a minute or so, he wandered over, his PA lurking behind him carrying his Starbucks bucket and Camel fags. "So what d'you think of the car, mate?" he asked.

"I'm not too sure, cars aren't really my thing, but I know what Freud would say..." I replied.

"It's ridiculous isn't it? Talk about a c*ck-extension... Ha! It's fun, but not really my style," said Ledger. But he seemed a bit uneasy and broke off the chat, saying something to his PA. They wandered back to his trailer together.

Back on set, Terry and Heath were soon having another of their private conversations. It was hard to tell who was directing who. I shimmied closer, only to overhear some scurrilous gossip about Tom Cruise. Heath eventually broke off and came over to ask if any of us had seen the new film about Joy Division – Anton Corbijn's Control: "Their music's amazing!"

On the final day of filming, Saturday 19 January, there were guns and explosions and violence on set. There were arguments, and a bad vibe descended on the pub. Heath himself no longer looked like a clown. He was dirty, wired and manic: he hadn't stopped for three days – kicking about the set whether or not he was due to shoot a scene. He'd be there when I arrived and after I'd gone. And I was doing a 10-hour shift. When he wasn't on set he was back in his hotel room reading or watching some of the Oscar-nominated movies that, as a member of the Academy, he'd be asked to vote on.

He'd been throwing himself around a lot, doing his own stunts, take after take – attempting to lob himself on to the "Imaginarium", a horse-drawn, travelling sideshow, decorated with a series of Gilliam's own hallucinogenic graphic confections – sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing.

It was common knowledge on set that he had a spinal injury and that he was on some hefty medication for it. Late in the day, with shooting behind schedule, Heath's back was playing up. He lay prostrate on the cobbles between the pub and the Imaginarium doing his Alexander Technique exercises, motionless, his eyes shut tight. As I walked past I nearly tripped over one of his elongated clown shoes.

"You all right, Heath?" I asked.

"Yeah. I will be in few minutes..."

"I thought you'd snuffed it there," I said, trying to raise a laugh. Heath just closed his eyes. Once he had recovered, the filming resumed; Ledger pursued by an angry, drunken mob, all baying for his blood. Incendiary devices were popping everywhere, fired from a blunderbuss by Verne Troyer, the 2'8" actor who played Mini Me in the Austin Powers films. And this is the last scene Heath Ledger ever shot; it reached midnight and the union curfew kicked in.

By the time Heath and Terry calmed down, the set had thinned out dramatically. Heath walked around, thanking and hugging people, then came over to us few extras who were still left and thanked us and began walking off. I walked after him to ask if he was going to stay and have a few drinks.

"Sorry, but I'm on the wagon... have been for about 17 months now," he said, mock-triumphantly

"Oh... nice one!" I replied, somewhat tongue-tied.

"Cheers, mate" he said before turning and sloping off despondently up the narrow lane back towards unit base and his warm trailer. "Bye Heath..."

The following Tuesday, at about 8pm, I received a text-message from my sister, who I'd been keeping in the loop regarding my adventures on Doctor Parnassus. In that dull and toneless medium, and in the truncated vernacular of text-speak, it read: "Wot sort of effect do u have on people? U no that actor u were workin with... they found him dead!"

It took a while to register, then I turned on the radio and, within seconds of finding a news station, her message was legitimised: "Heath Ledger... found dead... being treated as a possible suicide... slumped on the floor of his loft-apartment in New York..." I called a couple of other extras to find out if they knew what was going on. All they knew was what I knew: Heath was dead – the circumstances open to speculation. They all expressed a sense of shock and loss. Some wept.

As I sit here, looking at his picture, I still really don't know what to say about Heath Ledger. All I can add to what's already been said is my imperfect but valid little story: the story of a man whom I met, but whom I never really knew; the story of a man who I worked with for just three days but left one of those indefinable imprints that make you feel you've known someone a lot longer.

My image of Heath is of a man envisioning a life rather than a death; of an actor deeply committed to his art – perhaps to such a degree that it contributed to his undoing. But looking back at my time on set, I also see strange portents of his demise: there was even a moment when one of the extras, a devout Christian, began reading aloud from The Revelation of St John. And after our conversation about Joy Division, whenever I think of Heath, I'm reminded of the band's lead singer, Ian Curtis – another young man with immense energy stubbed out in his prime. Heath would have liked such a comparison, I think.

This wasn't how the movie was supposed to end; I was shocked, I still am; but then, what do I know? I was just an extra.

The writer's name has been changed for the sake of anonymity. 'The Dark Knight' (12A) goes on release in the UK on 25 July

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/features/heath-ledgers-final-cut-an-exclusive-onset-diary-864638.html

[babytammy7]

It was common knowledge on set that he had a spinal injury and that he was on some hefty medication for it.


Oh, I didn't know this...Poor baby. 

[myprivatejack]

Thank you to sharing this with us,yb¡  I only can keep on thinking that Heath was a very special person,whom anyone who knew him only can now praise.It's so sad to know,however,that he felt bad for his spinal injury,sad because he had a bad time and sad because all this medication's ensemble led him to his end.If just somebody could have done something about¡... :\'(

[Emzan]

Thank you to sharing this with us,yb¡  I only can keep on thinking that Heath was a very special person,whom anyone who knew him only can now praise.It's so sad to know,however,that he felt bad for his spinal injury,sad because he had a bad time and sad because all this medication's ensemble led him to his end.If just somebody could have done something about¡... :\'(

 
I know, thats what I keep thinking :\'( :\'(

[myprivatejack]

Michelle Willians is making a movie about Heath.


http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/showbiz/2008-07/09/content_6831416.htm


"This is incredibly important for Michelle to do. It makes Michelle's heart ache that Matilda was so young when Heath died and she's unlikely to retain any memories of her father.

She wants to keep his spirit alive with something Matilda can treasure all her life."

I find wonderful on Michelle's side to have this initiative and put it into practise.Beyond all the reasons that brought them to the split-that's nobody business,but theirs...-,she shows a great respect and affection for the man who made happy during some years and who gave her a lovely daughter.And that she wants to keep her father's good image for the little girl speaks volumes in favour of her,IMO.

[sportstalk23]

I know, thats what I keep thinking :\'( :\'(

I got a sneaky suspicion we are not the only ones 

[gambrinus]

Heath Ledger tipped for posthumous Oscar

Speculation is growing that Heath Ledger will receive an Oscar for his role as The Joker in upcoming Batman movie The Dark Knight.

Rolling Stone critic Pete Travers has backed calls for the late actor to pick up the first posthumous Academy Award since Peter Finch won for Network in 1976.

Ledger also has the support of Academy member and Dark Knight co-star Sir Michael Caine, who said he had earned a best supporting actor nomination at least.

The Sydney Morning Herald quotes him as saying: "I was stunned by his performance. I was absolutely stunned by it."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a110665/ledger-tipped-for-posthumous-oscar.html

(sorry if this has already been posted - I have been away a while...)

[sportstalk23]

Hey Brokies I just bought a copy of this months Marie Claire with Maggie Gyllenhaal as the cover girl first off the young lady who is my age I become more of a fan of hers every day she speaks her mind and is really intelligent and she looks great by the way  since I dont have a scanner at my friends house where I'm housesitting I'll just type for you word for word what she had to say about Heath

"My heart broke when he died, I think seeing the movie will be painful, I saw this new trailer, which I loved, but Heath was all over it, and it was very sad to see it, hard to watch" 

she sums up what alot of Heath's fans feel as much as I look forward to his performance it will not be easy knowing the years of work I knew he had in him we will not see its a great read so check it out its Aug edition of Marie Claire

[jessicat80]

Hey Sports, and everyone else too

Thomas posted this in the Maggie thread, she does discuss Heath, here is the link to the thread...

 http://ennisjack.com/index.php?topic=10149.690

Or if you would like to go directly to the article...

http://www.marieclaire.com/hair/celebrity/behind-scenes/maggie-gyllenhaal-interview-dark-knight

[keren_b]

Heath Ledger tipped for posthumous Oscar

Speculation is growing that Heath Ledger will receive an Oscar for his role as The Joker in upcoming Batman movie The Dark Knight.

Rolling Stone critic Pete Travers has backed calls for the late actor to pick up the first posthumous Academy Award since Peter Finch won for Network in 1976.

Ledger also has the support of Academy member and Dark Knight co-star Sir Michael Caine, who said he had earned a best supporting actor nomination at least.

The Sydney Morning Herald quotes him as saying: "I was stunned by his performance. I was absolutely stunned by it."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a110665/ledger-tipped-for-posthumous-oscar.html

(sorry if this has already been posted - I have been away a while...)

I've already said before that I don't have much faith in the Academy, but I'm quite sure he will be nominated. I will be extremely disappointed if he won't be.

[keren_b]

"My heart broke when he died, I think seeing the movie will be painful, I saw this new trailer, which I loved, but Heath was all over it, and it was very sad to see it, hard to watch" 

It will be hard for everybody who worked with him and knew him...  :\'( :\'( :\'(

[sportstalk23]

Hey Sports, and everyone else too

Thomas posted this in the Maggie thread, she does discuss Heath, here is the link to the thread...

 http://ennisjack.com/index.php?topic=10149.690

Or if you would like to go directly to the article...

http://www.marieclaire.com/hair/celebrity/behind-scenes/maggie-gyllenhaal-interview-dark-knight

hey thanks I didnt know Maggie has her own thread too 

[jessicat80]

hey thanks I didnt know Maggie has her own thread too 

Few do, that's why I posted it too, and not just the article  

She's been saying such caring and moving things about Heath... all his costars have, but it's nice to hear these words from a costar and a friend.

[white_angel]

It was common knowledge on set that he had a spinal injury and that he was on some hefty medication for it.


Oh, I didn't know this...Poor baby. 

 Felt so sad to find this one.  poor Heath. poor baby.

[jackster]

What the butler saw - Michael Caine recalls January 22 this year.
18th July 2008, 8:30 WST

After almost 100 movies in an acting career that reached its 50-year milestone two years ago, Caine has said goodbye to many of his co-stars, but the death of Heath Ledger shook him to the core.

Michael Caine recalls January 22 this year. The day had been unremarkable and the 75-year-old Londoner was in a comfortable chair at home watching the BBC’s 10pm news bulletin.

“It suddenly came up on the news,” said the two-time Oscar winner, his face, all these months later, mirroring the shocking moment. “I ran to my wife and said, ‘Heath has died.’ I couldn’t believe it.”

The entire story from today's The West Australian, at:

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=5&ContentID=85555

[ksxks]

Thanks for this, jackster.  This is a really interesting article about Michael Caine.  I would have loved to see him and Heath together on the set, getting to know each other...

kathy

[ksxks]

From Tribeca Film Festival on-line.

Heath Ledger, You Got Us Good

As excitement mounts for The Dark Knight and Heath Ledger as the Joker, we take a look back at Ledger's towering performance as Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain.

http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/news-features/features/heath.html

kathy

[NoReins]

From Tribeca Film Festival on-line.

Heath Ledger, You Got Us Good

As excitement mounts for The Dark Knight and Heath Ledger as the Joker, we take a look back at Ledger's towering performance as Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain.

http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/news-features/features/heath.html

kathy

What a wonderful article - thanks for sharing it, Kathy.

With Ennis Del Mar, the young actor delivered a performance so stunning and true that we’ll never be able to quit him.

How true :\'(

[sportstalk23]

Hey brokies good news so its like 2am here and I'm watching the Reelz Channel just watching regular programming when underneath the screen comes this bulletin, and its saying that screening for TDK have already started and already their predicting this movie could be the second highest grossing movie EVER  they can add my money in a few hours too  RIP Heath you were born a Ledger but you went out a Legend

[keren_b]

From Tribeca Film Festival on-line.

Heath Ledger, You Got Us Good

As excitement mounts for The Dark Knight and Heath Ledger as the Joker, we take a look back at Ledger's towering performance as Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain.

http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/news-features/features/heath.html

kathy

This is a fantastic review and tribute, thank you so much Kathy for posting it.

"Ennis may have lived a miserable half-life, but Ledger’s performance ironically delivers a full, radiant life. When people talk about "promising" actors it means they’ve generally been impressed but they’re still waiting for one great performance or signature role to come. Ledger’s death came far too early; there’s no disputing that. But promising isn’t the right word for his gifts. His breakthrough performance was not a promise made but a promise fulfilled. Ledger’s death and this towering performance have placed us in the awkward position of Jack Twist himself.  We’re still staring greedily at Heath Ledger, asking in vain for more. With Ennis Del Mar, the young actor delivered a performance so stunning and true that we’ll never be able to quit him."

[myprivatejack]

From Tribeca Film Festival on-line.

Heath Ledger, You Got Us Good

As excitement mounts for The Dark Knight and Heath Ledger as the Joker, we take a look back at Ledger's towering performance as Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain.

http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/news-features/features/heath.html

kathy

Wonderful words and wonderful article,just a little of what Heath deserved.Reading it has brought tears to my eyes again,it really has... :\'( But I'm happy however for having read it to know,once more,what a great actor he was.Heath,you got us good...Yes,you did.

[froggy]

From Tribeca Film Festival on-line.

Heath Ledger, You Got Us Good

As excitement mounts for The Dark Knight and Heath Ledger as the Joker, we take a look back at Ledger's towering performance as Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain.

http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/news-features/features/heath.html

kathy

I can'tread this yet..but I love the title (so I'll save the link for later)

[sportstalk23]

I can see why it will gross that much, I went to a popular theater 3 blocks from where I'm staying  with friends the line 2 blocks long  It's like 200 degrees so i wasnt standing there so i go across the street and guess what that movie theater wasnt even showing TDK  so I walked 7 blocks and pay dirt I got a ticket for the 12:45 show why cuz all their early shows from 7-9 all sold out ,and the reviews on the news I swear I havent heard reviews like this for a movie like maybe never  I have not heard a bad review not once from any outlet anywhere I cant wait I saw people coming out of the theater and they were cheering and gushing about Heath and the entire movie

[LuvJackNasty]

From Tribeca Film Festival on-line.

Heath Ledger, You Got Us Good

As excitement mounts for The Dark Knight and Heath Ledger as the Joker, we take a look back at Ledger's towering performance as Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain.

http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/news-features/features/heath.html

kathy

That was a wonderful article, Kathy. Thank you.

[ksxks]

Hey brokies good news so its like 2am here and I'm watching the Reelz Channel just watching regular programming when underneath the screen comes this bulletin, and its saying that screening for TDK have already started and already their predicting this movie could be the second highest grossing movie EVER  they can add my money in a few hours too  RIP Heath you were born a Ledger but you went out a Legend

I love hearing all the talk about the amazing box office!  But "second"?  What was first?

I saw Annie Proulx say that about Heath  -- not Ledger, but Legend.

kthy

[ksxks]

This is a fantastic review and tribute, thank you so much Kathy for posting it.

"Ennis may have lived a miserable half-life, but Ledger’s performance ironically delivers a full, radiant life. When people talk about "promising" actors it means they’ve generally been impressed but they’re still waiting for one great performance or signature role to come. Ledger’s death came far too early; there’s no disputing that. But promising isn’t the right word for his gifts. His breakthrough performance was not a promise made but a promise fulfilled. Ledger’s death and this towering performance have placed us in the awkward position of Jack Twist himself.  We’re still staring greedily at Heath Ledger, asking in vain for more. With Ennis Del Mar, the young actor delivered a performance so stunning and true that we’ll never be able to quit him."

Yes, Keren, I just loved that whole paragraph, too.  It is so difficult -- to feel so proud of him, and at the same time to be so brokenhearted by his not being here.

kathy

[ksxks]

I can'tread this yet..but I love the title (so I'll save the link for later)

I understand, of course, Froggy.  But do read it later.  As I jsut said in reply to Keren, this is a difficult time for us, isn't it?  Heath has become so present right now.  Yet not.

As many have said, I think it's good that the Joker is so almost-unrecognizable Heath, that we get to just really enjoy the ride.  (The Imaginarium will be more difficult..)

kathy