Birthday: April 4, 1979
Nationality: Australian
Famous: Died Young School Dropouts
Died At Age: 28
Sun Sign: Aries
Also Known As: Heathcliff Andrew Ledger, Heath Andrew Ledger, Heathy
Born In: Perth
Famous As: Actor
Family:
Spouse/Ex-: Michelle Williams
Father: Kim Ledger
Mother: Sally Ledger Bell
Siblings: Ashleigh Bell, Kate Ledger, Olivia Ledger
Children: Matilda Ledger
Died On: January 22, 2008
Place Of Death: New York City
Personality: INFP
Cause Of Death: Drug Overdose
City: Perth, Australia
If a list of the most seasoned actors produced in the world is to be
compiled, Heath Ledger’s name definitely deserves a mention. Although
his lifespan was really short, his accomplishments as an actor, even
during this brief period will be remembered by movie lovers for a really
long time. Heath, who made his debut through the television series
‘Roar’, went on to prove his acting prowess through many other films
such as ‘The Brothers Grimm’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain’. His roles in
these flicks were noticed by the jury members of many award
ceremonies, who felicitated him with many honors for his performances.
However, it was his portrayal of the Joker in maverick filmmaker
Christopher Nolan’s flick ‘The Dark Knight’ which made him a
household name across the globe. Many critics as well as audiences
compared Ledger’s performance with the works of yesteryear greats
like Marlon Brando and Al Pacino and even hailed him as one of the
greatest actors of all time. Ledger’s dedication towards his work has
earned the respect of the whole film fraternity and it’s unfortunate that
the actor passed away before reaching many other career milestones.
His performances are even known for being institutions of great acting
themselves
Childhood & Early Life
Heath was born to Kim and Sally Ledger, in Perth, Australia, on the
4th of April, 1979. While his mother was a teacher who taught
French, his father pursued a career in race car driving.
He pursued his primary education at institutions such as ‘Mary’s
Mount Primary School’ and ‘Guildford Grammar School’. He played
the role of Peter Pan in one of the plays he had participated during
his school days, at the tender age of ten.
When he was hardly 17 years old, Heath discontinued his studies to
pursue a career in acting. Almost immediately, he bagged the role of
a gay man in the 1996 television series named ‘Sweat’.
In 1997, two opportunities came knocking at Ledger’s door in the
form of ‘Roar’ and ‘Home and Away’. While ‘Roar’ was a fantasy
action adventure series, ‘Home and Away’ was a soap opera targeted
at Australian audiences.
The Australian flick ‘Blackrock’, which released the same year,
marked his movie debut. Ledger had essayed the role of Toby
Ackland in this 1997 thriller film.
In 1999, Heath Ledger was cast in the blockbuster American comedy
flick ’10 Things I Hate About You’. The character, Patrick Verona,
which he had portrayed in this flick, was of great significance to the
plot.
The same year he also starred in the Australian crime flick ‘Two
Hands’. The movie went on to receive a string of actors and even a
nomination for Ledger in the ‘Best Actor’ category.
After making waves in the movie industry through his first few works,
Ledger became a part of the Hollywood icon Mel Gibson starrer, ‘The
Patriot’, in 2000. The same year, he also became a part of the
ensemble cast of ‘Monster’s Ball’, which also included the famous
actress Halle Berry.
During the period 2001-03, this actor starred in four other films,
namely ‘A Knight’s Tale’, ‘The Order’, ‘The Four Feathers’ and ‘Ned
Kelly’.
In 2005 alone, three of Ledger’s movies, namely ‘The Brothers
Grimm’, ‘Casanova’ and ‘Lords of Dogtown’. His roles in all these
three flicks were well-acclaimed and made both film-industry insiders
as well as audiences to stand up and take notice.
Heath’s career reached its peak after the flick ‘Brokeback Mountain’,
directed by Ang Lee, was released. The movie won him a lot of
recognitions and even catapulted him to the status of being one of the
most bankable actors of the film world.
His next release was the 2006 flick ‘Candy’, which was loosely based
on the novel ‘Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction’. His portrayal of
the character Dan, in this movie, fetched him numerous awards.
The same year, he also ventured into direction and filmed a music
video for a track of the Australian hip-hop album ‘Cause an Effect’.
Major Works
The role which made Ledger immortal was his portrayal of the Joker
in the 2008 flick ‘The Dark Knight’. The movie went on to become a
top-grosser worldwide and this actor was even honoured with the
prestigious Academy award.
Awards and Achievements
His role in the movie ‘Candy’ won him a ‘Film Critics Circle of
Australia Award’ in the ‘Best Actor’ category.
Heath was honoured with the ‘New York Film Circle Award’ in the
‘Best Actor’ category for his role in the flick ‘Brokeback Mountain’.
He was even nominated for the prestigious ‘Academy Award For the
Best Actor’ as well as ‘BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading
Role’ for his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar in the same film.
Personal Life & Legacy
Ledger was a great Chess player in his younger days, and even won
a contest when he was hardly 10-years-old.
Apart from acting, Ledger was known for his love affairs with well-
known actresses such as Naomi Watts, Lisa Jane and Heather
Graham.
While filming ‘Brokeback Mountain’, in 2004, he started seeing
actress Michelle Williams. The duo later became parents to a baby
girl named Matilda Ros, who was born the next year. However, his
relationship with Michelle turned sour soon after and they split.
Unfortunately, Ledger succumbed to death in early 2008, due to an
overdose of drugs, months before his best work ‘The Dark Knight’
released.
He was posthumously felicitated with the ‘Academy Award for Best
Supporting Actor’ as well as a ‘Golden Globe Award for Best
Supporting Actor’ for his performance in the Hollywood blockbuster
‘The Dark Knight’.
Trivia
While filming ‘The Dark Knight’, Ledger would often keep the ‘Joker’s
Diary’ handy, which contained notes which helped him get into the
skin of the character.
(Thriller, Comedy, Crime)
8. Monster's Ball (2Academy Awards(Oscars)
2009 Best Performance by an Actor in a
Supporting Role The Dark Knight (2008)
Golden Globe Awards
2009 Best Performance by an Actor in a
Supporting Role in a Motion Picture The Dark Knight (2008)
POWER POINT:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1awjtysHuX0MCXQKVFtIqHabngYtK6oWaqiT79E3HJWQ/edit?usp=sharing
