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Heath Legend
Australian superstar Heath Ledger has been found dead in his New York apartment. The twenty eight year old was discovered at 3.30pm on Tuesday afternoon in the Soho neighbourhood of Manhattan. His death was announced shortly after his housekeeper tried to wake him up for a massage appointment. The New York City Police spokesperson Paul Browne announced “He was found unconscious at the apartment and pronounced dead.”
The main explanation be given by police is a drug overdose. “There were pills within the vicinity of the bed," Browne added. However it remains unclear as to whether Ledger took his own life or his overdose was purely accidental.
Heather Ledger was nominated for an academy award in 2006 for his controversial role as a gay cowboy in Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain. However the award went to Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s for his depiction of Truman Capote. Leger’s most recent big screen appearance has been as one of six actors playing Bob Dylan in Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There. Cate Blanchett, who has been nominated for two Oscar’s for her highly lauded portrayal Dylan, told reporters that “the news of Ledger's death overshadowed the (Oscar) announcement.”
Heath Ledger, who was born in Perth, had recently broken up with his wife Michelle Williams, who he met on the set of Brokeback Mountain, they have one child together, Matilda Rose. In recent months the actor had been seen dating a number of high profile actresses and models, including Helena Christiansen and Lindsay Lohan. News of his death sparked sadness and condolences from fans, moviegoers and people the world over. There can be no doubt that Ledger had a distinguished and starry career ahead of him.