Daniel Day-Lewis
paid an emotional tribute to Heath Ledger during a taped
appearance on Oprah Winfrey's talk show.
The 50-year-old
actor, who was on The Oprah Winfrey Show to
discuss his Oscar nomination for There Will Be Blood,
said he couldn't get his mind off Ledger's sudden
death.
Day-Lewis taped
his appearance by satellite from Europe on Wednesday, a
day after the 28-year-old actor was found dead in his
Manhattan apartment.
''I feel very
unsettled at the moment, and I suppose it's 'cause I only
just saw the news about Heath Ledger's death,'' said
Day-Lewis, his voice quivering.
''It seems
somehow strange to be talking about anything else. Not that
there's anything to say really except to express one's
regret and to say from the bottom of one's heart to
his family and to his friends that I'm sorry for their
trouble,'' he said.
Several
prescription drugs were found in the apartment where
Ledger's body was found by his masseuse.
The cause of
death will not be answered for at least a week, after
medical examiners complete toxicology tests. Authorities
suspect a possible overdose, but nothing conclusive
has been determined.
''I didn't know
him,'' Day-Lewis said. ''I have an impression, a strong
impression, I would have liked him very much as a man if I
had. I'd already marveled at some of his work and had
looked forward so much to seeing the work that he
would do in the future.''
Ledger received
an Oscar nomination for his role as a gay cowboy in
2005's Brokeback Mountain. He also appeared in Lords of Dogtown, The Brothers Grimm, and The
Patriot, among others. (AP)