The problem with actors is that you think you know them, when you don't; you only know their roles. So when I stared agog this afternoon at the breaking news alert proclaiming in bold type
Heath Ledger found dead, I couldn't believe it. Conor, the golden-blond lad running around in leather pants in fictional medieval Ireland, who made my highschool heart race, would never kill himself. Neither would Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein, the honorable rock 'n roll knight who'd pause a jousting match to groove to some Queen. And Ennis del Mar, who bore all the tragedies of his life with a heartbreaking grace on Brokeback Mountain, would certainly never overdose on pills. So how could Heath?
It's very sad that a young actor with so much potential is gone. At least Heath's characters will live on. Especially Ennis.
Brokeback Mountain meant a lot to a lot of people, me included. Thank you for that, Heath.
More on Heath Ledger in
early LCiN posts here and
here.
2 comments:
I almost called you around 8 last night to see if you'd heard this. Mike told me and it seemed so bizarre and unlikely.
It does seem unlikely. I didn't know much about his private life, but I don't think anyone thought he was a candidate for this; hence all the headlines, maybe.
When Brad Renfro offed himself last week, I'd seen that coming a mile away.
But Heath?... Goddammit.
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