OT: Heath Ledger found dead in his apartment [Merged]

[Gerhalt11]

Either way, this is tragic, but it's believed it may have been accidental. As was mentioned earlier, he'd been having trouble sleeping due to the demands of the Joker character, but to think he was just trying to get some sleep, took some sleeping pills and ends up dead...God.

[AdamTheGreek]

I think it's suicide, though he did attend a drug rehab clinic. He split up from the mother of his child.

[Gerhalt11]

I think it's suicide, though he did attend a drug rehab clinic. He split up from the mother of his child.

I hadn't heard about the rehab clinic. Do you have a link on that?

[El_Magico]

This is really **** up!! I just found out he was the Joker in the new Batman movie literally hours ago when I saw the trailer for The Dark Knight on YouTube. I got really amped that he's gonna be the next Joker because I really respect him as an actor. Only to find out a couple of hours later that he just died. This is surreal for me...I'm not afraid to admit that I enjoyed his role in Brokeback and 10 Things..

Just a sad day, may you rest in peace Heath!!

[y 2 a B]

Tragic news.

RIP.

[Max Power]

I think it's suicide, though he did attend a drug rehab clinic. He split up from the mother of his child.

I have trouble with that theory Adam. For one the cops at this point don't beleive it was suicide, at least they haven't found evidence to the contrary. I hope your wrong on that, he had so much good ahead of him, especially his daughter and The Dark Knight coming out. But I guess you never truly know whats in someones head. As for the thought he may have had sleeping problems due to the Joker character, I don't buy it. I saaw video of him saying he had the most fun in his career playing him.

[maginno]

Yeah the suicide thing doesn't ring but to be honest that would be less tragic. IF he just took some pills to sleep that interacted with his pneumonia medicine or condition its such an awful situation. Didn't intend to go but just like that - No do overs.

[AdamTheGreek]

Well he had prescription sleeping pills for one reason or another.

[mattyBoi]

U guys are missing the point of what im saying.

The joker character connected him to future generations.

What is legendary status? Being talked about over time and being remembered for greatness.

Someone like my brother would not remember Jack or at least wouldnt view him the same way if not for batman.

People will talk about him for years because they know batman.

I think some older guys are kidding themselves if they think Jack Nicholson would be known 20 years from now if not for batman. He may have been a great actor of your time, but time goes on and nobody remembers those roles. Batman sticks.

The BEST batman movie ever and the craziest character ever. Joker made him a legend.

The other stuff made him a good actor.

Although the shining is very memorable also, but not on the same level.

[mhectorgato]

U guys are missing the point of what im saying.

The joker character connected him to future generations.

What is legendary status? Being talked about over time and being remembered for greatness.

Someone like my brother would not remember Jack or at least wouldnt view him the same way if not for batman.

People will talk about him for years because they know batman.

I think some older guys are kidding themselves if they think Jack Nicholson would be known 20 years from now if not for batman. He may have been a great actor of your time, but time goes on and nobody remembers those roles. Batman sticks.

The BEST batman movie ever and the craziest character ever. Joker made him a legend.

The other stuff made him a good actor.

Although the shining is very memorable also, but not on the same level.

No, the other stuff won him Oscars.

Who's got the #1 movie this past weekend, which targeted non-17 year olds?

What about A Few Good Men? He won an Oscar for that after BM.

[MagicMadness]

Just as an example of how important of an actor Nicholson is, was, and always will be, here's an excerpt from his Wikipedia page:

John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937), known as Jack Nicholson, is a three time Academy Award-winning American actor internationally renowned for his often dark-themed portrayals of neurotic characters.

Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award 12 times and has won three times (twice for Best Actor and once as Best Supporting Actor). He is tied with Walter Brennan for most acting wins by a male actor (three), and second to Katharine Hepburn for most acting wins overall (four). He is also one of only two actors nominated for an Academy Award for acting (either lead or supporting) in every decade since the 1960s; the other is Michael Caine. He has won seven Golden Globe Awards, and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2001. In 1994, he became one of the youngest actors to be awarded the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the films Chinatown, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, As Good as It Gets, Tim Burton's Batman, Rob Reiner's A Few Good Men and Martin Scorsese's The Departed.

There's even a segment on the page titled "An American icon". No offense mattyBoi, because I kind of see what you're trying to say, but people will always remember Jack Nicholson as one of the most popular screen actors of the 20th century. Kids might not remember him as being one, but once those kids get older, they'll know who he is - and not only because of his role in Batman (which is my favorite movie by the way).

[Gerhalt11]

This is sort of off-topic, but I'll bite.

Matty, sorry to burst your bubble, but Jack Nicholson will be remembered 20 years from now, and it will have nothing to do with his role in Batman. And while I'm sure your 17-year-old brother is very astute in his knowledge of cinema, anyone who thinks that Nicholson's title character was the Joker has no idea what they're talking about.

I personally think his best role was in The Shining. Others will say One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Those two movies more than any other will secure his spot in the halls of American cinema history.

[Gerhalt11]

What about A Few Good Men? He won an Oscar for that after BM.

He was nominated that year, but he didn't win it. Gene Hackman did for Unforgiven.

"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!"

[Max Power]

-= original quote snipped =-



He was nominated that year, but he didn't win it. Gene Hackman did for Unforgiven.

"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!"

Gotta agree with you Gerhart on Jack Nicholson. He was a legendary figure, and acadamy award winner BEFORE Batman. 20 years from now people will only remember the original Batman because Jack was in it. Jack Nicholson will go down with James Dean, John Wayne, James Stewart and all the greats. He'll be remembered 100 years from now.

[mhectorgato]

-= original quote snipped =-



Gotta agree with you Gerhart on Jack Nicholson. He was a legendary figure, and acadamy award winner BEFORE Batman. 20 years from now people will only remember the original Batman because Jack was in it. Jack Nicholson will go down with James Dean, John Wayne, James Stewart and all the greats. He'll be remembered 100 years from now.

I'm not that old ... but when I think of Jack I think of "Here's Johnny" (before Batman) or I think of "You can't handle the truth" (after) and not the Joker.

And of I course I think of him sitting on floor for the Lakers' games.

[Max Power]

There's no question that the Joker was one of the more memorable roles Nicholson has had, but Mhec, yeah his body of work also includes classics like the aforementioned The Shining, and Easy Rider.

[happypedro12]

RIP to Heath Ledger, very sad. As far as who will be remembered as the Joker, we'll just have to see. This whole thing might end up serving as a matyrdom for Ledger, his final great film. They say him reading the comics for Joker really got him depressed, and I wouldn't blame him. In that comic "the killing joke", Joker shoots commissioner Gordon's daughter and then rapes her, and THEN makes Gordon watch it all in some crazy fun house. Thats some messed up stuff if u ask me, definitely not for the tweener crowd.











this is really off topic BTW, but I finally saw Sin City last night and omg, what a great film. anyone know the name of the P.O. officer to mickey rourke?? She's in the apt naked with a thong........ almost better than Jessica Alba's part, almost

[Bensational]

just to bring the topic back on track a little.....


as an aussie, this is pretty crushing. Heath's a bit of an icon for us. he's young, good looking, talented. he'd done a bit of everything from light hearted comedy to gritty indie films. he was one to give it all a go.

i would never have said i was his biggest fan, but when i heard he'd died i realised that i've seen nearly every one of his films, always found him entertaining and was lookin forward to the rest of his career. it really knocked me for six.

i'm not going to label him selfish for anything he did that lead to his death. it's unfortunate, and his daughter won't have a dad now which is terribly sad, but the guy obviously had stuff goin on in his life which he couldn't get sorted. it's a shame.

however, i think his death at such a young age will really resonate with people in Oz, maybe even the world, and might even lock him in as one of those names and faces remember like River Phoenix, James Dean etc.

-- as for the Jack debate, there's no comparison. i didn't read the entire thread but i don't even see how the argument came up. and if it's all about the Batman role making actors who they are today, well, i do believe Brokeback Mountain will be what Ledger is remembered for before Batman. at least in the long term anyways.

[UCFJayBird]

I read about this right before leaving work yesterday, and I immediately had to call someone to talk about it cause it was such a shock to me. It's like when Farley died, just...mind blowing to see someone just reaching the peak of their career and than dying. And Ledger was truly on top of his game.

Ledger may or may not be remembered for the Joker, probably not. He will most likely be remembered more for Brokeback Mountain, The Patriot, and A Knights Tale. The Joker he doesn't even look like Heath really. It is going to be weird how it'll still come out (much the same way Farley had movies come out after he died).

As for the Nicholson debate, it's absurd to think he'll be remembered as the Joker. And I can attest to this because I saw him as the Joker long before I saw The Shining or A Few Good Men, but both of those movies will stick in my memory far more than Batman. "Here's Johnny!" is what I instantly think of when I think Nicholson. Kids will only remember Nicholson as the Joker if they never see his other movies, but even then they'll always hear references to his other roles in media and when they find out what it's from will instantly associate him with them instead. He has no real memorable lines from Batman, but the Shining has a ton, and "You can't handle the truth!" will be around for decades.

[Last Guardian]

Now they say he had a rolled up $20 bill next to him, could have been snorting something. I never knew he had a drug problem but apparently he did have some problems with heroin. Hate to say it but this makes it less shocking and less sad. You have a 2 year old daughter, you shouldn't be taking risks like that (if it is true).