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Heath Ledger found dead in an NYC apartment

BY ZACHARY R. DOWDY AND ROCCO PARASCANDOLA | zachary.dowdy@newsday.com
rocco.parascandola@newsday.com

8:34 PM EST, January 22, 2008

Heath Ledger was found dead in a Manhattan apartment amid sleeping pills, the NYPD said. (AP Photo)

Academy Award-nominated actor Heath Ledger, whose performance as the brooding Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain" catapulted him into the rarefied realm of A-list celebrities, was found dead near his bed in his Manhattan apartment Tuesday afternoon, sleeping pills by his side, New York City police said.

Ledger, the father of a young girl and a performer with an impressive filmography, and who was due to appear in two upcoming films, was 28.

Until recently, Ledger, a native of Perth, Australia, lived in the Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn with his partner and "Brokeback Mountain" co-star, Michelle Williams, and their daughter, Matilda Rose.

The cause of death was not immediately known. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.

Police said Ledger's body was found at about 3:30 p.m. after a masseuse arrived at the apartment on Broome Street in SoHo.

A housekeeper who had let the masseuse into the home believed Ledger was asleep, police said. But when the housekeeper and masseuse entered the bedroom, they found Ledger was unresponsive, and one of them dialed 911, police said.

Word of Ledger's death traveled quickly on the streets of the city as a crowd of about 150 paparazzi and gawkers began gathering outside the upscale building. Police used barricades to block the door.

Fans sighed and snapped pictures with camera phones of the actor's body as officials rolled it out at about 6:30 p.m. in a black bag on a gurney.

"He was a very strong actor, a lot of feeling and rawness, very real," said Rocky Berg, 38, of northern New Jersey. "He put emotion into his acting."

"I don't know what to think," said Liz Money, 26, a tourist from South Bend, Ind. "He is one of my favorite actors."

Ledger's agent, Steve Alexander, and publicist, Mara Buxbaum, could not be reached for comment.

Tamba Mossa, 32, the superintendent of the building, said Ledger had been living there for four or five months.

Ledger was nominated for a best actor Oscar for "Brokeback Mountain," a 2005 film about two cowboys who fall in love.

His love interest in the film was played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who was nominated for a supporting Oscar.

Ledger met Williams, who was also nominated for an Oscar for her role in the film, on the set.

The couple split up last year, she staying in their Brooklyn home and he moving to SoHo.

Ledger's roles also include the suicidal son of Billy Bob Thornton in "Monster's Ball," and he had starring roles in "A Knight's Tale" and "The Patriot."

He was to appear as The Joker this year in "The Dark Knight," a sequel to 2005's "Batman Begins," which recently finished filming, and in the Terry Gilliam film, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," scheduled for release next year.

When at home, Ledger used to shop at a neighborhood home store and children's store owned by a company called Calypso. Michelle Vella, a buyer there, said she had frequently seen Ledger with his daughter, Matilda Rose, carrying the toddler on his shoulders or having ice cream with her.

"It's so sad. They were really close," Vella said. "He's a very down-to-earth guy and an amazing father."

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 took off soon after that, culminating with his Academy Award nomination for "Brokeback Mountain."

"It's sad," said Tissia Rosa, 19, a sophomore at nearby New York University who was drawn to the commotion outside Ledger's apartment. "He seemed like he had it together."

Jessica Farr, 19, said, "I'll remember him as a great, talented young actor -- someone with great promise who just happened to have a tragic ending."

Adam Pincus and Marlene Naanes contributed to this story, which was supplemented with wire service reports.