Hollywood is
mourning the unexpected death of Australian-born actor Heath
Ledger, 28, whose body was discovered in his apartment on
Tuesday by his housekeeper and a massage therapist.
Among the
tributes pouring in is one from Ang Lee, who directed
Ledger in arguably his most famous role, gay ranch hand
Ennis del Mar, in the acclaimed 2005 film Brokeback Mountain.
"Working with
Heath was one of the purest joys of my life," Lee said
in a statement Wednesday. "He brought to the role of Ennis
more than any of us could have imagined -- a thirst
for life, for love, and for truth, and a vulnerability
that made everyone who knew him love him. His death is
heartbreaking."
Brokeback Mountain producer James Schamus
called Ledger a "courageous actor and a great soul. He gave
us the gift of sharing his fearless and beautiful love
-- of his craft and of all who worked with him -- for
which all of us will be eternally grateful."
Ledger was known
for grueling, intense roles that became his trademark
after he got his start in teen movies like 10
Things I Hate About You. Thereafter, he took on
roles that forced him to bury his Australian accent
and downplay his leading-man looks: the tormented
Ennis, a drug addict in Candy, and, most
recently, an incarnation of Bob Dylan in I'm Not
There. (The Advocate)
