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23-01-2008, 08:40pm
The sleeping pills Heath Ledger was reportedly taking have been embroiled in controversy in Australia, where hundreds have had bizarre and potentially dangerous reactions to the drug.
(Related article: Ledger's sleeping pill 'controversial')
Called Ambien in the US, the tablet is marketed as Stilnox in Australia.
It hit headlines last year when a national drug hotline fielded calls from users reporting strange side-effects.
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In an interview with the New York Times last November, Ledger said he'd been taking Ambien sleeping pills, which according to the newspaper, "failed to work".
"He took a second one and fell into a stupor, only to wake up an hour later, his mind still racing," the journalist reported.
According the New York Police Department, sleeping pills were found scattered around Ledger's dead body.
Ledger's family have expressed their grief at the "accidental" death of their son as they await an autopsy.
Ledger's father Kim, mother Sally and sister Kate described the late actor as "down-to-earth, generous, kindhearted [and] life-loving". (Watch the video)
"We, Heath's family, confirm the very tragic, untimely and accidental passing of our dearly loved son, brother and doting father of Matilda" Kim Ledger said, reading from a prepared statement.
"He was found peacefully asleep in his New York apartment by his housekeeper at ... 3.30pm, US time.
"Heath has touched so many people on so many different levels during his life, but few have had the pleasure of truly knowing him."
Tributes poured in for the West Australian, including a remarkable endorsement from one of his oldest co-stars.
Legendary Australian actor Charles 'Bud' Tingwell worked with Ledger on Ned Kelly and told A Current Affair's Leila McKinnon he had only happy memories of the experience.
"He was a marvellous example to all young actors out there," Tingwell said.
"You're never quite sure when you're an elderly actor who people are going to accept you but he was just marvellous."
Tingwell conceded Ledger "could be a bit rude" to the media but then related some remarkable praise he'd heard from another screen legend.
"He's got to be right up there … somebody told me that Michael Caine said one of his recent roles — I think it was as The Joker in Batman — was one of the greatest performances he's ever seen on screen," he said.
"That's not bad, is it?"
Ledger was sick with pneumonia when he died, according to reports.
The 28-year-old actor's body was found at the apartment Broome St, SoHo, by a housekeeper and a masseuse at 3.31pm local time (7.31am AEDT).
Ledger had been renting the fourth floor apartment for several months, neighbours told The New York Times.
His body was removed from the building on a stretcher in a black body bag, in front of 200 onlookers and more than 70 photographers and television cameramen.
The city's deputy commissioner, Paul Browne, said the pills were found on a table near Ledgerâ€s bed.
No illegal drugs were found in the apartment, but Mr Browne said officers who checked the bathroom found other prescription medications.
Earlier today, bottles of the anti-anxiety drugs Diazempam and Alprazolam were reported to have been found at the apartment.
Paramedics who attended the scene found the actor in full cardiac arrest, and unsuccessfully attempted to perform CPR. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The New York Times initially reported that the apartment belonged to actress Mary-Kate Olsen. But Olsen's representatives have since denied this.
According to celebrity website TMZ, Ledger's ex-fiancÃe Michelle Williams
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 thatâ€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 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 said on 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.
'Stressing out'
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," 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 with 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.
(Related article: Ledger's sleeping pill 'controversial')
Called Ambien in the US, the tablet is marketed as Stilnox in Australia.
It hit headlines last year when a national drug hotline fielded calls from users reporting strange side-effects.
advertisement
In an interview with the New York Times last November, Ledger said he'd been taking Ambien sleeping pills, which according to the newspaper, "failed to work".
"He took a second one and fell into a stupor, only to wake up an hour later, his mind still racing," the journalist reported.
According the New York Police Department, sleeping pills were found scattered around Ledger's dead body.
Ledger's family have expressed their grief at the "accidental" death of their son as they await an autopsy.
Ledger's father Kim, mother Sally and sister Kate described the late actor as "down-to-earth, generous, kindhearted [and] life-loving". (Watch the video)
"We, Heath's family, confirm the very tragic, untimely and accidental passing of our dearly loved son, brother and doting father of Matilda" Kim Ledger said, reading from a prepared statement.
"He was found peacefully asleep in his New York apartment by his housekeeper at ... 3.30pm, US time.
"Heath has touched so many people on so many different levels during his life, but few have had the pleasure of truly knowing him."
Tributes poured in for the West Australian, including a remarkable endorsement from one of his oldest co-stars.
Legendary Australian actor Charles 'Bud' Tingwell worked with Ledger on Ned Kelly and told A Current Affair's Leila McKinnon he had only happy memories of the experience.
"He was a marvellous example to all young actors out there," Tingwell said.
"You're never quite sure when you're an elderly actor who people are going to accept you but he was just marvellous."
Tingwell conceded Ledger "could be a bit rude" to the media but then related some remarkable praise he'd heard from another screen legend.
"He's got to be right up there … somebody told me that Michael Caine said one of his recent roles — I think it was as The Joker in Batman — was one of the greatest performances he's ever seen on screen," he said.
"That's not bad, is it?"
Ledger was sick with pneumonia when he died, according to reports.
The 28-year-old actor's body was found at the apartment Broome St, SoHo, by a housekeeper and a masseuse at 3.31pm local time (7.31am AEDT).
Ledger had been renting the fourth floor apartment for several months, neighbours told The New York Times.
His body was removed from the building on a stretcher in a black body bag, in front of 200 onlookers and more than 70 photographers and television cameramen.
The city's deputy commissioner, Paul Browne, said the pills were found on a table near Ledgerâ€s bed.
No illegal drugs were found in the apartment, but Mr Browne said officers who checked the bathroom found other prescription medications.
Earlier today, bottles of the anti-anxiety drugs Diazempam and Alprazolam were reported to have been found at the apartment.
Paramedics who attended the scene found the actor in full cardiac arrest, and unsuccessfully attempted to perform CPR. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The New York Times initially reported that the apartment belonged to actress Mary-Kate Olsen. But Olsen's representatives have since denied this.
According to celebrity website TMZ, Ledger's ex-fiancÃe Michelle Williams
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 thatâ€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 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 said on 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.
'Stressing out'
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," 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 with 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.