Heath Ledger was the golden-haired, soft-spoken Australian heartthrob who starred in the late 90s/early 00s hits like Ten Things I Hate About You and A Knight's Tale. Then he moved on to more serious roles, like his Academy Award-nominated performance in Brokeback Mountain, a breakthrough moment for LGBTQ+ representation in cinema, and his Oscar-winning performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan's sequel to Batman Begins, 2008's The Dark Knight. But by the time 2009's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was released, Ledger had already passed away of an accidental overdose, leaving behind his girlfriend, fellow actor Michelle Williams, and their young daughter Matilda. The tragedy of Ledger's shockingly untimely death has led to endless rumours and speculation over the years about depression, hard-partying, and madness brought on by his portrayal of Gotham's Clown Prince of Crime in The Dark Knight. But the real story of Heath Ledger's life is far more human than those sordid stories could ever suggest. From his parents' divorce to his breakthrough as a talent to watch, his legendary turns in some of the mid to late aught's most acclaimed movies, and his depression, crippling insomnia, and resulting dependency on drugs, this is the tragic real-life story of Heath Ledger.
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