Heath Ledger dies, respect will remain
"I feel good about dying," said Heath Ledger in a recent interview, "because I feel alive through her." The "her" refers to his 2-year-old daughter Matilda Rose. The dying, sorrowfully for her - and, to a lesser but still mournful, degree, the rest of us - ocurred two days ago in a Manhattan apartment, where 28-year old Ledger was discovered unconscious. Initially purported to be an Olsen twin's abode, Mary-Kate's reps quickly refuted the claim, and the police (and the New York Times) also clarified that there was no connection. The Times reports his body was found naked, mid-afternoon, by a masseuse. Both prescription and non-prescription sleeping medications were nearby, and he was pronounced dead when authorities arrived. Evidence points to suicide or accidental overdose, although, as of Wednesday morning, Ledger's autopsy results were said to be inconclusive.
But the facts, such as they are, amount to little more than an unfortunate bookend; an abrupt end to a life that, even by Hollywood standards, was an unusual specimen. He was the rare leading male who confounded typecasting and beat expectation. Immediately distancing himself from his breakthrough persona in 1999 - an Australian heartthrob - Ledger would embody a range of dynamic characters, including an Oscar-nominated gay cowboy. And while he never pandered to the masses, the critics, or the industry establishment, they all loved him anyway. Comparisons to cinema greats abound, but perhaps no role gained him more media frenzy than what will become his final appearance: The Joker, opposite Christian Bale's Batman, in the upcoming The Dark Knight. It would have been a notch in a young man's career that could already be heralded for its respectability, not just popularity. In recent years, his choices grew more substantial, his performances deeper, and the acclaim greater. And with the exception of a public split with the mother of his now-fatherless child, Michelle Williams, Ledger avoided the American public's obsession with fame and fortune, preferring that his talent - not trashy tabloid writers - speak for him.
Oscar nods: Will the WGA stop shaking its head?
Despite an uncertain outlook for the industry, we find ourselves with the 80th list of Academy Awards nominations. Dominated by darker fare, Juno is the lone light note on a Best Picture menu, offering little surprise, but plenty of blood: Atonement, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men, and There Will Be Blood. As expected, Leading and Supporting Acting nods go out to Daniel Day-Lewis and Javier Bardem, respectively, with their films - Blood and No Country - tying for eight nominations each. Atonement and Michael Clayton also tie at seven nods, with Ratatouille bringing up the rear of the most nominated, at five. The biggest surprise, of course, will be what happens with the ceremony itself - how will the Writers Guild of America strike affect the Feb. 24 telecast? Leading with "Chances for picket-free show increasing," Variety reports that the WGA reconvened negotiations with industry producers Tuesday. But Variety also quotes a WGA president saying that same day, "Awards are nice," referring to a possible Oscars boycott, "but we'd rather the writers get a fair contract."
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