He was the embodiment of the Australian stereotype; cool and laid-back with a charming character. And as soon as he popped onto our screens as the blonde-haired Urlich von Lichtenstein he became tagged as a actor to watch. He always looked wild and unruly and, unlike most Hollywood actors nowadays, was never afraid to appear a little less than perfect in order to properly portray a character (have a look at 10 Things I Hate About You- that hair should not be allowed yet we all fall in love with him). And he was just so damn handsome.
The first film we saw him in was 'The Four Feathers.' It's a great film and his portrayal of Harry Faversham made him a well-known name in our house. And Heath in a flat-cap is a sight to behold.
When actors die young it is usually their death that makes them famous and their image, as opposed to their short-lived acting career, lasts forever. James Dean being the classic example of this. Heath Ledger, however, showed his potential from the word go and just continued to go above and beyond. Whether you watch Two Hands (One of his earliest. It's a great dark comedy with Rose Byrne,) Ned Kelly, or Brokeback Mountain you see the character not the actor. But it wasn't really until his fatal portrayal of the Joker that his genius and skill became blindingly obvious to the world. His diaries of that period have recently been released and they are just harrowing.
His death was and still is one of the saddest events to occur in the acting world, but at least he will be remembered for all the right reasons.
So...who drew him best?
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