Yesterday, January 22, 2008, actor Heath Ledger was found dead in his Manhattan apartment from a possible overdose. Now, it's not being said that it was a suicide or an accidental overdose, but as someone who is a fan of Ledger's, I do hope it was of the accidental kind. Either way his death is a tragic loss for this generation and something that I wouldn't wish for even on actors I hate.
The part that worries me is how much of a method actor Heath is. He throws himself into the roles that he's cast in, almost becoming the character himself. Sometimes it can be taken a bit too far and when it does, you sometimes have to wonder is whether Heath playing the Joker swallowed him up. During interviews in November, he talked about how for two months he
lived in a Manhattan hotel room, by himself, coming up with the Joker. How he envisioned how he sounded, how he would laugh and he said at times he was only sleeping for a couple hours a night. He would take a sleeping pill and it would only allow himself an hour at a time. He kept a 'Joker' diary where he would write down thoughts that he would think as the Joker. Sick and twisted things, basically he became the Joker. Now I haven't heard that he went around the set asking people to call him the Joker, but because of the type of actor he is, it wouldn't surprise me.
There has been talk late last night about how he was suffering from pneumonia, and that the pills could have caused an accidental overdose with the medication he might be on. For his family's sake and especially his 2 year-old daughter, I do hope that is the case. May Heath rest in peace and thank you for the great performances your career has given us.
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