Heath Ledger was an Australian actor and music video director. His work comprised nineteen films, including 10 Things I Hate About You, The Patriot, Lords of Dogtown, A Knight’s Tale, Monster’s Ball, Brokeback Mountain, The Brothers Grimm, Casanova, The Dark Knight and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, the latter two being posthumous releases. He also produced and directed music videos and aspired to be a film director. His role as the Joker in The Dark Knight immortalized Ledger, earning stupendous praise and popularity from both fans and critics alike.
Ledger also received numerous posthumous accolades for his performance in The Dark Knight, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, a Best Actor International Award at the 2008 Australian Film Institute Awards, the 2008 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor, the 2009 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor- Motion Picture and the 2009 BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Birth Name
Heath Andrew Ledger
Nickname
Heathy
Profession
Actor, Director
Nationality
Australian
Personal Life
Birthday / Date of Birth
Heath Ledger was born on 4th of April 1979, in Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Died
On January 22, 2008, he was found dead in his apartment in the Manhattan neighborhood of SoHo in New York City, New York, United States. He died due to a cardiac arrest caused by the accidental overdose of prescription drugs that included pain-killers, sleeping pills, and anti-anxiety medication. His dead body was discovered by the housekeeper and masseuse therapist in his bedroom.
Sun Sign
Aries
Ethnicity
White
He was of English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh descent.
Religion
Christianity
Education
Heath Ledger attended Mary’s Mount Primary School in Gooseberry Hill and later Guildford Grammar School in Guildford, Perth where he had his first acting experiences, starring in a school production as Peter Pan at the age of 13.
Family Details
- Father – Kim Ledger
- Mother – Sally Bell née Ramshaw
- Siblings – Kate Ledger (Older Sister)
Marital Status
Single
Girlfriend / Spouse
Heath Ledger dated –
- Julia Stiles (1999-2000) – In 1999, Heath was rumored to be in a relationship with his American co-star, Julia Stiles, during the filming of the movie, 10 Things I Hate About You. They broke off in 2000.
- Christina Cauchi (2000-2002) – In 2000, Heath started dating model Christina Cauchi. Their relationship lasted for about 2 years.
- Heather Graham (2000-2001) – Heath was in a relationship with American actress Heather Graham from October 2000 to June 2001.
- Naomi Watts (2002-2004) – In August 2002, Heath began dating British actress Naomi Watts. They acted in the movie, Ned Kelly (2003), together. Naomi even encouraged Heath to take up the role of Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain (2005). However, they separated in May 2004.
- Michelle Williams (2004-2007) – In June 2004, Heath started a relationship with American actress Michelle Williams. They met while filming Brokeback Mountain(2005). On October 28, 2005, they were blessed with a daughter, Matilda Rose, who was born in New York City. However, in 2006, Heath’s drug abuse started to annoy Michelle. Eventually, Heath moved out of their apartment in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. Later, they separated amicably but their split was only confirmed in September 2007 by Michelle’s father.
- Helena Christensen (2007) – In 2007, it was claimed that Heath hooked up with Danish model Helena Christensen.
- Kate Hudson (2007) – In November 2007, Heath was reported to have had an encounter with American actress Kate Hudson. They had previously starred together in the movie, The Four Feathers.
- Lindsay Lohan (2007-2008) – Heath was rumored to be in a relationship with American actress Lindsay Lohan from November 2007 to January 2008. Reportedly, Lindsay broke down in the middle of a Los Angeles restaurant upon hearing about Heath’s death.
- Gemma Ward (2007-2008) – In November 2007, Heath was said to be in a relationship with model Gemma Ward. Heath, reportedly, spent Christmas with Gemma at their place in Perth. However, the relationship tragically ended with Heath’s death.
- Mary-Kate Olsen (2007-2008) – In late 2007, Heath was alleged to be casually dating American actress Mary-Kate Olsen. At the time of Heath’s death, the masseuse who found him unresponsive on his bed called Mary-Kate before calling the authorities.
Physical Statistics
Height
- In feet – 6 feet 1 inches
- In centimeters – 186 cm
- In meters – 1.86 m
Weight
- In Kilograms – 77 kg
- In Pounds – 170 lbs
Body Measurements
- Measurements – 44-17-36
- Chest – 44 Inches
- Arms / Biceps – 17 Inches
- Waist – 36 Inches
Body Build
Athletic
Eye Color
Hazel
Hair Color
Light Brown
Sexuality
Straight
Professional Statistics
Famous For
The role which made Ledger immortal was his portrayal of the Joker in the 2008 flick The Dark Knight. The movie went on to become a top-grosser worldwide and this actor was even honoured with the prestigious Academy award.
Film Debut
In 1992, Heath Ledger made his feature film debut in the drama film, Clowning Around, as an orphan clown. However, his role went uncredited. In 1997, he made his credited theatrical film debut as Toby in the thriller drama film, Blackrock.
Television Debut
In 1993, he made his first television show appearance in the comedy series Ship to Shore as the cyclist.
Brand Endorsements
He had not endorsed any brand during his lifetime.
Heath Ledger Favorites
- Favorite Actors – Gene Kelly, Bob Fosse, Jack Nicholson, Mel Gibson
- Favorite Actress – Judy Garland, Katharine Hepburn, Meryl Streep
- Favorite Director – Stanley Kubrick, Marcel Cann, Terrence Malick
- Favorite Role in his Career – The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008)
- Favorite Australian Bands – Spiderbait, Powderfinger, Silverchair
Heath Ledger Net worth
Heath Ledger estimated net worth of $16 million dollars as of 2020.
Social Media Profiles
Heath Ledger was not on social media.
Some Lesser Known Facts About Heath Ledger
- His parents separated when he was 10 and divorced when he was 11.
- He and his sister Kate were named after the characters of Emily Brontë’s novel, Wuthering Heights.
- When he was a child, he had a kangaroo for a pet.
- In 1990, He was a member of the Kalamunda Field Hockey team.
- At the age of 10, he gave his first performance in the play Peter Pan at a local theater company.
- In 2001, he appeared in People magazine’s list of 50 Most Beautiful People.
- He was selected for the State U17 field hockey squad but he opted out to pursue a career in acting.
- In November 2001, he judged the men’s fashion contest at the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
- Martin Henderson mentored him in the early days of his acting career.
- Heath became the first non-American actor to play the role of The Joker.
- In 2007, Empire magazine named him as one of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the world.
- He had been featured on the covers of numerous magazines like Vanity Fair, People, Rolling Stone, Entertainment, Empire, GQ, Who and Movieline.
- In 2008, the annual Heath Ledger Scholarship was established by the Australians in Film.
- Heath had stated that the most challenging aspect of performing the role of The Joker was getting the perfect voice and laughter.
- His role in the movie Candy won him a Film Critics Circle of Australia Award in the Best Actor category.
- Heath was honoured with the New York Film Circle Award in the Best Actor category for his role in the flick Brokeback Mountain.
- He was even nominated for the prestigious Academy Award For the Best Actor as well as BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar in the same film.
