Heath Ledger Updates

Collective shock from all around, obviously, in the wake of Heath Ledger's death earlier today. Tons of updates and not a lot of real information, not that it would make a spit of difference.

• Heath died in Mary Kate Olsen's building! No, in her apartment! No, actually, he didn't. No truth to any of these rumors, which...dude. Who reacts to news of a celebrity's death by thinking, "I'ma gonna call up a gossip blog and involve an Olsen twin! Whee!"
• While there were definitely pills found at the scene, reports vary between "a bottle of prescription pills on the nightstand" to "prescription and non-prescription pills in the room" and "OMG pills pills and more pills everywhere!!1!" Police are saying his death appears to be either suicide or an accidental overdose, though, either of which would involve a lot of pills. The likely candidates appear to be sleeping pills and anti-anxiety meds. Both of which are tough to OD on by themselves, but combined (and with some OTC crap mixed in) it gets much easier.
  
• The pap scene outside the apartment is INSANE, with those horrible videos of the black body bag on the stretcher already all over the Web. Even worse, Heath's PARENTS are said to be especially devastated because they learned of their son's death from the media.
• TMZ is reporting that Heath was ill with pneumonia this week, although apparently not too ill to shoot scenes for Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus over the weekend. The upcoming Batman movie, The Dark Knight, which Heath was getting RAVES already for his take on The Joker, already completed. I was really excited to see it. Now...man. It's just not going to be the same.
• Yes, he was found nude. Shades of Marilyn and every other troubled (and 28-year-old) star ever.
• That poor, poor little baby girl. She's exactly one month younger than Noah, and the thought of him without a daddy is just freaking unfathomable.
• Michelle Williams is, naturally, devastated. Word is she's on a plane to NY right now.
• Oh, and now the story is back to a singular bottle of pills on the nightstand. And the Olsen connection probably came from the fact that Ashley's bodyguard was called by the masseuse -- they're friends, the bodyguard is an EMT and was just around the corner. Cops were already there by the time he arrived.
  
  Newsworthy updates will be posted as they develop...

Comments

[sweetney]

thanks so much for all this, amy... good to have all the updates in one (concise) place.

[Missie]

My first thought when I heard about his death was, "That poor baby girl." She never gets to personally know what kind of man her father was. Now she will only have him through pictures.

Excuse me while I go watch my 2 year old daughter crawl all over her daddy and be thankful that we have another day together.

[Marilyn]

Thanks, Amy. This is just continuing to boggle my mind. I keep hoping it's not true. This is a real tragedy and a real loss. :(

[ivymae]

I just wrote a post about how the first thing I thought of was Matilda, and about how it makes my guts roll when I look at my own daughters, and how easy it is to lose what is most vital to us.

*Sigh*

[Kate]

Count me as another one who thought of his baby before anything else. My friend talked about his great talent, but all I can think about is his poor little baby girl.

[T.]

This is so very sad and I am sick at the thought of how the paparazzi will torment and harass his little girl and family from this point on. "Is Michelle sad enough!" "Who is she dating only 2 weeks after Heath's death!" I would hope they have some respect, but somehow I doubt it.

[Amy]

This has me so so sad. I really love his work, he was brilliant in Brokeback. I too thought of Matilda and Michelle. I had so hoped that they would work things out...they always seemed so good together (to the point where, yea, I was jealous). And this just seems so out of the blue...

I will keep them all in my prayers.

[Sils]

I know of 3 people in/just out of the hospital with pnuemonia right now, all smokers (which he was), all three on oxygen. It's possible that this was an illness related death, and as morbid as it is I hope that's the case. It would be dreadful to have another actor gone from drugs.

[Liana]

SO so sad. I found out last night and just - couldn't believe it. He's just a year older than I (if that!). Why....? :( Though, like Sils, I do hope it was illness related rather than suicide or accidental overdose- although the result is still the same- a wonderful, young actor, gone from our stage. I just can't believe it.

[Miss Britt]

I was surprised how much this news hit me, how haunted I've been by it since.

It's just... so... incredibly... sad.