Actor Heath Ledger dead

Condolences to the family and friends of actor Heath Ledger who was found dead today in an apartment in New York. Heath Ledger was famous for being in several note worthy movies, including "Patriot" with Mel Gibson, "Brokeback Mountain", and he is to be the villian character, The Joker, in the newest "Batman" movie due out later this year. He was only 28 years old. Cause of death is still being determined at this time.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22788914/?GT1=10755

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005132/

Yeah, I heard. Honestly, I had no idea who he was, but apparently my mum did... she was pretty upset about it.

So yeah, sorry to his family, friends, and fans...

I heard about it when the news broke on TV. It's always a terrible tragedy when someone passes too early like this. He had a lot of good years ahead of him. From what I've been hearing on the news, it sounds like the pressures of his recent films might have done him in.

So, I was flipping around the TV channels early this morning, and guess what I came across? A movie starring this guy. I thought it was kind of insensitive timing, to air a movie with him the day after he died. Maybe the showing had been planned for sometime, I don't know, but I would have changed the schedule and shown the movie some other day. What do you think?

Was it a really popular channel? If it was something like your country's national broadcasting company, then I would consider it to be a bit insensitive. However, if you're talking about a smaller, less watched station then they probably didn't even realise it. Most of those stations have week's worth of programmes lined up and they didn't stop to realise that he was an actor in one. Honestly though, I don't think its too insensitive. Its a movie that he played in, whats withholding it from the airwaves doing to his legacy? Also, may I ask what channel you saw it on and which movie it was? Just curious.

It was very sad news. Like many, I first saw him in "10 Things I Hate About You" and thought he had the potential for a great career. It was a movie I'd recommend even before his death, very entertaining and he did an excellent portrayal in it.

Thoul wrote:

So, I was flipping around the TV channels early this morning, and guess what I came across? A movie starring this guy. I thought it was kind of insensitive timing, to air a movie with him the day after he died. Maybe the showing had been planned for sometime, I don't know, but I would have changed the schedule and shown the movie some other day. What do you think?

Whenever a celebrity dies they always air their movies or music non-stop for a week or two. It's so tasteless to try and profit off an event like this. I assume it was "Knight's Tale" which TBS (or maybe TNT) has aired a few times in the last year. They presumably still have the cable rights and will milk it for all they can.

hugues wrote:

Whenever a celebrity dies they always air their movies or music non-stop for a week or two. It's so tasteless to try and profit off an event like this. I assume it was "Knight's Tale" which TBS (or maybe TNT) has aired a few times in the last year. They presumably still have the cable rights and will milk it for all they can.

Eh? Try to make a profit off it? How exactly would they go about that? Quite honestly, whether or not the actor/actress of a certain aging film happens to have died recently, doesn't tend to affect my decision to sit down for a good two hours or so and watch it. If anything, it could be seen as paying homage to their artistic contributions to this world. However, the idea of a network completely altering their programme schedule to coincide with a certain event in celebrity news is a bit out there, in my opinion.

Sorry he lost his life, no matter what the reason was. I like to watch him act.

It was probably just coincidence that the movie with him was on tv. These things are usually planned a little in advance, although probably open to possibly change very quickly if need be. Right now, he is news, and as the old saying goes "news sells". That includes on tv.

I'm not sure which movie it was; I didn't catch the name. It wasn't Knight's Tale, it was one where Ledger played a priest. One of the other actors from Knight's Tale was in it, as was the fellow who played Robocop (can't recall his last name at the moment). It was on FX, Fox's cable channel.

One of his other movies, Casanova, is on some ither subscription cable channel tonight as well. These could both be a case of bad timing, as it's not the networks showing nothing but his movies. Still, it seems like it might be hard on the family if they're watching TV for a little break and come across this.


On another tanget, you know those people that were in the news last year for protesting at the funerals of US soldiers killed in Iraq? They're planning a protest at Ledger's funeral now as well. They claim that his death was a punishment from God because of his role in Brokeback Mountain.

I am very saddened to hear of his death. It's all so unreal. I feel deeply for his family now.