Aussie stars devastated by Ledger’s death
Australia’s entertainment community is reeling from the news of
the death of Heath Ledger at 28.
Geoffrey Rush, who starred with Ledger in the Australian film
Candy, said the actor’s death was a tragedy.
”This is such a sad event. I admired Heath enormously,” Rush
said in a statement this afternoon.
”He was such a sensitive and committed and daring actor. This
is truly a tragedy. I send my condolences to his family and
friends and colleagues.”
Blanchett ’shocked, saddened’
Cate Blanchett, who along with Ledger played Bob Dylan in the
biopic I’m Not There, said in a statement released by her
agent that she was “shocked and very saddened by the news.
“I deeply respect Heath’s work and always admired his continuing
development as an artist.
“My thoughts are with his family and close friends.”
Blanchett, who was nominated for two Academy Awards overnight
including for her portrayal of Dylan, was not commenting on the
nominations, her agent said.
‘Incredible shock’: Edgerton
Joel Edgerton, who co-starred
with Ledger in Ned Kelly said it was a
‘’sad day” and an ”incredible shock”.
”Heath was an exceptional human being with a massive heart -
always generous, adventurous and impressive,” Edgerton said
in a statement this afternoon.
”I always believed, as a young man, he was wise well beyond his
years. And as far as his work goes, I know I’m not alone in
thinking he was just getting started to realise an incredible
potential. My heart goes out to those who knew him best.”
Rose Byrne, a Hollywood contemporary of Ledger’s said she would
“never forget his spirit”.
“Heath was an enigmatic, wonderful and endlessly generous friend
and colleague,” she said.
“His passing is deeply tragic and my thoughts and love go out to
his friends and family in Perth and in New York.”
‘Kind and sensitive man’
Fellow actor Noni Hazlehurst described Ledger as “one of the
finest actors of his generation”.
In a statement issued through her agent, Hazlehurst said
the “remarkable characters he has left us in his extraordinarily
wide-ranging body of work will remain as a testament to his
talent.”
She said Ledger was “an artist, a kind and sensitive man, who
simply wanted to do good work of which he could be proud”.
He was respected and admired for his determination to be the
best actor he could rather than chasing celebrity, she said.
“He was uncomfortable with celebrity, which made him a target
for fools, preferring to focus on being the best actor he could
be.
“For that, he will always have the respect and admiration of
those who knew, understood and admired him.
“His early death is a terrible loss for all of us, but most
particularly for his family, and his adored daughter,
Matilda.”
Director John Polson was “incredibly shocked and saddened by the
news”, his statement said.
“Nothing can soften the blow from this kind of tragedy,
especially with someone so young.
“I have met Heath many times over the past decade and was always
struck by how warm, gentle and decent-hearted he was.
“I know people will remember him with great respect and my
thoughts are with his family.”
Sydney hip-hop artist N’fa, a close friend of Ledger’s, was too
devastated by the news to take calls or comment.
Ledger had been an active supporter of N’fa’s music and in 2006
directed a music video for N’fa’s band 1200 Techniques.
N’fa - who has appeared as a genie in a television
advertisement for Tim Tams - was ‘’simply too devastated to
comment right now”, a spokeswoman for his record label Rubber
Records told The Age.
“He’s deeply saddened by (Ledger’s) death and understandably
he’s too upset to take any calls or make any comments.”
Kidman laments ‘tragedy’
Nicole Kidman says her heart goes out to Heath Ledger’s family
after the Australian actor was found dead in New York this
morning.
”What a terrible tragedy,” Kidman said through her publicist
Wendy Day. ”My heart goes out to Heath’s family.”
One of Kidman’s closest friends is Australian actress Naomi Watts,
who dated Ledger for two years from 2002.
Mel Gibson has told of his grief at learning of fellow
Australian actor Heath Ledger’s death in New York.
”I had such great hope for him,” Gibson told the
Entertainment Tonight website.
”He was just taking off and to lose his life at such a young
age is a tragic loss. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his
family.”
Pomeranz mourns ‘beautiful soul’
Film critic Margaret Pomeranz said she was shocked by the news
of the 28-year-old actor’s death.
“I am so upset, I just can’t tell you,” Pomeranz told ABC
radio.
“I mean he is such a talented boy and really, I think a
beautiful soul.
“And I think to choose the roles he chose shows such
intelligence.”
Australian director Neil Armfield, who directed Ledger in
Candy, said he was ”incredibly saddened” by the young
actor’s death.
”He made a decision about four years ago to stop being led by
producers and managers and to forge his own way,” Armfield told
ABC radio.
”He was so successful at breaking out of the teen idol
image.”
Politician pays tribute
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett joined Mr Rudd
in paying tribute to an actor he described as an ”instinctive and
powerful presence”.
Speaking in Parliament House this afternoon, Mr Garrett
said it was ”a terribly sad day for Australians - our hearts
are really strongly out there with his family and friends and
fans”.
Mr Garrett described Ledger as a ”a great actor, a
young talent” who ”took the difficult roles”.
”Australia’s lost a talent, a bloke that achieved a lot in a
short time and had so much more to give,” he said.
with AAP
Tags: actress, australians, cate, cate blanchett, director john, hollywood, nicole kidman, perth, spokeswoman, target, ups