Authorities are on the lookout for a "large bat-like creature" which was seen leaving the area. posted by ooga_booga at 2:00 PM on January 22 [15 favorites]
I was just posting this and got the double alert on preview. Jesus, that's awful. He was a fantastic actor and had a 2-year old daughter, and was just about to appear in easily the most popular movie of the year (and likely a sequel) posted by XQUZYPHYR at 2:01 PM on January 22
He was a good actor -- certainly better than a man that good-looking needed to be. A shame. posted by Bookhouse at 2:02 PM on January 22
This really breaks me up. He was a superb actor. Like Jonny Depp, he was an exceptionally good looking man who never settled on just being a pretty boy, but actually set out to craft complex, surprising performances. He was originally supposed to play the Matt Damon role in The Brother's Grimm, but lobbied for the role of the nervous, intellectual brother, and turned in a great performance there. I suspect his Joker will be a classic, and, had he not died, one of many.
... adding, I hate making it sound like his success is what should make us extra-sad for him or anything, but Jesus Christ, I expected to see him in classics for another 20 years. I've never heard a single thing about him that suggested a drug problem or anything like that... he was a fantastic actor who had nothing but success and was on the rise, not in decline. I don't follow "celebrity" deaths that often but all I want to know right now is what the fuck happened.
sad. just sad. fabulous talent. posted by kimdog at 2:10 PM on January 22
.
That sucks, he just seemed to be coming into the peak of his career. The clips that I've seen of him as The Joker look really cool, it's going to be sort of odd watching that movie now.
ooga_booga, you lose points for recycling your snark from MetaChat posted by octothorpe at 2:10 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
vale possum. posted by taff at 2:10 PM on January 22
I'd like to propose an addition to the side, pb. An API that does a Google News Search every 5 minutes. If it detects more than 10 stories containing an identical name and the word "dies", that name is added to a 24-hour blacklist for posts.
Seriously ... we are in such a rush to be the first one to do a FPP about a celebrity post that the "death posts" are almost never, nowadays, any meaningful concatenation of links about the events of the actor's death, or any meaningful retrospect of their career.
"Carol Burnett dead at 84."
"."
"."
"."
"."
"Damn, she was a fine comedienne."
"."
"."
"."
"."
"Loved her and Harvey Korman."
"."
"."
"Eh, she sucked."
"."
And so on. Come on, we can do so much better. But everyone's always going to want to be the one to break the news — and that's why the suggestion of a technological block was only half meant in jest. posted by WCityMike at 2:10 PM on January 22 [72 favorites]
Oh man. One of the few young big name actors that I had respect for.
I'm growing ever more weary of self-prescribed ill-fate of these young actors and performers, the really good ones, the ones who actually create art with their lives and become something more than just a pretty face on a magazine. We've more celebrities than we need right now. What we don't have is actual, honest-to-God talent.
Admittedly, when first I watched Heath Ledger, I wasn't entirely impressed. The Patriot didn't do enough for me to get me out for his next venture, Four Feathers. Dismissed it outright. Dismissed him entirely. My loss, I suppose. Because a few years later, he does Brokeback Mountain. For those able to get past the junior high giggle fog, his performance was stunning. Of a quality we just don't see at all, not any more.
And he just finished work on The Dark Knight. That is ... man, I hope his work was wrapped, because everything I've seen is telling me that his take on the Joker is going to be more ferocious and profound than anyone should ever rightfully expect from a villainous clown in a "funny book movie."
Peace be with him, but most of all with his family. And here's hoping that one day his children come close to understanding why. Somehow. posted by grabbingsand at 2:12 PM on January 22 [5 favorites]
Dear god I hope it wasn't suicide, at least for his daughter's sake. posted by Unicorn on the cob at 2:12 PM on January 22
FYI, all Carol Burnett is still alive (at least according to my frantic Wikipedia search).
On another note, is this going to derail The Dark Knight?
The movie's finished but there's no knowledge if he was supposed to be in the third one or not. I can't imagine WB is going to shelf the movie over this. posted by XQUZYPHYR at 2:14 PM on January 22
I can't believe how badly I feel like watching 10 Things I Hate About You right now. *swoon of sadness* posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 2:14 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
It's weird now because before it was older actors dying and my mom saying things like, "I remember their first role." Then she'd tell me about some commercial or movie that this older actor appeared in.
Now it's people I've seen come up. Remember the television show Roar and how terrible it was? From there to Brokeback Mountain seemed a second.
I'm starting to feel old. posted by FunkyHelix at 2:14 PM on January 22
Wow, seriously shitty posted by prostyle at 2:15 PM on January 22
My money's on J.D. Salinger, at least sometime this year. posted by item at 2:16 PM on January 22
... sorry, I mean principal filming is finished. He might have been needed for ADR in post-production but I imagine they can work around that. posted by XQUZYPHYR at 2:16 PM on January 22
This is extremely sad. My thoughts go out to his family and especially his young daughter. posted by whatideserve at 2:17 PM on January 22
Oh noes! I've been found out! Actually, you may note that I have re-edited the snark. This is snark 2.0, ladies and gents.
Seriously, I thought it was some sort of Dark Knight publicity stunt. It's a real shame it's true - the guy had talent and he wasn't just another pretty face. That opinion's based mostly on his performance in Brokeback Mountain and I was looking forward to his Joker this summer. What really sucks is that he leaves a two year old daughter behind.
I still think they should check on Christain Bale's whereabouts, though posted by ooga_booga at 2:20 PM on January 22
How sad. He was very good in Monster's Ball and his version of the Joker looks (looked?) promising.
Seconding the hope that it wasn't suicide: I've seen up close how suicide can just totally fuck up young survivors. posted by aerotive at 2:20 PM on January 22
Sources tell CBS 2's Scott Weinberger the death may be drug-related and that there were pills scattered around the room.
Fucking hell. Why. Fucking why. posted by XQUZYPHYR at 2:20 PM on January 22
in an apartment in Manhattan owned by the actress Mary-Kate Olsen
I would not have predicted this when I woke up this morning. posted by Adam_S at 2:21 PM on January 22
In the spirit of expanding on my "." as WCityMike suggested, we just watched Lords of Dogtown over the weekend and loved his off the wall take as Skip. posted by BridgetR at 2:23 PM on January 22
Fucking hell. Basically, what grabbingsand and XQUZYPHYR said. He had such talent and after his performance in Brokeback was just beginning to get recognized as being more than a pretty young face. He could have gone on to give some more amazing performances.
I was one of the people who were really puzzled as to why he was cast as the Joker when it was first announced, but after reading some interviews and watching the trailers I'd become really optimistic and by all accounts so far it sounded like he had done a great job with the character.
"The actor Heath Ledger was found dead this afternoon in an apartment in Manhattan owned by the actress Mary-Kate Olsen..."
Let's not go crazy yet! Just because she owned it doesn't mean it's the apartmen she lives in.... she might not even know him. Do you personally know the person who owns the apartment you rent? I don't. posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 2:25 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
A loud chorus of "WHAT??" just sounded simultaneously from all the offices on my floor. Calling it a shock is an understatement. posted by katillathehun at 2:26 PM on January 22
I have a 17 year old daughter who is completely dissolved in tears, making plans with her bffs to go down to Broome Street with flowers. She said, "Is everyone an asshole? I thought he wasn't an asshole!" Breaks my heart for the young people. He gets eternal props for the lovely job he did in Brokeback Mountain. posted by thinkpiece at 2:26 PM on January 22 [2 favorites]
.
Additionally,
Terry Gilliam's latest flick? Really?
I doubt that this will derail the release of Dark Knight. If anything, it'll shoot it to the stars. The WB has just been handed the ultimate viral marketing campaign, and they didn't spend one red cent to get it started. Ledger mentioned in interviews how he isolated himself to prepare for the role and kept an in-character diary involving the Joker's psychotic rantings. Combine these tidbits of bizarre behavior with his sudden, unexpected, tragic death, and you've got a subject that'll keep people talking about the movie until well after it's completed a successful theater run.
In a world full of hacks, he was a talented and dedicated actor. I just hope that the ghoulish interest in the manner of his death doesn't overshadow his work. posted by Parasite Unseen at 2:27 PM on January 22 [4 favorites]
Looked like he was just beginning to get really interesting too... Damn. I haven't seen Brokeback, but can believe his performance would be good, and do want to see Dark Knight (despite having many issues with the last Batman).
Does look to be another Terry Gilliam project screwed. And while he's definitely too young every sign points to him not being entirely happy, or at least hard to make happy, and I know if I was in an Olsen's flat I'd consider ending it all! Not entirely facetious I fear. posted by opsin at 2:28 PM on January 22
Headline News is reporting that pills were found near the body and the pills were over the counter sleeping medication.
Huh. Hadn't really thought of him as someone I thought particularly highly of, but being reminded of his work in this thread really is kinda making me bummed. Oddly, Skip from Lords of Dogtown is probably my favorite, and I don't care what anyone says, Knight's Tale was awesome.
Damn, why do I always notice how much I like people too late? posted by freebird at 2:29 PM on January 22
i know that these things get around quickly, but i have to say i'm a little bit dumbfounded that the news (complete with insinuations as to the cause of death) was on the front page of the Times only an hour and change after the body was found, though i guess i shouldn't be. it just seems... crass? posted by wreckingball at 2:30 PM on January 22
I remember one evening 4-5 years ago when a friend I sometimes buy dope from called me up. "Get the fuck over here!" he whispered. "Right the fuck now!, you want to be here!" was all the clarification I got before he hung up.
A few minutes later I was down the street in his basement, looking at Heath Ledger and a few random australian dudes, sitting around passing a joint. For some reason, when Heath was looking for weed while filming Brokeback Mountain, my friend's name came up, and the rest is history.
I got to tell Heath how much I liked his work, but I couldn't really figure anything else to say, so we all just grinned and giggled at each other through the haze. He apparently liked my buddy's stuff, bought some for the road, and 20 minutes later he was gone.
2 years later, I was walking down the street at about 1:30 am on a Friday night. I saw a large gaggle of people walking towards me on the same street, and as I got closer, I could tell from the loud voices that they were a bunch of rowdy Aussies. Just as I was stepping of the sidewalk to let them pass me, I noticed the guy at the center of the group... Heath Ledger.
"Hey, Heath!" I called, and gave a little wave. He clearly didn't recognize me, but he called back "Hey, mate! Having a good night?" and the rest was lost in the raucous all his buddies were making.
He seemed to me to be great sort of guy who appreciated his friends and having a good time with them. He had no arrogance about him. I always kinda figured our paths would cross again, and I'm sad to know he left behind a bunch of people who'll miss him. posted by chudmonkey at 2:30 PM on January 22 [47 favorites]
What a complete drag, I really enjoyed his work. A Knight's Tale was one of those go-to films when my wife and I were bored. There was romance and dancing for one of us, and kick-ass guys on horses whacking each other with sticks. (I leave it to you to decide who enjoyed what...)
I was so excited when I found out he was going to be playing the Joker. There are few actors that I believed could pull it off in a way that I believed the same way that I believed Bale could be Batman. I was stunned when I found out that they cast someone so well suited.
My sincere condolences to his family and friends. posted by quin at 2:30 PM on January 22
Wow. I just found out about this. Was not expecting it it all.
Cynically, my second reaction (after sadness) was to think "how many days will this knock other stories out of the headlines?" There's some pretty major stuff going down right now in the world and I suspect that what we'll be seeing for the next week is all Heath, all the time.
Not to diminish the tragedy, but if Anna Nicole Smith warranted a week of national mourning, a celebrity with actual talent and charisma passing on so young should lead to at least of month of tribtue and investigation. posted by Joey Michaels at 2:30 PM on January 22
This is a terrible way to remind me that I still need to watch Brokeback Mountain.
This is really awful news. I feel very badly for his daughter, who is probably too young to have really solid memories of him to look back on when she grows up. It's just absolutely tragic.
It's hard for me to believe that he was only 28 - he's done so much, and he was so talented, he certainly seemed a lot older to me. posted by grapefruitmoon at 2:31 PM on January 22
.
He was a Ledger in his own lifetime. posted by WPW at 2:31 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
This Ledger is now closed. posted by ooga_booga at 2:31 PM on January 22
I'm in shock. I can't even think right now. posted by spec80 at 2:31 PM on January 22
Very sad, the guy was really starting to hit his stride. By all accounts his Joker in The Dark Knight is phenomenal. posted by oh pollo! at 2:32 PM on January 22
Wow... my fiancee and I just watched 10 Things I Hate About You on the weekend. How sad... and untimely.
I know some people don't like the dead-threads, but I think it's more than just a place to post the ".". Sometimes you read these threads to see how the person was thought of. Or experiences involving that person's contribution to society, both good and bad.
But yeah, this is bad news. posted by ninjew at 2:33 PM on January 22
His role in Brokeback was so great that it was obnoxious to see Gyllenhaal on screen with him. I've never seen a pair of actors featured prominently where one is so badly out-acted by the other. Ole Jake really hurt that movie.
Am I the only person who's literally never heard of this guy?
There are probably a few billion others, but if you've watched American movies over the past five years or so, yeah, he's a pretty big name. posted by mr_roboto at 2:43 PM on January 22
Deaths come in threes. Who's next?
A back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that about three people die every second, worldwide. posted by DevilsAdvocate at 2:44 PM on January 22
This really shocked me today. The Dark Knight seemed poised to shoot his profile right into the stratosphere. Even so, he was an actor that liked to challenge himself. I'm sad for his daughter though. posted by cmgonzalez at 2:45 PM on January 22
I don't know who this guy is. Told a friend just now, and she was stunned. She named off some of his movies. I never saw them.
For me it was John Belushi. That ripped me up inside, cuz I was a big fan, and I learned that day that mourning is a selfish act. I wasn't sad for him. I was sad because I was never gonna see any new material from him. He was never gonna make me laugh in a new way. I went though what's now called the various Stages of Grief.
I'm rather jaded now. If this Ledger guy died doing something he loved, why should people lose sleep over it? He loved dope more than he loved fame. I'd suggest you not give him another exhalation of breath. But then again, I can't practice what I preach: I still miss Jake. posted by ZachsMind at 2:46 PM on January 22
There are probably a few billion others, but if you've watched American movies over the past five years or so, yeah, he's a pretty big name.
I just looked up his IMDB profile, and I haven't seen a single movie he's worked on. (I had planned to watch Brokeback Mountain, but never got around to it.) posted by Jairus at 2:46 PM on January 22
This is terrible. I'm roughly the same age and it's really sad to see actors whose careers you've watched develop over the course of your own life lose their lives at such a young age.
Jalrus, you're a smart guy with lots of serious interests, so I'll try to be respectful.
You don't have to post every thought you have, particularly when it's likely to bug people who are in the process of fondly remembering a dead person.
The answer to your hypothetical question is no, but being universally known isn't a requisite for being a cool, talented, worthwhile dude. I'd never heard of you before today, but if you'd died I'd have kept my mouth shut. posted by chudmonkey at 2:47 PM on January 22 [42 favorites]
Is it too early to start speculating that perhaps he was killed in some crazy love triangle with Mary-Kate Olsen and the 'masseuse' who discovered his body? posted by mullingitover at 2:48 PM on January 22
I just looked up his IMDB profile, and I haven't seen a single movie he's worked on.
One wonders who your source is, since there has been absolutely nothing released by the NYPD to suggest that this was the case. As mentioned upthread, some over-the-counter sleeping pills were found near his body. That's so far from being an established cause of death that the two couldn't see one another on a clear day, using telescopes. posted by Parasite Unseen at 2:49 PM on January 22
If you look at the updated story, they're now saying it's an apartment "inhabited by" Olsen. This is a really, really weird story, and I hate to be That Guy, but the fact that he was found by his, um, in-call "masseuse" just makes it all that much more lurid and slightly suspect. posted by kittens for breakfast at 2:50 PM on January 22
Surely the phenomenon of celebrity is now so ubitquitous that we could expect to be immune from its sullen spell when tragedy blights the spotlighted incumbent? No! - not when a callow youth, whose very profession is to inculcate empathy in his audience, is suddenly clutched to pale Thanatos' side. And are we wrong to care so? Never! Let's not be ashamed of compassion, dear friends, wherever we find it - there's so little of it about in these dark and troublesome times.
Let's celebrate the wonderful times we had together with Heath - oh, he didn't know us, of course; but were we not there in the darkened theatre, and yet by his side, in his adventures, romances, and even times of riotous farce? My nostrils recall him as the scent of popcorn, my ears as the tocsins, songs and dialogue of dolby-sound. Cinema stretched him to immense proportions on the flattened screen, each part of his being was there magnified to gigantic dimensions. A movie star! The acme of fantasies! Those were his titles; the applause of millions was his stipend. His life was a celebration of dreams - THAT is how we should remember him. And for that bum-sex movie he did - that was good too. posted by the quidnunc kid at 2:50 PM on January 22 [18 favorites]
He loved dope more than he loved fame
So you have no idea who he is but you have already established a cause of death?
What's strange is just this odd sense of "Him? Now? Why?" I sort of get this sense of...cosmic poetry, if it had been someone else, someone who had already become an icon. Kurt Cobain? Sure. Anna Nicole Smith? Ok. "That's not...surprising," she said slowly.
But him? He had just barely gotten started making a name for himself. There wasn't enough about him that the whole world was buzzing, and there wasn't enough about him that the whole world dismissed.
He just got cut down *sst* just as his career was getting started.
(Also, why do I vaguely remember some rumor about him dating an Olsen twin? I can't for the life of me figure out where I would hear that, and I can't find any evidence that even happened.) posted by twins named Lugubrious and Salubrious at 2:52 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
He was a friend of a friend, who says she is shocked. she also says he definitely "liked to party", but then again who of his age/status doesn't? posted by cell divide at 2:53 PM on January 22
Shocking. Sad. Especially for (and because of) his young daughter.
What a stupid question, but the answer from my personal, first-hand experience is yes. He didn't seem to give a damn about being famous, but he loved to smoke up.
I don't think he loved it more than being alive, however. He seemed rather fond of life. posted by chudmonkey at 2:53 PM on January 22
You don't have to post every thought you have, particularly when it's likely to bug people who are in the process of fondly remembering a dead person.
I'm not trolling, I've just never seen so many people upset over someone I've never even peripherally observed, and it's pretty spooky. I was honestly curious if I'm the only person who's never heard of him, or if he had a weird kind of niche fame.
Anyway, I'll leave now. posted by Jairus at 2:53 PM on January 22
If you look at the updated story, they're now saying it's an apartment "inhabited by" Olsen.
Which story? The Times' story isn't updated, and TMZ is reporting the apartment is in no way related to Olsen. posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 2:54 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
I had completely forgotten that he was in Monster's Ball. I thought the movie was quite good, though a tad overpromoted, but his performance in it was subtle and just as good as Berry's or Thornton's. posted by ooga_booga at 2:55 PM on January 22
Y'know, back in the 60s and 70s, so many young celebrities died tragically at the height of their fame. And we just don't have it happen that often anymore so when it does, it just blows our minds. But since so few of them were really dying I think that's why people were able to laugh at things like Anna Nicole, she was a cartoon. Nobody really thought about it too seriously how short life is when you're self destructive. posted by miss lynnster at 2:56 PM on January 22
Yeah, they've updated it again, it seems, and now it's back to just being owned by her. Evidently, someone over at NYT got a little eager there. posted by kittens for breakfast at 2:57 PM on January 22
He loved dope more than he loved fame.
[citation needed]
Allow me to be more succinct.
He loved whatever killed him more than he cared about you. posted by ZachsMind at 2:57 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
Fuck. This guy was making some huge progress as an actor, too...dang.
Surely the phenomenon of celebrity is now so ubitquitous that we could expect to be immune from its sullen spell when tragedy blights the spotlighted incumbent? No! - not when a callow youth, whose very profession is to inculcate empathy in his audience, is suddenly clutched to pale Thanatos' side. And are we wrong to care so? Never! Let's not be ashamed of compassion, dear friends, wherever we find it - there's so little of it about in these dark and troublesome times.
Yikes, if you're gonna do this sort of thing, be good at it. posted by thinkpiece at 2:58 PM on January 22 [9 favorites]
In spite of his Aussie background, he had been Brooklyn's favorite son for a few years, living in Boerum Hill and helping with his wife to oppose some egregious eminent domain scheme (Atlantic Yards) with an organization called Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn. I always admired that he was down to earth enough to help out the community. His performance in Brokeback Mountain was the kind of molecular level of embodiment of a role that seems on par with a spiritual possession of sorts (Like Brando..definitely). Scary good.
He and his wife separated last year and he'd moved back to Manhattan to live with a new girlfriend, I'm not sure if that was MKO. I imagine he was gong through some rough times , and, I may be wrong, but I can't imagine Mary Kate Olsen possessing the intelligence and depth necessary to help him through whatever spiritual malaise was rotting his soul.
I nominate the quidnunc kid's comment up there as the official MetaFilter Heath Ledger obit. Do I hear a second? posted by Atom Eyes at 2:58 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
You don't have to post every thought you have, particularly when it's likely to bug people who are in the process of fondly remembering a dead person.
"likely to bug people?" Jairus said he had never heard of Ledger before this. Nothing worse. He's hardly slandering the deceased. posted by DevilsAdvocate at 2:58 PM on January 22
Fox News just aired part of an interview Ledger did while promoting I'm Not There and he said something to the effect of how he was no longer scared of dying because he lives through his daughter.
Fox also says that the body is still in there. That's why all the cameras are there now, waiting for the moment for it to come out. posted by spec80 at 2:59 PM on January 22
More as it comes in. posted by Stynxno at 3:00 PM on January 22
...some over-the-counter sleeping pills were found near his body.... That's so far from being an established cause of death that the two couldn't see one another on a clear day, using telescopes.
Yes, I'm sure he died of old age.
Are you serious? Far be it from me to, oh I don't know -- put two and two together and come up with a possible four? Until further results are posted by The Smoking Gun, dissected by TMG and his autopsy report is available for download to any sixteen year old with a an internet connection, this isn't too far of a stretch in the least.
That said, he was a very skilled actor and I loved everything he was in. This is a waste of talent. posted by KevinSkomsvold at 3:00 PM on January 22
"Fox also says that the body is still in there. That's why all the cameras are there now, waiting for the moment for it to come out."
The Times' site did briefly have a "5:44pm" update that characterized the apt as "inhabited" by Olsen. A "5:51pm" update changed it back to "owned by", with clarification from unnamed police sources. Someone's clearly working the phones, trying to figure out if there's a gossipy scoop to be had. Lovely. posted by nakedcodemonkey at 3:01 PM on January 22
Didn't take long but the tacky flickr tributes have already launched. An interesting way to publicly share the grief, but augh! That font is lurid, people. not that talking about it on metafilter is much classier, but still.... posted by wowbobwow at 3:01 PM on January 22
"Police are now saying they suspect suicide in Heath Ledger's death today at a Manhattan apartment owned, says the Times, by actress Mary-Kate Olsen. Prescription pills were found around the actor's 'naked and unconscious' body."
The Times' site did briefly have a "5:44pm" update that characterized the apt as "inhabited" by Olsen. A "5:51pm" update changed it back to "owned by", with clarification from unnamed police sources
Hey, Zachsmind... I like Heath Ledger a lot more than I like you.
And I frankly think you're wrong about Heath... on two separate occasions, I witnessed him being unnecessarily social and friendly when he had no reason to, and every opportunity to be anti-social or cloistered. He seemed to care about people. posted by chudmonkey at 3:03 PM on January 22
I never noticed him until Monster's Ball where his quiet performance really made me understand how good he was. His best work was ahead of him, and we're the poorer for his loss.
He wasn't a celebrity. He was a talented actor who could read a script and 'suit the action to the word'. posted by emf at 3:04 PM on January 22 [2 favorites]
Jairus: "I'm not trolling, I've just never seen so many people upset over someone I've never even peripherally observed, and it's pretty spooky."
"One of Ledger's close friends tells US magazine his death was shocking, but not surprising. 'We saw it coming. Heath has gone though a rough road of trying to get sober.'" posted by ericb at 3:04 PM on January 22
ZachsMind, I think you should reflect on the fact that, generally speaking, when you present a "controversial" opinion on the site, very few people ever agree with you and many more people become increasingly convinced that you're a complete tool. Showing your ass in an obit thread is probably not a real great idea for you. posted by kittens for breakfast at 3:04 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
Two Hands is one of my favourite movies. I think I'll watch it tonight.
What a huge loss. He always seemed like a really nice kid. posted by goshling at 3:05 PM on January 22
One of Ledger's close friends tells US magazine
"Close friend" !=! "tells US magazine". I hope when I die, you will all take my vices to your graves. posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:06 PM on January 22 [18 favorites]
Allow me to be more succinct. He loved whatever killed him more than he cared about you.
The issue is not whether he cared about me or anyone in this thread. (Personally, I enjoyed him in the handful of movies I'd seen him in and am looking forward to see his Joker this summer, but I'm not exactly what you'd call a fan.) The issue is you're bounding in pronouncing Ledger's love for whatever killed him when the guy's been dead for a few hours and the cause of death hasn't even been determined.
Allow me to be more succinct. How long do you have to wait after someone dies to start pulling stuff out of your ass about them? posted by turaho at 3:07 PM on January 22
Deaths come in threes. Who's next?
A back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that about three people die every second, worldwide.
Silly, it only matters when famous people die!
Seeing the Olsen name reminds me of something. With so much to do in NYC, and me moving away recently, I realize there are things one can only do there that I never took advantage of or got the chance to do. One of these was to somehow end up doing massive amounts of coke with the Olsen twins. Not that I even do massive amounts of coke, but to participate in that sort of well-deserved fall from grace/eventual shitshow I would make an exception. posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 3:08 PM on January 22
Curious. Not only are some people posting inappropriate things in this thread, they are also belligerently, bafflingly unaware of what they're doing.
Is it not possible to interrupt the flow of piffle for even the briefest of times? Say, in a tribute thread? posted by Ricky_gr10 at 3:08 PM on January 22
DCPI/NYPD is saying that it is not MKOlsen's apartment. posted by spec80 at 3:08 PM on January 22
Kittens For Breakfast: "Showing your ass in an obit thread is probably not a real great idea for you"
Wasn't aware MeFi was a popularity contest. Thank you for the heads up. posted by ZachsMind at 3:12 PM on January 22
C'mon, DevilsAdvocate... Jalrus chose to reveal that he had never heard of Heath via a hypothetical question, one that no one could actually answer. That's not a good or polite conversational gambit. And since the fact that Jalrus has never heard of Heath isn't relevant to a discussion of Heath's death, it was a bad conversational gambit with no hope of paying off anyway. It was akin to walking into someone's wake and saying "Why the long faces? Who's the guy in the box?"
An attack on Heath would have been infinitely more relevant in this thread than what Jalrus provided. Do you read every thread on the blue and wonder to yourself "Is Jalrus familiar with this topic?" posted by chudmonkey at 3:12 PM on January 22 [5 favorites]
What an absolute bummer. posted by kosem at 3:13 PM on January 22
...aaaand now the Times has a 6:06pm update that deletes Olsen from the lede entirely, and has a denial from her rep. Not that the "newspaper of record" is bothering to cop to any of these revisions, mind you. Do newspapers still run Corrections, or is that considered News 1.0 nowadays? posted by nakedcodemonkey at 3:13 PM on January 22
Headline News Reports: "His role as the Joker was so troubling and demonic to him that he had trouble sleeping at night." posted by Stynxno at 3:13 PM on January 22
I saw him in Santa Barbara a couple years ago at a film festival and he was wonderfully natural-seeming and great with the fans. And, as many have said, he was a tremendous actor (if you haven't seen Brokeback Mountain, go do so at once).
I don't really understand why people feel the need to post assholish comments about how little they care, but I'm glad there are so few of them.
Holy shit. I loved that guy. As an actor. posted by puke & cry at 3:16 PM on January 22
My sentiments exactly.
When he posted those sentiments, he not only wasn't directly talking shit about Ledger, he also left the thread.
Just sayin'. posted by agentofselection at 3:16 PM on January 22
“My money's on J.D. Salinger, at least sometime this year.”
How would you tell?
I dunno. Sad. But as to this suicide business - is it worse to live life in a prolonged self-destructive way (e.g. drugs) or to end it swiftly?
Not that he died either way (but apparently he had a substance abuse problem), but it seems that one is a concession the other is a choice.
Doesn’t help the survivors much I suppose. It’s a shame however it is. posted by Smedleyman at 3:19 PM on January 22
Wasn't aware MeFi was a popularity contest. Thank you for the heads up.
It's not a popularity contest, Zach, but it's not a who-can-be-the-biggest-asshole contest, either. There seems to be some confusion on this point; maybe the FAQ needs updating, I dunno. posted by kittens for breakfast at 3:19 PM on January 22 [10 favorites]
The Prozac or anti-depressant he needed, if truly a suicide, might sadly have taken a bit off his acting. I wonder if he knew that and cared more about his craft?
Do newspapers still run Corrections, or is that considered News 1.0 nowadays?
The City Room section that this post links to is a blog, so there's no editor and no corrections. posted by smackfu at 3:20 PM on January 22
Not that the "newspaper of record" is bothering to cop to any of these revisions, mind you. Do newspapers still run Corrections, or is that considered News 1.0 nowadays?
Interesting question. I hope the news media will set the record straight if it's not MK's apartment.
Wow, I just got deva ju. Did someone die in someone else's apartment before? Must search history... posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:21 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
That live feed of the removal of the body is so morbid. Not that I am any better.
“You might let him die in peace, at least,” she shouted at the crowd, “is it a spectacle for you to gape at? With cigarettes! (Cough, cough, cough!) You might as well keep your hats on.… And there is one in his hat!… Get away! You should respect the dead, at least!”
Her cough choked her—but her reproaches were not without result. They evidently stood in some awe of Katerina Ivanovna. The lodgers, one after another, squeezed back into the doorway with that strange inner feeling of satisfaction which may be observed in the presence of a sudden accident, even in those nearest and dearest to the victim, from which no living man is exempt, even in spite of the sincerest sympathy and compassion. posted by granted at 3:21 PM on January 22 [4 favorites]
Do you read every thread on the blue and wonder to yourself "Is Jalrus familiar with this topic?"
No, but in general I don't find it particularly offensive when people come in and declare that they hadn't heard of the thread's subject before, as seems to happen in at least half of the threads around here. Sometimes it's complimentary ("Wow, what a great post! I'd never heard about that before.") Sometimes it's disdainful ("Is this something I'd need a television to know about?") Sometimes it's neutral, and sometimes it's unclear. I guess I don't see that Jairus's pronouncement should be automatically lumped in the "disdainful" category, particularly given his followup that his comment was sincere and not trolling. posted by DevilsAdvocate at 3:21 PM on January 22 [3 favorites]
I recently rewatched most of the flawed but decent adaptation of Luke Davies' Candy a few weeks back. Ledger made a film work that otherwise might not've. It's been popping up on the movie channels lately and I recommend catching it. posted by item at 3:22 PM on January 22
''Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night,'' he said. ''I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going.'' One night he took an Ambien, which failed to work. He took a second one and fell into a stupor, only to wake up an hour later, his mind still racing.
===
The latest copy of British film magazine "Empire" features Ledger as this month's cover story for his upcoming role as the Joker in the Batman: The Dark Knight movie.
In preparation for the role, Ledger stated that, "I sat around in a hotel room in London for about a month, locked myself away, formed a little diary and experimented with voices". posted by spec80 at 3:22 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
Seconding that goshling. I've seen most of his movies and it's one of my favourites too. posted by tellurian at 3:24 PM on January 22
Is there an opposite of a favorite? Cause I'd really like to use that on a few posts in this thread. Flagging isn't enough. posted by empath at 3:25 PM on January 22 [3 favorites]
Jairus: "I'm not trolling, I've just never seen so many people upset over someone I've never even peripherally observed, and it's pretty spooky."
My sentiments exactly. Well... I'd use the word 'creepy' but essentially it's the same sentiments.
Yeah, because calling posters to this thread "creepy" doesn't make you any less a trollish jackass. Isn't there an open WGA strike thread you can flood with unintelligible tripe ZachsMind? posted by eyeballkid at 3:25 PM on January 22 [3 favorites]
And somehow my italics disappear. posted by eyeballkid at 3:26 PM on January 22
First of all it is Jairus, not Jalrus, and I'm going to defend him as I've had several, pleasant conversations with him. I believe he was being earnest when he asked who it was, believing it to be someone with a cult following or otherwise not known in the mainstream. In fact, I have never seen Heath Ledger in a movie, I think his buzz was bigger than he was at this point. He was a terrifically talented actor, but has yet to have a film in the mainstream in the way someone like Jack Nicholson has. I think he was about to breakthrough, certainly since the success of Brokeback Mountain, but this is young Hollywood we are talking about, and if you don't follow films or celebrity news closely, there is a good chance the name recognition is lost.
This will completely change Dark Knight, as no one can view the film now without this tragedy surrounding it. Here's hoping that the film can give some sort of vindication and substance to his name, that which he apparently felt was missing from his life. posted by geoff. at 3:26 PM on January 22
Man, that's really sad when ANYONE takes their life, but I guess we, as movie goers, felt a connection with this kid. He was talented, and we will all miss him. But his family could use prayers right now. posted by Juryizout at 3:26 PM on January 22
.
This is just so sad. I remember being really moved by his performance in Monster's Ball. And he just broke my heart in Brokeback Mntn. Like someone said before I was looking forward to watching him for years from now. So very sad. posted by dog food sugar at 3:28 PM on January 22
The candle that burns twice as bright burns only half as long. And the inverse goes too, ye longwinded gasbags. posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 3:30 PM on January 22 [7 favorites]
There's no reason to believe this was a suicide yet. It may very well have been accidental. posted by empath at 3:31 PM on January 22
I’ll add, while I don’t have any personal connection with Ledger and so I don’t particularly ‘care’ in the conventional sense, his death does serve to remind us how precarious life is and how much of a gift we are to each other. Simply because he was more visible.
And indeed, because he more visibly shared his gifts with us. It doesn’t make his death special or more of human loss than anyone else’s death. But it doesn’t make it less either.
When Sinatra died, my mom, who was a big fan, was pretty sad.
Well, I couldn’t mourn, the man died at an old age after living a full and healthy (and in some respects enviable in material success alone) life filled with music and the joy of sharing his talent with others.
Death is a loss. This can be said of anyone. And we do feel it more keenly when it’s the death of someone close to us.
But such visible deaths marked the passing of facets of our lives that are irrevocably lost. A future that is now dark to us and a life and talent we can celebrate but no longer share in.
And so it’s true that it’s just the loss of a ‘celebrity,’ but in a real sense it’s a loss nevertheless.
And we know - I know just as you all know, it reminds us of our own mortality and the people who ARE close to us who may not be as widely celebrated whos lives we do share, who are also mortal.
Did someone die in someone else's apartment before? Must search history...
ThePinkSuperhero, don't know if this is what you're thinking of but Mama Cass and Keith Moon both died in an apartment owned by Harry Nilisson. posted by item at 3:33 PM on January 22
Publicist for Mary Kate Olsen says she does NOT own the apartment (nor has she ever owned an apt in that building.)
NYC Medical Examiner's office says an autopsy will be performed tomorrow. posted by spec80 at 3:34 PM on January 22
First reports said he was staying in an apartment of Mary-Kate Olson, who was off doing publicity for a movie in which she starred with Oscar winning (and three other times nominated) Sir Ben Kingsley. This indicates to me that he may not have actually died, but instead discovered a tear in the universe somewhere within that apartment. posted by TimTypeZed at 3:35 PM on January 22 [2 favorites]
On the Celebrity Death WTF-o-Meter, I think this comes in below Bruno Kirby but above River Phoenix.
Phil Hartman is still number one on the chart, though. posted by notmydesk at 3:37 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
(In fairness, Sir Ben Kingsley appeared in Uwe Boll's Bloodrayne. If anything, starring in a film with Mary-Kate Olsen is a step up.) posted by kittens for breakfast at 3:37 PM on January 22 [2 favorites]
Well, I'm pretty darn upset about this and a little bit baffled about why I am, so I think it's a fair question. I respect Ledger and have seen and enjoyed a couple of his movies, but it's not like I was a charter member of the Heath Ledger fan club. I think it's just terribly sad and unexpected, and it's a reminder that life can be awfully cruel sometimes. I've known some people who died when they were a similar age, also with apparently bright futures, and in similar circumstances, and it's about the saddest thing I can think of. So yeah: it's about the particular guy who died too young, and it's also about the fact that it reminds us all how precarious life is. The fact that Ledger was primarily known as a talented actor and not as a fodder for Hollywood gossip magazines probably makes it seem worse. posted by craichead at 3:37 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
Caught this while doing my daily patrol of the 24-hour cable news noise machine. Don't think you could call me a Ledger fan, exactly, but he never turned in a performance I didn't enjoy. I've been stoked to see him as the Joker since news of that casting broke, and it's a real drag that he's perished at such an early age.
But like I said, I was watching this on the noise machine. And the blurbs on the bottom of the screen have been pretty absurd. On FOX News, the blurb they ran under the Ledger stock footage read something to the effect of "Authorities believe death was accidental."
Now, exposure to FOX News is like exposure to uranium, so I moved on quickly. Next channel up was Headline News, where the blurb was "Suicide likely in Ledger's death."
Fucking hell. I know what it's like to write a headline under deadline pressure, but it never calls for making shit up. I'd love to see CNN and the whole lot switch the blurbs to something honest, like "Ledger's death: details to follow autopsy" or, "Ledger: We'll know something tomorrow, and repeat it all day" or "Expect to hear about Heath Ledger for the rest of the month" posted by EatTheWeak at 3:39 PM on January 22
Having actually sifted through all the comments in this thread (and hating more than a few of them) I'm still... stunned by how much I care. I feel like crying right now, and the only movie I've seen him in is Ten Things I Hate About You which I adored beyond measure when I first saw it, and still love now.
And even though the implications that his role as the Joker may have affected his pysche are scary and saddening, they make me respect him that much more - he was pretty, exceedingly so, yet he still pushed himself so hard... posted by Phire at 3:39 PM on January 22 [1 favorite]
His poor daughter. And Michelle, too - they didn't split all that long ago and now her little girl isn't going to have a daddy. I remember seeing both of them on a talk show a year or so ago, and they seemed like a really nice, relaxed young couple. They talked about their daughter and how much they loved living in NYC. I think there's a curse on the cast of Dawson's Creek. Look at "Kate Cruise." posted by SassHat at 3:39 PM on January 22
In fact, this is about how my Celebrity Death WTF-o-Meter shakes out as present (Top 5).
1) Phil Hartman
2) Bruno Kirby
3) John Denver
4) Heath Ledger
5) River Phoenix posted by notmydesk at 3:39 PM on January 22
The funny, well not funny, but odd, thing is how much his Joker looks like Brandon Lee's Crow, which was similarly posthumously released. Just a coincidence I guess. posted by hnnrs at 3:40 PM on January 22 [2 favorites]
If it's true that he was clean for a year and recently relapsed, it's especially awful because such deaths are predictable and potentially preventable.
If you must relapse-- and you aren't trying to kill yourself-- start with a very, very low dose. Your body doesn't have a tolerance any more: the dose that used to barely get you off can kill.
It's particularly sad when people die of ignorance around this stuff. Of course, when people relapse, they tend to be in a "fuck it" state of mind and might not care: but at least if you know about dramatically reduced tolerance after abstinence, you know you are taking an excess risk. posted by Maias at 3:41 PM on January 22 [2 favorites]
Such a waste of talent, whether this was an accidental or purposeful death. I feel bad for his daughter, and for his ex, who will have to somehow explain to a two-year-old that daddy isn't coming back. And from what I've seen, he adored his daughter. posted by annieb at 3:43 PM on January 22
Turaho: "Allow me to be more succinct. How long do you have to wait after someone dies to start pulling stuff out of your ass about them?"
I have files listing things I want to say about famous people when they die.
Many of you are turning this into a personal attack against me, which is quaint, but if you ever expect any obit thread in MeFi to be nothing but a lovefest, you gotta nother think coming.
The beautiful thing about MeFi is there's a wide spectrum of opinions that get to be expressed, and they are all equally valid and viable. Not just yours. Not just mine. posted by ZachsMind at 3:48 PM on January 22
According to police sources:
-two drugs were found at the scene - one prescription, one not.
-The maid or housekeeper called Mary Kate Olsen and her security team responded to the apartment adding to initial confusion with reports that it was her apt. It currently appears not to be hers.
-there is no reason at this time to think that the death is anything but accidental
==
Ok I'm leaving work now. I hope my replies here weren't too morbid, but they are the facts as they come. And no, I don't know why the maid/housekeeper called an Olsen. posted by spec80 at 3:48 PM on January 22
The City Room section that this post links to is a blog, so there's no editor and no corrections.
The City Room runs under The New York Times masthead. It's self-described as "supplementing the New York/Region coverage of The Times" (emphasis added). Format is irrelevant; it's the Times doing news coverage. They have a responsibility to acknowledge when they're printed facts that turned out to be incomplete, wrong, or misrepresented. They can find the time to
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posted by Busithoth at 1:58 PM on January 22