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{{Infobox actor
Literature
|name=Heath Ledger
The Heirs of Isildur
|image=Heath Ledger.jpg
Part of J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium
|imagesize=200px
Sons of Isildur
|caption=Heath Ledger
Elendur · Aratan · Ciryon
|birthname=Heathcliff Andrew Ledger
High-Kings of Arnor
|birthdate={{birth date and age|1979|4|4|mf=n}}
Valandil · Eldacar · Arantar
|birthplace=[[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]], [[Western Australia]], [[Australia]]
Tarcil · Tarondor · Valandur
|othername=Heath Ledger
Elendur · Eärendur
|partner=[[Michelle Williams (actress)|Michelle Williams]] (2005-07)
Kings of Arthedain
|afiawards='''[[Australian Film Institute International Award for Best Actor|International Award - Best Actor]]'''<br>2005 ''[[Brokeback Mountain]]''
Amlaith · Beleg · Mallor
|awards='''[[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor|NYFCC Award For Best Actor]]'''<Br>2005 ''[[Brokeback Mountain]]''
Celepharn · Celebrindor
}}
Malvegil
Kings of Arnor
Argeleb I ·Arveleg I · Araphor
Argeleb II · Arvegil · Arveleg II
Araval · Araphant · Arvedui
Chieftains of the Dúnedain
Aranarth · Arahael · Aranuir
Aravir · Aragorn I · Araglas
Arahad I · Aragost · Aravorn
Arahad II · Arassuil · Arathorn I
Argonui · Arador · Arathorn II
Kings of the Reunited Kingdom
Aragorn II · Eldarion
House of Anárion


'''Heath Andrew Ledger''' (born [[April 4]], [[1979]]) is an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]]-nominated [[Australia]]n [[actor]].
[edit] History


==Early life and family==
According to the appendices of Return of the King, Aragorn, named for his ancestor Aragorn I, was born on March 1 in 2931 of the Third Age, the son of Arathorn II and his wife Gilraen. Through his ancestor Elendil (whom he closely resembled)[1] Aragorn was a descendant of Elros Tar-Minyatur, Lord Elrond Half-elven's twin brother and the first king of Númenor. His ancestor Arvedui was wedded to Fíriel, who bore their son Aranarth, making Aragorn the last descendant of Anárion as well.
Ledger was born in [[Perth, Western Australia]], the son of Sally Ledger Bell ([[married and maiden names|née]] Ramshaw),<ref name="heathbabycom">[http://www.heathbaby.com/heathbio.php Heathbaby.com]</ref> a French teacher, and Kim Ledger, a [[race car]] driver and mining engineer.<ref>[http://www.filmreference.com/film/15/Heath-Ledger.html Heath Ledger Biography (1979-)]</ref> Ledger's mother is descended from the [[Clan Campbell]] of [[Scotland]] and his father comes from a family well-known in Perth, as the Sir Frank Ledger Charitable Trust was named after his great-grandfather.<ref>[http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/heath_ledger_biog.html HEATH LEDGER BIOGRAPHY]</ref> Ledger attended Marys Mount Primary School, in [[Gooseberry Hill, Western Australia|Gooseberry Hill]], and later [[Guildford Grammar School]] and its [[Guildford Grammar Preparatory School|preparatory school]] of the same name.


==Career==
When Aragorn was only two years old, his father was killed while pursuing Orcs. Aragorn was afterwards fostered in Rivendell by Elrond. At the request of his mother, his lineage was kept secret, as she feared he would be killed like his father and grandfather if his true identity as the descendant of Elendil and Heir of Isildur became known. Aragorn was renamed Estel and was not told about his heritage until he came of age in 2951.
===Early career===
At 16, Ledger sat for early graduation exams, and left school to pursue an acting career <ref>[http://heathheathens.net/lonesomecowboy-mar06.htm Transcript. Rolling Stone interview.| month=March| year=2006]</ref> with girlfriend Jenna Sorrell. With his best friend, Trevor DiCarlo, Ledger made the cross-country drive to [[Sydney]]. He returned to Perth for the TV series ''[[Sweat (TV series)|Sweat]]'' (1996), in which he played a [[gay]] cyclist. He then starred in the [[United States|American]] [[television series]] ''[[Roar (television series)|Roar]]''.


[[Image:Brokebackmountainheathledger.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Heath Ledger as [[Ennis del Mar]]]]
Elrond revealed to "Estel" (hope in Sindarin) his true name and ancestry when he came of age, and delivered to him the shards of Elendil's sword, Narsil, and the Ring of Barahir. He withheld the Sceptre of Annúminas from him until he "came of the right" to possess it. It was also around this time that Aragorn met and fell in love with Arwen, Elrond's daughter, who had newly returned from her mother's homeland of Lórien.


In 1996, prior to his film debut in the 1997 Australian movie ''Blackrock'', Heath Ledger was involved in the short lived [[Fox Broadcasting Company]] fantasy-drama [[Roar (television series)|Roar]]. In 1999, Ledger starred in the teen comedy ''[[10 Things I Hate about You]]'' and also had the lead role in the acclaimed Australian movie ''[[Two Hands]]'', directed by [[Gregor Jordan]].
Aragorn thereafter assumed his proper role as the sixteenth Chieftain of the Dúnedain, the Rangers of the North, and went into the wild, where lived the remnants of his people, whose kingdom had been destroyed through civil and regional wars centuries before.


===2000-present===
Aragorn met Gandalf the Grey in 2956, and they became close friends. At Gandalf's advice he and his followers began to guard a small land known as the Shire, inhabited by the diminutive and agrarian Hobbits, and he became known among the peoples just outside the Shire's borders as Strider.
He has starred in ''[[The Patriot (2000 film)|The Patriot]]'', ''[[Monster's Ball]]'', ''[[A Knight's Tale (film)|A Knight's Tale]]'', ''[[Ned Kelly (2003 film)|Ned Kelly]]'', ''[[The Order (2003 film)|The Order]]'', and ''[[The Brothers Grimm]]''. In 2001, he won a [[National Association of Theatre Owners|ShoWest Award]] for the Male Star of Tomorrow based on his performance in ''The Patriot'', and worldwide release of ''A Knight's Tale''. In 2003, he was named one of [[Gentlemen's Quarterly|Australian GQ]]'s Men of the Year for acting.


In 2005, Ledger received a "Best Actor in a Drama" [[Golden Globe]] nomination for his acclaimed performance in ''[[Brokeback Mountain]]'', in which he plays [[Wyoming]] ranch hand [[Ennis Del Mar]], who has a love affair with aspiring rodeo rider [[Jack Twist]], played by [[Jake Gyllenhaal]]. In the ''[[New York Times]]'' review of the film, critic Stephen Holden wrote:
From 2957 to 2980, Aragorn undertook great journeys, serving in the armies of King Thengel of Rohan, and Steward Ecthelion II of Gondor. Many of his tasks helped to raise morale in the West and counter the growing threat of Sauron and his allies, and he acquired invaluable experience which he would later put to use in the War of the Ring. Aragorn served his lords in disguise and his name in Gondor and Rohan during that time was Thorongil (Eagle of the Star). With a small Gondorian squadron of ships, he led an assault on the long-standing rebel province of Umbar in 2980, burning many of the Corsairs' ships and personally slaying their lord during the battle on the Havens. After the victory at Umbar, "Thorongil" left the field and to the dismay of his men, went East.
:''"Both Mr. Ledger and Mr. Gyllenhaal make this anguished love story physically palpable. Mr. Ledger magically and mysteriously disappears beneath the skin of his lean, sinewy character. It is a screen performance, as good as the best of [[Marlon Brando]] and [[Sean Penn]]."''<ref>{{cite web| first=Stephen| last=Holden| url=http://movies2.nytimes.com/2005/12/09/movies/09brok.html| title=Brokeback Mountain - Riding the High Country, Finding and Losing Love| publisher=[[The New York Times]]| date=December 9, 2005| accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref>


In another review in ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', [[Peter Travers]] wrote:
Later in 2980, he visited Lórien, and there once again met Arwen. He gave her the heirloom of his House, the Ring of Barahir, and, on the hill of Cerin Amroth, Arwen pledged her hand to him in marriage, renouncing her Elvish lineage and accepting the Gift of Men: death.
:''"Ledger's magnificent performance is an acting miracle. He seems to tear it from his insides. Ledger doesn't just know how Ennis moves, speaks and listens; he knows how he breathes. To see him inhale the scent of a shirt hanging in Jack's closet is to take measure of the pain of love lost."''<ref>{{cite web| first=Peter
|last=Travers|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/6169704/review/8878365/brokeback_mountain| title=Brokeback Mountain| work=Review| publisher=[[Rolling Stone]]| date=December 1, 2005| accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref>


Ledger received "Best Actor of 2005" awards for ''Brokeback Mountain'' from both the [[New York Film Critics Circle]] and the [[San Francisco Film Critics Circle]]. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] for his performance. In the same year, Ledger played a fictionalized version of [[Giacomo Casanova]] in ''[[Casanova (film)|Casanova]]''. The film, a romantic comedy which co-starred [[Sienna Miller]], drew mixed reviews from critics and failed to find a significant audience among general moviegoers, though it fared better on [[DVD]].
Elrond withheld from Aragorn permission to marry his daughter until such time as his foster son should be king of both Gondor and Arnor. To Elrond's as well as Aragorn's knowledge, to marry a mortal his daughter would be required to choose mortality, and thus deprive the deathless Elrond of his daughter while the world lasted. Elrond was also concerned for Arwen's own happiness, fearing that in the end she might find death (her own and that of her beloved) too difficult to bear.


In 2006, Ledger was invited to join the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2006/06.07.01a.html| title=Academy Invites 120 to Membership| work=Press Release| publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]| date=July 5, 2006| accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref>
Before the events of The Lord of the Rings proper take place, Aragorn also travelled through the Dwarven mines of Moria, and to Harad, where (in his own words) "the stars are strange". Tolkien does not specify when these travels occurred.


In Spring 2006, it was announced that Ledger would portray [[Bob Dylan]] in the film ''[[I'm Not There]]''. Although not actually playing Dylan himself, Ledger along with several other actors will portray different sides of the singer.
In 3009, Gandalf grew suspicious of the ring belonging to the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins, which later turned out to be the One Ring, the source of the Dark Lord Sauron's evil power. Aragorn went at his request into Rhovanion in search of Gollum, who had once possessed the Ring. He caught the creature in the Dead Marshes near Mordor, and brought him as a captive to Thranduil's halls in Mirkwood, where Gandalf questioned him.


On [[July 21]], [[2006]], Ledger was officially confirmed to play iconic comic book villain [[Joker (comics)|The Joker]] in ''[[The Dark Knight (film)|The Dark Knight]]'', the sequel to the 2005 film ''[[Batman Begins]]'', opposite fellow ''[[I'm Not There]]'' star [[Christian Bale]]. The film is due in 2008.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.batman-on-film.com/batmovienewsarchives47.html| title=Heath Ledger? It's TRUE| date=July 21, 2006| work=NEWS ARCHIVES 47| publisher=BATMAN ON FILM| accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref>
[edit] The Lord of the Rings


In 2006, Ledger directed three [[music video]]s: "Cause an Effect" and "Seduction Is Evil (She's Hot)" for Australian [[hip-hop]] artist [[1200 Techniques|N'fa]], as well as "Morning Yearning" for [[Ben Harper]].
In Fellowship of the Ring, Aragorn joined Frodo Baggins, Bilbo's adopted heir, and three of his friends at the Inn of the Prancing Pony in Bree. These four had set out from the Shire to bring the One Ring to Rivendell. Aragorn was aged 87 at that time, nearing the prime of life for one of royal Númenórean descent. With Aragorn's help the Hobbits escaped the pursuing Nazgûl and reached Rivendell. There, Aragorn was chosen to join the Fellowship of the Ring that was formed to guard Frodo, who was charged with destroying the Ring in the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor. Besides Aragorn, Gandalf, and Frodo, the company included Frodo's cousins Pippin and Merry, Frodo's faithful servant Samwise Gamgee, Legolas the Elf , Gimli the Dwarf, and Boromir of Gondor. Before the group set out, the shards of Narsil were reforged, and the restored blade was named Andúril.


===Music===
Aragorn accompanied the group through an attempt to cross the pass of Caradhras and through the mines of Moria. He became their leader after Gandalf was lost in battle with a Balrog. Aragorn led the company to Lórien and then down the river Anduin to the Falls of Rauros. Originally he had planned to go to Gondor and aid its people in the war, but after the loss of Gandalf he also was responsible for Frodo. When Frodo continued his quest alone, Aragorn, together with Legolas and Gimli, went to Rohan to free Merry and Pippin, who had been captured by the wizard Saruman's Uruk-hai.
Ledger started a record company with singer [[Ben Harper]]. His first step in the music business was directing Harper's video "Morning Yearning".


He has directed and produced Australian artist N'Fa's work, including his video "Seduction is Evil".
In The Two Towers, the Three Hunters (as Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli were ever after known) encountered Éomer, who had recently been pursuing rumours of an Orc raid in the area. From Éomer Aragorn learned that the Orcs who had kidnapped Merry and Pippin had been destroyed and that the Hobbits had not been found. Dejected, he led Legolas and Gimli to the site of the battle. Clues led Aragorn to believe that the Hobbits might still be alive, and he led the Three Hunters into Fangorn forest. They did not find the Hobbits, but they did find Gandalf the White, sent back from Valinor to continue his struggle against Sauron. Gandalf told the Three Hunters that the Hobbits were safe with the Ents of Fangorn. Together, Gandalf and the Three Hunters travelled to Edoras, where Gandalf freed Théoden from Saruman's enchantment and helped him muster the Rohirrim against Saruman.


==Public image==
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli then helped the people of Rohan in the Battle of the Hornburg, in which they conclusively defeated Saruman's army. In order to distract Sauron's attention from Frodo, who had gone into Mordor, Aragorn used a palantír and revealed himself as the heir of Isildur to Sauron. Sauron probably believed that the One Ring had come into Aragorn's hands; therefore he made his assault on Minas Tirith prematurely and without adequate preparation.
===Press reception===
Ledger has a turbulent relationship with [[paparazzi]] photographers. It is alleged that he spat at and [[assault]]ed a photographer in Sydney in 2004, while a relative also is alleged to have spat on a photographer in 2005. Ledger strongly denies the accusation.<ref name="hl_sag_giggles">{{cite web
| url=http://stylescenes.latimes.com/fashion/2006/02/heath_explains_.html| title=Heath explains his SAG giggles| work=Styles &amp; Scenes| first=Elizabeth| last=Snead| date=February 3, 2006| publisher=[[Los Angeles Times]]| accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref> On [[January 13]], [[2006]], several photographers retaliated, squirting Ledger with water pistols as he walked the red carpet for the Sydney premiere of ''Brokeback Mountain''.


Ledger has more recently been subject to criticism in the press following his performance on stage at the [[2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards]]. Ledger was seen giggling when presenting ''Brokeback Mountain'' as a nominee for [[Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]]. The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' described his behaviour as "some kind of gay spoof."<ref name="hl_sag_giggles"/> Ledger later called the ''Times'' to explain that his actions were the result of [[glossophobia|stage fright]], saying that he was only told he would be presenting the award minutes beforehand. "I am so sorry and I apologise for my nervousness," Ledger told the newspaper.<ref>{{cite web| publisher=''[[The Age]]''| url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/film/ledger-in-damage-control/2006/02/12/1139679468944.html| title=Ledger in damage control| date=[[February 12]], [[2005]]| accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref>
In order to defend the city, Aragorn entered the Paths of the Dead, and summoned the Dead Men of Dunharrow who owed allegiance to the king of Gondor. It had been prophesied by Isildur and Malbeth the Seer that the Dead would be summoned once more to pay their debt for betraying Gondor millennia before. With their aid the Corsairs of Umbar were defeated. Aragorn, a small force of Rangers, and a large contingent of men and soldiers from the southern regions then sailed up the Anduin to Minas Tirith. When they arrived at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Aragorn unfurled a standard that Arwen had made for him which showed both the White Tree of Gondor along with the jewelled crown and seven stars of the House of Elendil. With the help of the southern forces the armies of Gondor and Rohan rallied and defeated Sauron's army.


Ledger also came under fire after he was quoted in January 2006 in Australia's ''Herald Sun'' as saying that [[West Virginia]] had banned ''Brokeback Mountain'' (which it had not). He also referred to the state as having had [[lynchings]] as recently as the 1980s. These statements have been roundly disputed by archivists and historians, who have found that the last extra-legal public hanging in West Virginia occurred in 1931.<ref>{{cite web
The restoration of the line of Elendil to the throne of Gondor is a subplot of The Lord of the Rings; Aragorn's adventures not only aid Frodo in his Quest, but also bring him closer to his own kingship — which, though his by right and lineage, has been left open for centuries due to historical, legal, and military circumstances. The people of Gondor have been under the rule of the Stewards of Gondor for centuries, as it was widely doubted that any of the royal line still lived. Shortly after Isildur's departure, Meneldil, son of Anárion, had severed Gondor from Arnor politically, although the formal title of High King remained with the northern line (as Isildur was Elendil's eldest son). This arrangement had been reinforced by the Steward Pelendur in nearly 2,000 years before when he rejected Arvedui's claim to the Throne of Gondor during a Gondorian succession crisis (Eärnil, a member of the House of Anárion, was eventually chosen as King instead). It is worth noting, however, that Arvedui had also based his claim on the fact that he had married a descendant of Anárion: thus, Aragorn was technically a descendant of not only Elendil and Isildur but of Anárion as well).
| url=http://www.thegazz.com/blogs/gazznotes/2006/01/whend-we-stop-stringing-em-up-in-west.html| title=When'd we stop stringing 'em up in West Virginia?| date=January 16, 2006| accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref>


===Personal life===
In Return of the King, the Steward Denethor declared that he would not bow to a descendant of Isildur (years before, he had seen "Thorongil" as a rival to his father's favour). Aragorn healed Faramir, Denethor's heir, who had been expected to die; this won him the immediate recognition of Faramir as the rightful heir to the throne, and his humility and self sacrifice gained him the hearts of the inhabitants of Gondor's capital city (Aragorn's healing abilities, however, were a sign to the people of Gondor of the identity of their true king; as Ioreth said, "The hands of the King are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known"). The people hailed him as King that same evening.
Ledger had a relationship with [[Naomi Watts]], whom he met in 2002 during the filming of ''[[Ned Kelly (2003 film)|Ned Kelly]]''. They started dating in August 2002. The couple ended their relationship in April 2004. Previously, he had dated actresses [[Lisa Zane]] and [[Heather Graham]].


Ledger was engaged to actress [[Michelle Williams (actress)|Michelle Williams]], whom he met on the set of ''Brokeback Mountain''.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/archive/2006/03/08/the-heath-is-on-89520-16786391/| title=THE HEATH IS ON| date=March 3, 2006| author=Kiki King, Eva Simpson &amp; Caroline Hedley| publisher=[[The Daily Mirror]]| accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/archive/2007/01/24/michelle-marries-heath-ledger-89520-18521524/| title=MICHELLE MARRIES HEATH LEDGER| date=January 24, 2007
Despite his immediate success and popularity, however, and despite his claim to the throne through raising the royal banner, Aragorn decided to lay aside his claim for the time being. He knew that if he aggressively promoted his claim, rival claimants or debates as to his legitimacy were not out of the question, and this could be a fatal distraction for Gondor at a time when the West needed to be united against Sauron. So, to avoid conflict, after he had healed people during the night of March 15/16, he left Minas Tirith and symbolically refused to enter it again until he was crowned King on May 1st.
| author=Eva Simpson &amp; Caroline Hedley| publisher=[[The Daily Mirror]]| accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref> They have a daughter, Matilda Rose, who was born on [[October 28]], [[2005]]. The child's godparents are Ledger's ''Brokeback'' costar Jake Gyllenhaal and Williams' ''[[Dawson's Creek]]'' castmate [[Busy Phillips]].


Ledger and his family divided their time between [[Brooklyn]], [[Los Angeles]], and [[Sydney]].<ref name="heathbabycom"/>
In order to ensure safe passage across Mordor for Frodo to fulfill his quest, Aragorn then led the Army of the West out from Minas Tirith to make a diversionary feint on the Black Gate of Mordor itself in the Battle of the Morannon. Gandalf had been given supreme command of the war effort after the Pelennor Fields, and acted as chief spokesman in the parley with the Mouth of Sauron; but Aragorn commanded the Allied troops during the battle and its aftermath.


Ledger sold his Australian residence in [[Bronte, New South Wales]], for [[Australian dollar|A$]]7 million.<ref>{{cite web| publisher=''[[The Age]]''| url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/ledger-hopes-for-3m-profit-on-beach-house/2006/02/10/1139542406285.html| title=Ledger hopes for $3m profit on beach house| date=[[February 11]], [[2006]]| accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| first=Angela| last=Saurine| date=15 April, 2006| url=http://www.realestate.com.au/review/apr06/article4.html| title=Why the rich are kings of the castle| publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]'' @ realestate.com.au| accessdate=2007-08-17}}</ref>
Upon Sauron's defeat, Aragorn was crowned as King Elessar (translated as Elfstone in Tolkien's invented language of Quenya), a name given to him by Galadriel. (In Sindarin, another of Tolkien's languages, this becomes Edhelharn.) He became the twenty-sixth King of Arnor, thirty-fifth King of Gondor and the first High King of the Reunited Kingdom, though it would be several years before his authority was firmly reestablished in Arnor. His line was referred to as the House of Telcontar (Telcontar being Quenya for "Strider"). Aragorn married Arwen shortly afterwards, and ruled the Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor until 120 of the Fourth Age. His reign was marked by great harmony and prosperity within Gondor and Arnor, and by a great renewal of cooperation and communication between Men, Elves, and Dwarves, fostered by his vigorous rebuilding campaign following the war. Aragorn led the forces of the Reunited Kingdom on military campaigns against some Easterlings and Haradrim, re-establishing rule over much territory that Gondor had lost in previous centuries. He died at the age of 210, after 122 years as king. He was succeeded on the throne by his son, Eldarion. Arwen, gravely saddened by the loss of her husband, gave up her now mortal life shortly afterwards. Arwen and Aragorn also had at least two unnamed daughters.

In August 2007, ''[[Us Weekly]]'' reported that Ledger and Williams ended their relationship because of their busy schedule. Neither Ledger nor Williams has confirmed the rumor at the time of this writing.<ref>[http://www.starmuscle.com/2007/09/01/heath-ledger-michelle-williams-break-up/ Heath Ledger Michelle Williams Break Up]</ref> On [[September 4]], [[2007]], Williams' father, Larry, confirmed to <i>Sydney Daily Telegraph</i> that Ledger & Williams have indeed split.<ref>[http://www.hollywood.com/news/Williams_Father_Confirms_Ledger_Split/4753467
''Williams Father Confirms Ledger Split'']</ref>

==Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="4"| Films
|-
! Year || Title || Role || Other notes
|-
| [[1992 in film|1992]] || ''[[Clowning Around]]'' || ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[1997 in film|1997]] || ''[[Paws (film)|Paws]]'' || Oberon ||
|-
| ''[[Blackrock (film)|Blackrock]]'' || Toby ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[1999 in film|1999]] || ''[[10 Things I Hate about You]]'' || Patrick Verona ||
|-
| ''[[Two Hands (1999 film)|Two Hands]]'' || Jimmy || [[Australian Film Institute Awards|AFI Award nominee]] (Best Actor in a Leading Role)
|-
| [[2000 in film|2000]] || ''[[The Patriot (2000 film)|The Patriot]]'' || Gabriel Martin ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[2001 in film|2001]] || ''[[Monster's Ball]]'' || Sonny Grotowski ||
|-
| ''[[A Knight's Tale (film)|A Knight's Tale]]'' || Sir William Thatcher/Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein of Gelderland ||
|-
| [[2002 in film|2002]] || ''[[The Four Feathers (2002 film)|The Four Feathers]]'' || Harry Faversham ||
|-bang me dude
| rowspan="2" | [[2003 in film|2003]] || ''[[The Order (2003 film)|The Order]]'' || Alex Bernier ||
|-
| ''[[Ned Kelly (2003 film)|Ned Kelly]]'' || [[Ned Kelly]] || [[Australian Film Institute Awards|AFI Award nominee]] (Best Actor in a Leading Role)
|-
| rowspan="4" | [[2005 in film|2005]] || ''[[Casanova (film)|Casanova]]'' || [[Giacomo Casanova]] ||
|-
| ''[[Brokeback Mountain]]'' || [[Ennis del Mar]] || [[78th Academy Awards nominees|Academy Award nominee]] (Best Lead Actor)<br>[[63rd Golden Globe Awards nominees|Golden Globe nominee]] (Best Lead Actor - Drama)<br>[[BAFTA Award|BAFTA Award nominee]] (Best Lead Actor)<br> [[Screen Actors Guild|SAG nominee]] (Best Lead Actor, Best Ensemble Cast) AFI Award (Best Lead Actor)
|-
| ''[[The Brothers Grimm]]'' || [[Jacob Grimm]] ||
|-
| ''[[Lords of Dogtown]]'' || Skip Engblom ||
|-
| [[2006 in film|2006]] || ''[[Candy (2006 film)|Candy]]'' || Dan ||
|-
| [[2007 in film|2007]] || ''[[I'm Not There]]'' || [[Bob Dylan]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[2008 in film|2008]] || ''[[The Dark Knight (film)|The Dark Knight]]'' || [[The Joker (comics)|The Joker]] || post-production
|-
| Tree of Life || || pre-production
|-
| [[2009 in film|2009]] || [[The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus]] || || filming
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="4"|Television
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[1997 in television|1997]] || ''[[Home and Away]]'' || Scott Irwin
|-
| ''[[Roar (TV series)|Roar]]'' || Conor
|-
| [[1996 in television|1996]] || ''[[Sweat (TV series)|Sweat]]'' || Snowy Bowles
|}

==References==

[http://www.heathledger.net/_main/content/view/13/28/ '''Heath Ledger Biography @ heathledger.net''']


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

Revision as of 01:01, 20 December 2007

Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Born
Heathcliff Andrew Ledger
Other namesHeath Ledger
PartnerMichelle Williams (2005-07)
AwardsNYFCC Award For Best Actor
2005 Brokeback Mountain

Heath Andrew Ledger (born April 4, 1979) is an Academy Award-nominated Australian actor.

Early life and family

Ledger was born in Perth, Western Australia, the son of Sally Ledger Bell (née Ramshaw),[1] a French teacher, and Kim Ledger, a race car driver and mining engineer.[2] Ledger's mother is descended from the Clan Campbell of Scotland and his father comes from a family well-known in Perth, as the Sir Frank Ledger Charitable Trust was named after his great-grandfather.[3] Ledger attended Marys Mount Primary School, in Gooseberry Hill, and later Guildford Grammar School and its preparatory school of the same name.

Career

Early career

At 16, Ledger sat for early graduation exams, and left school to pursue an acting career [4] with girlfriend Jenna Sorrell. With his best friend, Trevor DiCarlo, Ledger made the cross-country drive to Sydney. He returned to Perth for the TV series Sweat (1996), in which he played a gay cyclist. He then starred in the American television series Roar.

Heath Ledger as Ennis del Mar

In 1996, prior to his film debut in the 1997 Australian movie Blackrock, Heath Ledger was involved in the short lived Fox Broadcasting Company fantasy-drama Roar. In 1999, Ledger starred in the teen comedy 10 Things I Hate about You and also had the lead role in the acclaimed Australian movie Two Hands, directed by Gregor Jordan.

2000-present

He has starred in The Patriot, Monster's Ball, A Knight's Tale, Ned Kelly, The Order, and The Brothers Grimm. In 2001, he won a ShoWest Award for the Male Star of Tomorrow based on his performance in The Patriot, and worldwide release of A Knight's Tale. In 2003, he was named one of Australian GQ's Men of the Year for acting.

In 2005, Ledger received a "Best Actor in a Drama" Golden Globe nomination for his acclaimed performance in Brokeback Mountain, in which he plays Wyoming ranch hand Ennis Del Mar, who has a love affair with aspiring rodeo rider Jack Twist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. In the New York Times review of the film, critic Stephen Holden wrote:

"Both Mr. Ledger and Mr. Gyllenhaal make this anguished love story physically palpable. Mr. Ledger magically and mysteriously disappears beneath the skin of his lean, sinewy character. It is a screen performance, as good as the best of Marlon Brando and Sean Penn."[5]

In another review in Rolling Stone, Peter Travers wrote:

"Ledger's magnificent performance is an acting miracle. He seems to tear it from his insides. Ledger doesn't just know how Ennis moves, speaks and listens; he knows how he breathes. To see him inhale the scent of a shirt hanging in Jack's closet is to take measure of the pain of love lost."[6]

Ledger received "Best Actor of 2005" awards for Brokeback Mountain from both the New York Film Critics Circle and the San Francisco Film Critics Circle. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance. In the same year, Ledger played a fictionalized version of Giacomo Casanova in Casanova. The film, a romantic comedy which co-starred Sienna Miller, drew mixed reviews from critics and failed to find a significant audience among general moviegoers, though it fared better on DVD.

In 2006, Ledger was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[7]

In Spring 2006, it was announced that Ledger would portray Bob Dylan in the film I'm Not There. Although not actually playing Dylan himself, Ledger along with several other actors will portray different sides of the singer.

On July 21, 2006, Ledger was officially confirmed to play iconic comic book villain The Joker in The Dark Knight, the sequel to the 2005 film Batman Begins, opposite fellow I'm Not There star Christian Bale. The film is due in 2008.[8]

In 2006, Ledger directed three music videos: "Cause an Effect" and "Seduction Is Evil (She's Hot)" for Australian hip-hop artist N'fa, as well as "Morning Yearning" for Ben Harper.

Music

Ledger started a record company with singer Ben Harper. His first step in the music business was directing Harper's video "Morning Yearning".

He has directed and produced Australian artist N'Fa's work, including his video "Seduction is Evil".

Public image

Press reception

Ledger has a turbulent relationship with paparazzi photographers. It is alleged that he spat at and assaulted a photographer in Sydney in 2004, while a relative also is alleged to have spat on a photographer in 2005. Ledger strongly denies the accusation.[9] On January 13, 2006, several photographers retaliated, squirting Ledger with water pistols as he walked the red carpet for the Sydney premiere of Brokeback Mountain.

Ledger has more recently been subject to criticism in the press following his performance on stage at the 2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards. Ledger was seen giggling when presenting Brokeback Mountain as a nominee for Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. The Los Angeles Times described his behaviour as "some kind of gay spoof."[9] Ledger later called the Times to explain that his actions were the result of stage fright, saying that he was only told he would be presenting the award minutes beforehand. "I am so sorry and I apologise for my nervousness," Ledger told the newspaper.[10]

Ledger also came under fire after he was quoted in January 2006 in Australia's Herald Sun as saying that West Virginia had banned Brokeback Mountain (which it had not). He also referred to the state as having had lynchings as recently as the 1980s. These statements have been roundly disputed by archivists and historians, who have found that the last extra-legal public hanging in West Virginia occurred in 1931.[11]

Personal life

Ledger had a relationship with Naomi Watts, whom he met in 2002 during the filming of Ned Kelly. They started dating in August 2002. The couple ended their relationship in April 2004. Previously, he had dated actresses Lisa Zane and Heather Graham.

Ledger was engaged to actress Michelle Williams, whom he met on the set of Brokeback Mountain.[12][13] They have a daughter, Matilda Rose, who was born on October 28, 2005. The child's godparents are Ledger's Brokeback costar Jake Gyllenhaal and Williams' Dawson's Creek castmate Busy Phillips.

Ledger and his family divided their time between Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and Sydney.[1]

Ledger sold his Australian residence in Bronte, New South Wales, for A$7 million.[14][15]

In August 2007, Us Weekly reported that Ledger and Williams ended their relationship because of their busy schedule. Neither Ledger nor Williams has confirmed the rumor at the time of this writing.[16] On September 4, 2007, Williams' father, Larry, confirmed to Sydney Daily Telegraph that Ledger & Williams have indeed split.[17]

Filmography

Films
Year Title Role Other notes
1992 Clowning Around
1997 Paws Oberon
Blackrock Toby
1999 10 Things I Hate about You Patrick Verona
Two Hands Jimmy AFI Award nominee (Best Actor in a Leading Role)
2000 The Patriot Gabriel Martin
2001 Monster's Ball Sonny Grotowski
A Knight's Tale Sir William Thatcher/Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein of Gelderland
2002 The Four Feathers Harry Faversham
2003 The Order Alex Bernier
Ned Kelly Ned Kelly AFI Award nominee (Best Actor in a Leading Role)
2005 Casanova Giacomo Casanova
Brokeback Mountain Ennis del Mar Academy Award nominee (Best Lead Actor)
Golden Globe nominee (Best Lead Actor - Drama)
BAFTA Award nominee (Best Lead Actor)
SAG nominee (Best Lead Actor, Best Ensemble Cast) AFI Award (Best Lead Actor)
The Brothers Grimm Jacob Grimm
Lords of Dogtown Skip Engblom
2006 Candy Dan
2007 I'm Not There Bob Dylan
2008 The Dark Knight The Joker post-production
Tree of Life pre-production
2009 The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus filming
Television
1997 Home and Away Scott Irwin
Roar Conor
1996 Sweat Snowy Bowles

References

Heath Ledger Biography @ heathledger.net

  1. ^ a b Heathbaby.com
  2. ^ Heath Ledger Biography (1979-)
  3. ^ HEATH LEDGER BIOGRAPHY
  4. ^ Transcript. Rolling Stone interview.| month=March| year=2006
  5. ^ Holden, Stephen (December 9, 2005). "Brokeback Mountain - Riding the High Country, Finding and Losing Love". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  6. ^ Travers, Peter (December 1, 2005). "Brokeback Mountain". Review. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  7. ^ "Academy Invites 120 to Membership". Press Release. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. July 5, 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  8. ^ "Heath Ledger? It's TRUE". NEWS ARCHIVES 47. BATMAN ON FILM. July 21, 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  9. ^ a b Snead, Elizabeth (February 3, 2006). "Heath explains his SAG giggles". Styles & Scenes. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  10. ^ "Ledger in damage control". The Age. February 12, 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ "When'd we stop stringing 'em up in West Virginia?". January 16, 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  12. ^ Kiki King, Eva Simpson & Caroline Hedley (March 3, 2006). "THE HEATH IS ON". The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2007-08-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Eva Simpson & Caroline Hedley (January 24, 2007). "MICHELLE MARRIES HEATH LEDGER". The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2007-08-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Ledger hopes for $3m profit on beach house". The Age. February 11, 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  15. ^ Saurine, Angela (15 April, 2006). "Why the rich are kings of the castle". The Daily Telegraph @ realestate.com.au. Retrieved 2007-08-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ Heath Ledger Michelle Williams Break Up
  17. ^ [http://www.hollywood.com/news/Williams_Father_Confirms_Ledger_Split/4753467 Williams Father Confirms Ledger Split]

External links


source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Heath_Ledger&diff=179083872&oldid=179083826

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