Heath Ledger's
family, his former fiancee Michelle Williams, and
Australia's entertainment elite bade him farewell at a
private memorial service Saturday in his hometown in
Australia.
Ledger's family
returned to Perth earlier this week to bury the actor,
who died in his Manhattan apartment at age 28 from a
prescription drug overdose on January 22. The family
attended a memorial service in Los Angeles last
weekend.
Several hundred
people gathered at a Perth local girls' school, Penrhos
College, for a memorial that mixed personal tributes, modern
rock, and traditional Aboriginal music.
Williams, who
became romantically involved with Ledger while filming the
gay romance Brokeback Mountain, arrived at the
service with Ledger's parents in a six-car motorcade.
Wearing black sunglasses and a white dress with black
trim, she clutched the arm of Ledger's older sister,
Kate.
The 75-minute
service kicked off with the performance of a didgeridoo, a
traditional Aboriginal wind instrument, performer Levi Islam
said. Rock songs were also played -- Bob Dylan's ''The
Times They Are A-Changin,'' the Beatles' ''Here Comes
the Sun,'' ''Wish You Were Here'' by Pink Floyd, and
Neil Young's ''Old Man,'' according to a program of the
service.
Organizers also
showed footage from Ledger's films and of 2-year-old
Matilda -- his daughter with Williams.
The event also
drew members of the Australian entertainment industry,
where Ledger got his start. Barbara Scott, a state lawmaker
who attended the service, said many attendees were
emotional.
Fellow
Australian-turned-Hollywood star Cate Blanchett, who starred
with Ledger in the Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not
There, recalled their time spent together in New
York and Los Angeles, Scott said.
Other speakers
included his parents, sister, and Neil Armfield, who
directed Ledger in his last Australian film, Candy,
released in 2006.
Ledger's father,
Kim, said the service would be followed by a private
funeral in Perth. He appealed for privacy and did not
disclose the time or location.
''It's a pretty
sad time. We're finding it difficult to cope by
ourselves, let alone cope with everybody around the world,''
he said.
''Having said
that, we do really appreciate the outpouring and the
emotional support from all over the globe,'' he added.
Saturday's events
ended with a wake at a colonial-style waterfront
restaurant at scenic Cottesloe Beach that overlooks the
Indian Ocean, one of the actor's favorite spots in
this small and remote city on the verge of the Outback
in Australia's southwest.
Nine Network
national television showed Williams and other mourners
taking a dip in the waters, some still dressed, including
the actress. The group later stood on the sand
cheering and applauding as they watched the sun set
into the ocean.
Ledger was one of
the biggest stars Perth has produced. Locals mourned
his early death and scoffed at speculation of illegal drug
use before the New York City medical examiner said
Wednesday Ledger died from the effects of taking six
types of painkillers and sedatives.
Scott called
Ledger a ''wonderful west Australian, an outstanding guy
with great talent.'' (Min Lee, AP)
