Heath Ledger's family speaks
Parents Kim and Sally and sister Kate face the Australian press...
Australian actress Naomi Watts, who dated Ledger between 2002 and 2004, was reported to have collapsed in tears when she learned of his death at the Sundance Film Festival.
Film industry mourns
Producer Emile Sherman, who worked with Ledger on the Australian film Candy, said the actor had a "sensitive, artistic soul".
"I received calls and e-mail and texts from a large number of people and that’s how I found out. The word got around very quickly," Mr Sherman said.
"I was in disbelief. I haven't spoken to Heath for a while, but we were planning on catching up via e-mail soon.
"For someone of his age to die is a huge tragedy, it's a huge tragedy for the Australian Film Industry and the International Film Industry."
Mr. Sherman denied that Ledger was difficult to work with, saying he was often misunderstood.
Actress and fellow Australian Nicole Kidman called Ledger's death "a terrible tragedy". "My heart goes out to his family," Kidman said.
Wendy Day, publicist for Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe, was apparently unaware of Ledger's death when contacted by ninemsn.
"It's news to me. I guess I should find out about it," Ms Day said.
"It's very sad news. Oh my God, that's very sad."
Ledger's former school principal, Robert Zordan, described Ledger as a "humble and loyal friend" to his schoolmates.
"One of the great things about him as a person, was that with all the stardom and with all the lights that were focused on him, it was with a degree of humility and loyalty that he remained very, very closely in touch with many of his peers from his particular year group," Mr Zordan told ABC radio.
"I know for example that when his friends from school days were in New York he would be a very, very generous and loyal host, often putting them up in his own home.
Recent interviews
In an interview with the New York Times two months ago, Ledger admitted to "stressing out a little too much" on the set of The Dark Knight.
The actor told the paper he was sleeping an average of two hours a night and took the drug Ambien to help him fall asleep.
He said in another recent interview that he felt "good about dying".
While promoting his latest film I'm Not There, Ledger became extremely serious when asked about his two-year-old daughter, Matilda.
"You also look at death differently," a pensive Ledger told WJW FOX in Cleveland.
"It's like a catch-22.
"I feel good about dying now because I feel I'm alive in her.
"But at the same hand, you don't want to die because you want to be around for the rest of her life."
Ledger split last year from his fiancee Michelle Williams, Matilda's mother.
He dropped out of school at 16 and moved from Perth to Sydney and then to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career.
Ledger received an Academy Award nomination for his role in Brokeback Mountain. He stars as the Joker in the upcoming Batman movie, The Dark Knight.
He had recently been romantically linked to Australian model Gemma Ward.
Parents Kim and Sally and sister Kate face the Australian press...
Australian actress Naomi Watts, who dated Ledger between 2002 and 2004, was reported to have collapsed in tears when she learned of his death at the Sundance Film Festival.
Film industry mourns
Producer Emile Sherman, who worked with Ledger on the Australian film Candy, said the actor had a "sensitive, artistic soul".
"I received calls and e-mail and texts from a large number of people and that’s how I found out. The word got around very quickly," Mr Sherman said.
"I was in disbelief. I haven't spoken to Heath for a while, but we were planning on catching up via e-mail soon.
"For someone of his age to die is a huge tragedy, it's a huge tragedy for the Australian Film Industry and the International Film Industry."
Mr. Sherman denied that Ledger was difficult to work with, saying he was often misunderstood.
Actress and fellow Australian Nicole Kidman called Ledger's death "a terrible tragedy". "My heart goes out to his family," Kidman said.
Wendy Day, publicist for Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe, was apparently unaware of Ledger's death when contacted by ninemsn.
"It's news to me. I guess I should find out about it," Ms Day said.
"It's very sad news. Oh my God, that's very sad."
Ledger's former school principal, Robert Zordan, described Ledger as a "humble and loyal friend" to his schoolmates.
"One of the great things about him as a person, was that with all the stardom and with all the lights that were focused on him, it was with a degree of humility and loyalty that he remained very, very closely in touch with many of his peers from his particular year group," Mr Zordan told ABC radio.
"I know for example that when his friends from school days were in New York he would be a very, very generous and loyal host, often putting them up in his own home.
Recent interviews
In an interview with the New York Times two months ago, Ledger admitted to "stressing out a little too much" on the set of The Dark Knight.
The actor told the paper he was sleeping an average of two hours a night and took the drug Ambien to help him fall asleep.
He said in another recent interview that he felt "good about dying".
While promoting his latest film I'm Not There, Ledger became extremely serious when asked about his two-year-old daughter, Matilda.
"You also look at death differently," a pensive Ledger told WJW FOX in Cleveland.
"It's like a catch-22.
"I feel good about dying now because I feel I'm alive in her.
"But at the same hand, you don't want to die because you want to be around for the rest of her life."
Ledger split last year from his fiancee Michelle Williams, Matilda's mother.
He dropped out of school at 16 and moved from Perth to Sydney and then to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career.
Ledger received an Academy Award nomination for his role in Brokeback Mountain. He stars as the Joker in the upcoming Batman movie, The Dark Knight.
He had recently been romantically linked to Australian model Gemma Ward.
