Biography - Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger was already an Australian screen veteran by the time American audiences were introduced to his smoldering good looks and raw acting talent. Born in Perth, Australia in 1979, Ledger starred in a string of Australian television shows before making his debut on American television in 1997 on the short-lived medieval cult series “Roar.” In 1999, Ledger gained wide exposure playing a mysterious yet charming student who romantically pursues Julia Stiles' character in “10 Things I Hate About You.” This modern adaptation of “The Taming of the Shrew” proved to be a summer box office hit with teen audiences.

Ledger was in the spotlight once again the following year when he was cast as Mel Gibson’s son in the Revolutionary War epic “The Patriot.” This prominent role led to the leading part in the 2001 film “A Knight’s Tale,” which blended modern slang and rock music with a traditional jousting tale. The same year, Ledger received impressive reviews for his role as the depressed son of a prison guard opposite Billy Bob Thornton and Halle Berry in “Monster’s Ball.” In 2001, Ledger also gained recognition for his sex appeal when he was selected as one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People.” Ledger then starred with Kate Hudson in the 2002 remake “Four Feathers.”

The summer of 2002 brought media attention to Ledger’s personal life when he began dating fellow Australian actress Naomi Watts. The pair was a favorite subject of the paparazzi, who eagerly covered the relationship. In 2004, the couple starred together, along with Orlando Bloom, in the 19th century Australian western “Ned Kelly.” Ledger then went on to star as the Southern California surf-shop owner who helped revolutionize skateboarding in “Lords of Dogtown” and as a con-artist solving a truly magical mystery alongside Matt Damon in “The Brother’s Grimm.”

The turning point in Ledger’s career came in 2005 when he starred in Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain” as Ennis Del Mar, a 1960’s cowboy who begins a homosexual love affair while working in rustic Wyoming. As Ennis and Jack, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, share herding responsibilities in the isolated mountain terrain, they embark upon a relationship that stretches over decades, yet must be kept a secret due to the stigma placed on homosexuality in the time period and culture in which they live. By the time Ledger began filming this ground-breaking work his relationship with Watts had ended and, on the set of “Brokeback Mountain,” he and co-star Michelle Williams fell in love. Just over a month before the film hit theatres, the couple had moved in together and Williams gave birth to the couple’s daughter, Matilda. The couple asked Gyllenhaal to be her godfather. The film’s release was surrounded by a flurry of headlines due to its controversial subject matter and Ledger was showered in critical praise. He earned Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor and won various film critics awards. Ledger can next be seen starring as a poet addicted to love and heroin in the upcoming film “Candy.”