AmandaDi
January, 22nd, 2008, 04:21 PM
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/news/celebrity/ny-etheath0122,0,6778210.story
Actor Heath Ledger, one of the stars of "Brokeback Mountain, was found dead in his bed in his Manhattan apartment, at 3:35 p.m., New York City police said Tuesday. He was 28.
Sleeping pills were found in the bed around him, police said.
Until recently, Ledger lived in Brooklyn.
Police said Ledger's body was found after a masseuse arrived at the apartment in lower Manhattan. A housekeeper, who let the masseuse in, believed him to be asleep, police said.
The two went into the bedroom and found him nonresponsive, then called 911, police said.
A big crowd of paparazzi and gawkers began gathering outside the building, where several police officers guarded the door. The building is located on an upscale block in SoHo.
The Australian-born actor was nominated for an Oscar for "Brokeback Mountain," where he met actress Michelle Williams in 2005. Ledger and Williams had lived in Brooklyn and had a daughter, Matilda, until they split up last year.
Ledger's roles include the suicidal son of Billy Bob Thornton in "Monster's Ball" and had starring roles in "A Knight's Tale" and "The Patriot." He was to appear as the Joker this year in "The Dark Night," a sequel to 2005's "Batman Begins" that recently finished filming.
Ledger was born in 1979, grew up in Perth and began doing amateur theater at age 10. At 16, he moved to Sydney to pursue an acting career, quickly landing TV movie roles and guest spots on Australian television.
After several independent films, Ledger moved to Los Angeles and co-starred in "10 Things I Hate About You," a teen comedy reworking of "The Taming of the Shrew." His movie career caught on soon after that, culminating with his Academy Award nomination for "Brokeback Mountain."
Actor Heath Ledger, one of the stars of "Brokeback Mountain, was found dead in his bed in his Manhattan apartment, at 3:35 p.m., New York City police said Tuesday. He was 28.
Sleeping pills were found in the bed around him, police said.
Until recently, Ledger lived in Brooklyn.
Police said Ledger's body was found after a masseuse arrived at the apartment in lower Manhattan. A housekeeper, who let the masseuse in, believed him to be asleep, police said.
The two went into the bedroom and found him nonresponsive, then called 911, police said.
A big crowd of paparazzi and gawkers began gathering outside the building, where several police officers guarded the door. The building is located on an upscale block in SoHo.
The Australian-born actor was nominated for an Oscar for "Brokeback Mountain," where he met actress Michelle Williams in 2005. Ledger and Williams had lived in Brooklyn and had a daughter, Matilda, until they split up last year.
Ledger's roles include the suicidal son of Billy Bob Thornton in "Monster's Ball" and had starring roles in "A Knight's Tale" and "The Patriot." He was to appear as the Joker this year in "The Dark Night," a sequel to 2005's "Batman Begins" that recently finished filming.
Ledger was born in 1979, grew up in Perth and began doing amateur theater at age 10. At 16, he moved to Sydney to pursue an acting career, quickly landing TV movie roles and guest spots on Australian television.
After several independent films, Ledger moved to Los Angeles and co-starred in "10 Things I Hate About You," a teen comedy reworking of "The Taming of the Shrew." His movie career caught on soon after that, culminating with his Academy Award nomination for "Brokeback Mountain."