Heath Ledger's parents say his posthumous Golden Globe for The Dark Knight should go to his 3-year-old daughter Matilda.
Speaking from the late actor's family home in Perth, Australia, Ledger's father Kim said he watched the awards ceremony with "bittersweet pride".
The actor died of an accidental drug overdose prior to the film's release.
His role as the Joker has also won a Critics Choice award and is expected to get an Academy Award nomination.
Ledger received a standing ovation from the audience when he was named best supporting actor. The award was accepted on his behalf by director Christopher Nolan.
"A standing ovation breaks you up," said Kim Ledger.
He added: "That really goes to the heart, you know."
In an interview with People magazine, Ledger's mother, Sally Bell, said: "I should imagine that eventually it will be going to Matilda.
"It will belong to her because she is part of him."
She has described the recognition the 29-year-old actor had been getting for his work as an "emotional rollercoaster".
"There is a lot of emotion tied up in this and we have to deal with that emotion first before we can relax and enjoy the moment," she said.
Matilda is the daughter of Ledger and actress Michelle Williams.
The couple separated a few months before his death and the child is being raised by Williams.
Meanwhile, the 2009 Golden Globes saw a 27% slump in viewers since the last ceremony in 2007.
It averaged 14.6 million viewers, down from 20 million two years ago and the lowest since 1996.
Last year's ceremony was cancelled due to the Hollywood screenwriters strike.
Via bbc.co.uk
Australia gives Ledger posthumous best-actor award
lunes, 8 de diciembre de 2008 | Etiquetas: Batman, Heath Ledger
The Australian Film Institute has posthumously given a best-actor award to Heath Ledger for his performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight."
Ledger's father, Kim; mother, Sally; and sister Kate accepted the award in ceremonies held Saturday night in Melbourne.
The Australian Film Institute said: "It was this swaggering, psychopathic clown that turned his career into a legacy and the name Heath Ledger into an ongoing inspiration for actors everywhere."
Ledger's performance in the Batman blockbuster is regarded as having a solid chance for a posthumous Academy Award for best supporting actor.
Via associatedpress
Heath Ledger's Daughter to Inherit Entire Estate
lunes, 29 de septiembre de 2008 | Etiquetas: Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger's family has decided to donate his entire estate to the late actor's daughter, Matilda Rose.
Two years before his little girl was born, the Dark Knight star – who died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in January – signed a will leaving his fortune to his parents and sisters.
But Ledger's father, Kim, says they have decided that all the money should all go to 2-year-old Matilda (the actor's daughter with ex-girlfriend Michelle Williams).
In fact, he tells PEOPLE, that was the plan "from the moment my boy passed away."
"There was never any question about the fact that Heath's estate would go to Matilda," he says, confirming a report in Australia's Sunday Times. "Never a question. We are very close to Michelle and Matilda."
All One Family
Although Williams and Ledger were separated at the time of his death, the two remained close. In February, the actress joined the Ledgers in Perth for their son's memorial and wake.
When the details of the will first became public, Kim said Williams and Matilda "will be taken care of." He added, "That's how Heath would want it."
Kim, who is based in Australia, also tells PEOPLE that he and his wife, Ines, recently returned from a two-week visit with their granddaugher in New York City.
"It was lovely," he said. "There is no animosity [with Michelle] ... We are all just one family."
Although some reports have valued Ledger's assets at up to $20 million, Adelaide accountant Mark Dyson – an executor of the actor's estate – has refused to state the amount Matilda will inherit.
Via people.com
Heath Ledger's family 'so proud' of new film The Dark Knight
miércoles, 16 de julio de 2008 | Etiquetas: Heath Ledger, Movies
Heath Ledger's family have said that they are "so proud" of his work on 'The Dark Knight' after attending the New York premiere of the movie.
According to People magazine, the star's father Kim said in a statement: "'The Dark Knight' is everything we hoped it would be and more.
"Heath loved the experience of creating this character and working on the film. We are so proud of our boy."
Ledger's mother, father and sister flew from Australia to New York to attend the premiere with the movie's stars earlier this week.
Via rte.ie
Michelle Williams makes 1st public appearence since Ledger's death
sábado, 24 de mayo de 2008 | Etiquetas: Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams made her first major public appearance since the death of Heath Ledger at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday.
The former Dawson's Creek actress - who was left devastated by the news her ex-fiance had died after an accidental drug overdose in January - sparkled on the red carpet at the prestigious French event for the premiere of her new film Wendy and Lucy.
A representative for the film said: "It was decided on Monday night she could come to Cannes, and she got on the next plane to arrive just in time to get dressed and come to our premiere. She came in and had a long nap and then came to the screening."
Michelle - who was dressed in a vintage Chanel Haute Couture dress - will fly back to the US at the weekend where she will continue work on her latest movie Shutter Island in Boston.
In her first public statement in February about Heath's tragic death, Michelle - who has a two-year-old daughter Matilda with the actor - expressed her heartache but said her little girl was helping her get through it.
She said: "I am the mother of the most tender-hearted, high-spirited, beautiful little girl who is the spitting image of her father. All that I can cling to is his presence inside her that reveals itself every day."
Heath and Michelle met on the set of Brokeback Mountain in 2004 and Matilda was born in October 2005.
The couple split in September 2007.
Via stuff.co.nz
Heath Ledger's uncles claim the father of the late Australian film star has a history of mishandling estates and shouldn't be in charge of the actor's money.
When Ledger died in January at the age of 28, he left everything he had to his parents and sisters in a will written before he fathered his 2-year-old daughter Matilda with ex-partner Michelle Williams.
However, his father Kim's brothers are now criticizing Kim for handling their grandfather's estate so badly 15 years ago he was removed as executor.
"It plunged into enormous debt," Mike Ledger told People magazine. "Our only vested interest is to assure that Matilda is well looked after."
Although Kim Ledger recently vowed to see to it that Matilda "will be taken care of," his brother Mike said, "When you are talking about large sums of money like this, it should be an independent executor, but Kim hasn't chosen that way."
Kim Ledger's brother Hayden told the magazine Williams' father asked him if Kim Ledger was capable of managing Heath Ledger's estate.
"I just said, 'No, not if he handles it like ours,'" Hayden said.
Via upi.com
As a young, Oscar-nominated actor at the top of his game, Heath Ledger probably didn't think he had to update his will anytime soon.
Although the late actor neglected to include his daughter Matilda Rose and her mother, actress Michelle Williams, in his will, his family insists they will provide for the two.
"Matilda is our absolute priority, and Michelle is an integral part of our family," Ledger's father Kim says in a statement. "They will be taken care of, and that's how Heath would want it to be."
Ledger's rep seconded this assertion. "The story is getting taken out of context and media is speculating that this means Matilda and Michelle will not be taken care of. I want to make it very clear nothing could be farther from the truth."
The details of Ledger's will -- filed in Australia in April 2003 -- were released on Saturday, March 8. In it, he left everything he owned to his parents and sister. Ledger and Williams met on the set of Ang Lee's Oscar-winning "Brokeback Mountain" and had a daughter, Matilda Rose, together in 2005.
The Australian actor, 28, was found dead of an accidental drug overdose in his Manhattan apartment on Jan. 22 by a masseuse who had an appointment with the Oscar-nominated actor. He was buried in his hometown of Perth, Australia in February.
Via zap2it.com
Vicodin and Oxycontin mystery investigated in Ledger's death
sábado, 1 de marzo de 2008 | Etiquetas: Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger's accidental death due to a lethal combination of highly potent and addictive painkillers, anti-anxietals and over-the-counter meds is still being investigated by Federal agents, who still don't know how actor Ledger also obtained the powerful painkillers Oxycontin and Vicodin.
People reports that there were no tell-tale prescription bottles for those drugs found anywhere in his apartment. They were found to be in his system per his post-mortem toxicology report.
According to reports, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agents returned Thursday from interviews with two doctors – one in Houston and one in Los Angeles – who prescribed other meds for Ledger.
"We're still trying to find out who gave him the Oxycontin and Vicodin," the People source said.
"We'll search databases to see if we can find out and also credit cards records and so forth. Either someone gave it to him or he bought it himself or he got it online."
The agents will continue to ramp up their forensic drug trail investigations, the People source said.
Via monstersandcritics.com
The Australian actor, 28, was found dead in his downtown New York apartment on January 22.
An autopsy - whose results were announced earlier this month - blamed an accidental mixture of prescription drugs, said New York City's Chief Medical Examiner.
"We are investigating doctors in Los Angeles and Texas with regard to Ledger's prescriptions," the source tells People.com
However, the source did not say whether any wrongdoing is involved, saying, "We don't know yet.
"The agents were there this week, and we are waiting to hear from them."
The doctors in question are thought to have supplied Ledger with Oxycontin and Vicodin, law enforcement sources tell New York's Daily News.
"At issue is whether or not the powerful painkiller were prescribed legally," says the newspaper.
The subpoenaing of Ledger's autopsy results by the Drug Enforcement Administration was reported shortly after the findings of the report were announced.
On February 6, it was said that the DEA would look into the source of the actor's prescriptions.
Besides Oxycodone and Vicodin (also known as Hydrocodone), autopsy results also showed that Ledger's system contained Diazepam (commonly called Valium), as well as Temazepam, which treats anxiety or sleeplessness; Alprazolam (also known as Xanax); and Doxylamine, a sedating antihistamine often used as a sleeping aid.
On February 9, Ledger's former girlfriend, Michelle Williams who is mother of his two-year-old daughter, Matilda - joined Cate Blanchett, Ledger's family and hundreds of mourners at a memorial in Australia for the actor.
Via news.com.a
Heath Ledger's family, Hollywood celebrities and hundreds of other mourners bid farewell to the actor Saturday at a memorial service in his Australian hometown.
Ledger's former fiancee, actress Michelle Williams, arrived along with his parents and sister at Penrhos College, where other mourners had gathered to honor the late actor. The 28-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" star died of an accidental prescription drug overdose in his Manhattan apartment last month.
An emotional Williams, wearing dark glasses and a white dress with black trim, was not accompanied by Matilda, her 2-year-old daughter with Ledger. Williams was ushered in clutching the arm of Ledger's older sister, Kate.
Australian actress Cate Blanchett, who starred with Ledger in the Bob Dylan bio-flick, "I'm Not There," a role that earned her an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress, was among the celebrities present.
Blanchett spoke of the times she shared with Ledger in New York and Los Angeles, Barbara Scott, a state lawmaker, told reporters after the 75-minute service.
Other speakers included his parents, sister and Neil Armfield, who directed Ledger in his last Australian film, "Candy," released in 2006.
A video tribute compiled by family and friends included footage from Ledger's films and of his daughter, over whom he doted.
The music reflected his eclectic tastes: Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin," the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun," "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd and Neil Young's "Old Man."
"It was a wonderful tribute to a wonderful West Australian; an outstanding guy with great talent," Scott said.
Ledger's father Kim said the service would be followed by a private funeral in Perth. He appealed for privacy and did not disclose the time or location.
"The funeral will be very, very private and there will only be 10 people there, immediate family and nobody else," Kim Ledger told reporters earlier in the day.
"It's a pretty sad time. We're finding it difficult to cope by ourselves, let alone cope with everybody around the world," he said.
"Having said that, we do really appreciate the outpouring and the emotional support from all over the globe," he added.
Among the first to arrive at Penrhos College was Australian model Gemma Ward, a former girlfriend of the star. Wearing dark glasses with a black top and skirt, Ward filed with other mourners through a screened side gate where two women dressed in black checked their identification.
Local musician Levi Islam told reporters outside that he opened the service in a theater by playing an ancient Aboriginal dirge with a didgeridoo, a traditional wind instrument.
Ledger's death on Jan. 22 drew outpourings of grief from New York to Hollywood to Perth, a small and remote city on the verge of the Outback in Australia's southwest.
The New York City medical examiner announced Wednesday that Ledger died from the effects of taking six types of painkillers and sedatives.
Family members returned home from the United States this week to lay Ledger to rest following a memorial service in Los Angeles last weekend.
Mourners gathered after the service for a wake at a colonial-style waterfront restaurant at Cottesloe Beach, a resort on Perth's coast that was a favorite spot of the actor's.
Williams, 27, and Ledger became a couple during filming of "Brokeback Mountain," in which the two costarred as husband and wife. Ledger was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the film.
They later moved to New York, where Matilda was born in October 2005.
Via associatedpress
The answer to why Heath Ledger died so young will be revealed as early as tomorrow.
The New York Chief Medical Examiner's Office, responsible for Ledger's autopsy and deciphering tests undertaken on his blood and tissue, confirmed today it was close to announcing the cause of the 28-year-old Australian actor's death.
"We're expecting something in the next two days," Ellen Borakove, director of public affairs at the New York Chief Medical Examiner's office, told AAP today.
Other questions, such as the official estimated time Ledger died, will not not be made public.
There has been speculation since Ledger's body was discovered in the bedroom of his rented Manhattan apartment on January 22 that the actor may have been saved if medical help was called earlier.
New York police have said masseuse Diana Wolozin, who found Ledger's lifeless body, called Hollywood actress Mary-Kate Olsen several times before alerting paramedics.
Paramedics who arrived at Ledger's apartment noted in their report his "torso is warm".
"Not the time of death," Borakove said, when asked what results will be made public.
"We just give out the cause and manner of death.
"That's all that is public information."
NYPD investigators who inspected Ledger's apartment said there were no signs of foul play or evidence to suggest he committed suicide.
They also dismissed reports illegal drugs were found.
Police did find six different types of prescription drugs in the apartment, including pills to treat anxiety and insomnia.
Ledger's family, who spent the last week in the US attending memorial services, flew back to Australia today for their famous son's funeral in Perth.
Ledger's father Kim, mother Sally Ledger Bell and sister Kate were among a group of about 15 family members who departed Los Angeles international airport.
It is believed a private funeral will be held in Perth later this week and he will be buried in the Ledger family plot, near his grandparents, at Perth's Karrakatta cemetery.
Via brisbanetimes.com.au
A video of Heath Ledger snorting cocaine has emerged.
The footage shows the late 'Brokeback Mountain' star snorting the class A drug after the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) Awards on January 29 2006.
US TV shows 'Entertainment Tonight' and 'The Insider' have purchased the tape for a reported $200,000, but bosses have now decided not to show the footage.
In a statement the two programs said: "Out of respect for Heath Ledger's family, 'Entertainment Tonight' and 'The Insider' have decided not to run the Heath Ledger video which has been circulating in the world's media."
The footage - which was shot at Los Angeles' Chateau Marmont hotel without Heath's knowledge - shows the actor sniffing a "cocaine-like substance" off a table with a rolled-up bank note.
At one point Heath, who died in his New York apartment last week, talks about his former fiancé Michelle Williams and their two-year-old daughter Matilda, adding: "I'm going to get so much sh*t from my girlfriend. We have a baby together - Matilda, Matilda Rose."
Referring to his love of cannabis - an illegal drug often smoked in cigarette form - Heath added: "I used to smoke five joints a day."
The shows have also released a statement warning that if any media outlet chooses to show the footage, they are likely to be subject to lawsuits and fines.
It was revealed yesterday (30.01.08) that Michelle had attempted to get Heath to enter rehab to seek help for his reported drug problems.
The former 'Dawson's Creek' actress, who split from the actor in September 2007 following a two-year engagement, drove Heath to California's Promises Treatment Center in March 2006, but Heath refused to check in and instead promised Michelle he would kick his habit on his own.
Before the split, Michelle ordered Heath - who is believed to have abused cocaine, heroin and a "variety of pills" - to undergo a drugs test before she would allow him to spend time with Matilda.
Via monstersandcritics.com
Michelle Williams Puts Career on Hold to Grieve Heath Ledger’s Death
martes, 29 de enero de 2008 | Etiquetas: Heath Ledger
Filming on Michelle Williams’ next movie has come to a halt while the actress is mourning the loss of her former fiancée Heath Ledger. She and Ledger were engaged in 2004 and had a daughter, Matilda Ledger, on October 2005. They announced their split in September 2007.
Williams was in Sweden filming the last scene for ‘Mammuth’ when she was told Ledger was found dead in his New York City apartment on January 22, 2008. She was said to be “devastated” over the 28-year-old actor’s death.
Sources close to the production of her next movie, ‘Blue Valentine,’ said filming was set to start on February 25, but has now been postponed until Williams is ready.
“We will hold it off until she is ready. The production is in the process of sorting it out in respect to her,” said a film source. “We’re hoping she will come back and do the film and are happy to wait.”
Williams co-stars with Ryan Gosling. The movie is about a young married couple who are struggling with their relationship.
“The film is tailor made for those two so of course we want to wait. You can’t get much better than them,” added the source.
Via transworldnews.com
It is possible that Heath Ledger died from natural causes, it has been reported.
The Brokeback Mountain star was found dead at his apartment in Manhattan, New York last Tuesday.
The New York Police Department confirmed that drugs had been found in the apartment, but a 90-minute autopsy conducted last week was inconclusive.
Toxicology and tissue tests are currently being carried out to determine the cause of Ledger's death.
It has been suggested that he may have died of natural causes because the level of toxicity in his system caused by medication is arguably too low to have killed him, according to TMZ.
Authorities investigating Ledger's death have also ruled out reports claiming that the actor's masseuse was involved in a plot with Mary-Kate Olsen's bodyguard to remove illegal drugs from the room.
Officers insisted that they were with the bodyguard the entire time and there would have been no time to carry out such a plan.
A private memorial service was carried out for Ledger in Los Angeles on Saturday. His former girlfriend Naomi Watts and ex-fiancée Michelle Williams and their two-year-old daughter were present.
Via digitalspy.co.uk
The one question on the minds of Heath Ledger's family as they flew in to New York to collect the 28-year-old Australian actor's body this weekend was: "Why"? Five days after the Oscar-nominated Brokeback Mountain star was found dead in his Manhattan apartment, they and his bereft fans are still no nearer knowing the cause of a death that has rocked the film world.
Hollywood greats have queued up to pay tribute to Ledger, along with the Australian Prime Minister and, most poignantly, his family. From Cate Blanchett to Ang Lee, Nicole Kidman to John Travolta, the collective outpourings of grief make heartbreaking reading.
Lee, who directed Brokeback Mountain, said working with the actor was "one of the purest joys of my life", while the actor's father, Kim, lamented his "tragic" and "accidental" death and the fact that the pair would play no more chess games together. The family will bury him in his hometown of Perth and plan to hold a memorial service in Los Angeles.
Although US authorities suspect a drug overdose, an autopsy last Wednesday proved inconclusive, leaving his family on tenterhooks about the findings of toxicology and tissue tests, which are not expected until the end of this week at the earliest. The fact that the body was discovered by his masseuse, who opted to first call Mary-Kate Olsen – the actress thought to have been dating Ledger since his split last September from his partner Michelle Williams – and not the emergency services, has fuelled speculation. Revelations that the masseuse, Diana Wolozin, initially lied to the police, telling them she called Olsen twice when phone records show she rang the actress four times have deepened the mystery.
A rolled-up $20 bill was found by his bed, as were a selection of sleeping pills and prescription drugs, including antidepressants, but no illegal substances. There was no suicide note.
Ledger leaves behind a two-year-old daughter, whom he "loved dearly", according her grandfather, Larry Williams. He also bequeaths to Tinseltown logistical and promotional nightmares for the producers of his most recent projects. To director Terry Gilliam, Ledger leaves a film just one-third of the way into shooting. And to Warner Bros, behind the latest Batman instalment The Dark Knight, in which Ledger plays the Joker, the actor's death poses vast marketing problems – how to advertise one of this summer's biggest releases without appearing to be cashing in on the tragedy.
For Gilliam, his $30m Faustian fantasy The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was to play heavily on Ledger's star power, which according to reports helped Gilliam to raise the funding. Shooting has been shut down while producers work out what to do. Flops, troubled shoots and pulled projects earned Gilliam the nickname "Captain Chaos", provoking this lament three years ago: "I know there is a God and he hates me."
Ledger's sudden death must have left his family feeling much the same way.
Via independent.co.uk
Heath Ledger and Mary-Kate Olsen
sábado, 26 de enero de 2008 | Etiquetas: Heath Ledger, Mary-Kate Olsen
Police released information that Heath Ledger's masseuse tried calling Mary-Kate Olsen three times, wasting 9 minutes, before she called the cops. Obviously this is stirring up a lot of rumors. Out of all the people in the world. Why would you call the "Grim Reaper"? Not saying that she is the prince of death, but there is a strong resemblance if you compare using the picture above the the reaper himself.
After the paramedics arrive, she called Mary-Kate a forth time.
The police said that the cause of death will not be know until the toxicology exams come back, and will be at least a week. They found several prescriptions medicines in his Manhattan apartment, but no evidence of suicide or foul play.
So what happened then? 28 year old healthy men don't normally die while they are sound asleep because of natural causes.
If anyone knows anything until the toxicology tests come back, it would be Mary-Kate Olsen. For some reason, however, the police stated on Friday, that they are not going to be questioning her. Does that make sense to anyone?
I understand that they do not expect foul play, and they don't expect Mary-Kate Olsen to be a suspect or anything, but couldn't she help them with the case. If anything she looks like she is a drug dealer now. Maybe someone could explain this to me, as to why she isn't being questioned. If his masseuse was calling me, I think we could agree that the police would be knocking down my door.
I don't mean to be insensitive, but if he was really close to that Olsen girl, there is a good chance he was closer to the prescription medication than we all expect. I'm afraid to be right though. He was a very admirable father to his little girl, and it would be a shame to see his memory tarnished.
Via informativepost.com
Mary-Kate Olsen called before Ledger's ambulance
jueves, 24 de enero de 2008 | Etiquetas: Heath Ledger, Mary-Kate Olsen
The frantic moments surrounding the discovery of Heath Ledger's naked body have begun to emerge, with reports that the massage therapist who found him telephoned US celebrity Mary-Kate Olsen twice before calling an ambulance.
As initial autopsy results failed to provide a cause of the 28-year-old actor's death, police confirmed six types of prescription drugs, including a mix of anti-anxiety medication and sleeping pills, were found in his apartment.
The news came as Ledger's former partner, Michelle Williams, flew to New York from Sweden with their daughter, Matilda.
Ledger's masseuse, Diana Wolozin, phoned Olsen twice before ringing 911. In the first call, Olsen told Ms Wolozin to wait while she sent some of her security people to the apartment to find out what was going on.
After failing once more to revive Ledger, the masseuse rang Olsen a second time to say she was going to call 911 for help.
When she did, the 911 operator urged Ms Wolozin to try to revive Ledger but her efforts failed. Paramedics arrived at the same time as Olsen's security guards.
The paramedics moved Ledger to the floor and tried to revive him using a defibrillator and CPR. But he was was pronounced dead at 3.36pm local time.
It could be another 10 days before toxicology tests are able to show the cause of his death.
Police have confirmed that nearly full bottles of the anti-anxiety medications Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan) were found in his apartment, along with Ambien and Zopiclone (Lunesta) sleeping pills and the sedative Temazepam (Restoril). All the drugs were prescribed to Ledger but rumours of illict drug use have begun to circulate.
In London, The Sun quoted a former Naomi Campbell employee who said they saw Ledger on a cocaine binge with the super model in 2004.
Tests on a rolled-up $US20 bill found by police in Ledger's apartment proved negative when tested for illegal drugs.
The most likely cause of death remains an accidental overdose of the anti-anxiety drugs, which can significantly slow breathing.
Combined with a heavy fluid build-up in his lungs from a bout of pneumonia, the drugs may have been too much for Ledger's weakened body.
As his body was transported to a chapel in New York, his family in Perth began making arrangements for a funeral.
Ledger's father, Kim, was last night planning to travel to the US to bring his son home.
His high school in Perth, Guildford Grammar, has offered to hold a memorial for the movie star but a spokesman said they had not yet received a response from the family.
One of the most reviled hate groups in the US has vowed to disrupt New York and Hollywood memorial services for Heath Ledger, saying the actor was a pervert who mocked God when he played a gay cowboy in Brokeback Mountain.
Film director Shekhar Kapur, who directed Ledger in The Four Feathers, may have been the last person to speak with the actor. Kapur telephoned him on Monday after arriving in New York from London.
"I last spoke to him the night before he died," Kapur said.
"He said he could not see me that night but really wanted to meet me the next day. He made me promise that I would call him in the morning and wake him up. I tried. Little did I know that his soul had already left his body."
Via news.com.au
The family of Australian actor Heath Ledger has been told that it may have to wait for another two weeks before the exact cause of his death can be determined.
The New York Medical Examiner’s Office released the body of the film star today after he was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on Tuesday afternoon.
The office said that initial autopsy tests have proved inconclusive.
The announcement follows a day of frenzied speculation about how, why and precisely when the 28-year-old actor died.
Police say that Mr Ledger was been found surrounded by as many as six prescription drugs - including pills to treat insomnia and anxiety and an antihistamine - and a rolled-up $20.
One story, later denied by police, suggested that a suicide note had been found near the body.
As the rumour mill went into overdrive, Mr Ledger’s remains were transferred to the Frank E Campbell funeral chapel while arrangements are made to have the body returned to Australia for burial.
The New York funeral home has hosted many famous people over the years including Jackie Kennedy Onassis, John Lennon and Judy Garland.
The Australian consulate in New York has offered to help repatriate Mr Ledger’s body to Perth in Western Australia, the city where the Hollywood actor was born and raised - and where is expected to be buried.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman in Canberra says the consulate has been in contact with the Ledger family and has offered its full assistance.
"We are handling the arrangements," she said, "but I cannot confirm any other information at this time."
As tributes to the actor continued to pour in from around the globe his former private school in Perth, Guildford Grammar, announced that it is planning a formal memorial service in the school chapel for the dead actor.
Robert Zordan, the principal, said the school had made the offer to the Ledger family, but was still waiting to hear back: "In respect for that family and the time that is needed I will now simply await for their response."
The New York Medical Examiner’s office, meanwhile, says initial autopsy tests on Ledger’s body have proved inconclusive, warning that it may be 10 days or longer before full toxicology results are available.
It denied that any traces of recreational drugs had been found on the $20 note or anywhere else in the apartment.
"We did the autopsy and the result was inconclusive," said spokeswoman Ellen Borakove.
"We have to do some additional testing which includes toxicology testing and tissue testing. We estimate it will be another 10 days to two weeks until we have any final results."
Police say that their investigations have also failed to find any evidence of foul play in Ledger’s death or attempts by the actor to kill himself.
"They’ve gone through the apartment," NYPD detective Kevin Czartoryski said of the police investigation. "Now it’s a wait and see when the results come back on the toxicology. There’s no signs of any criminality or foul play. No illegal drugs have been found, no foul play and no obvious signs of suicide."
Police also revealed there was evidence that Ledger was alive less than three hours before emergency crews were called to his apartment by his housekeeper, who discovered his naked, cold body lying under a sheet.
In other developments, Ledger’s former fiancée Michelle William and the couple’s two-year-old daughter have returned to New York from Sweden, where the actress is currently filming Mammoth.
A distraught Williams, 27, was being comforted by family and friends in the Brooklyn home she formerly shared with Ledger.
Williams and her daughter ignored the waiting media pack and went straight into the home after flying in from Stockholm.
It is not known whether they will attend his funeral in Australia.
Mr Ledger’s family in Perth have made no further comment since fronting a press conference outside their house on Wednesday.
Via telegraph.co.uk
Australian-born actor Heath Ledger, 28, the co-star of the Oscar-winning movie "Brokeback Mountain," was found dead in his New York residence on Tuesday, police said.
"Heath Ledger was found dead at 3:26 pm this afternoon," a police spokesperson said, saying he was found in his residence in the posh district of Soho. "We don't know the cause of the death."
The entertainment website TMZ said Heath was discovered by a maid in his bed in his Manhattan apartment, adding that "law enforcement sources ... believe it was not a crime."
The New York Times said Ledger was discovered by the housekeeper and a masseuse who arrived in the afternoon for an appointment.
They knocked on the door, but "when no one answered, the housekeeper and the masseuse opened the bedroom and found Mr. Ledger naked and unconscious on a bed. They shook him, but he did not respond," the Times said.
The newspaper quoted officials as saying pills were found near the body, but gave no further details.
Ledger, who was nominated for a best actor Oscar for his portrayal of a gay cowboy in the 2005 film "Brokeback Mountain," had separated from his former fiancee Michelle Williams in September. The pair has a two-year-old daughter.
The film's director Ang Lee had hailed Ledger's performance as a "miracle" of acting, reminiscent of a young Marlon Brando.
Ledger lost the Oscar for best actor that year to Phillip Seymour Hoffman for his portrayal of author Truman Capote in "Capote," but "Brokeback Mountain" won three Academy Awards, including for best director.
Via afp
