HeathAndrewLedger(4April1979–22January2008)wasanAustraliantelevisionandfilmactor.AfterperformingrolesinAustraliantelevisionandfilmduringthe1990s,LedgermovedtotheUnitedStatesin1998todevelophismoviecareer.Hisworkincludesnineteenfilms,mostnotably10ThingsIHateAboutYou(1999),ThePatriot(2000),Monster'sBall(2001),AKnight'sTale(2001),BrokebackMountain(2005),andTheDarkKnight(2008).Inadditiontohisacting,heproducedanddirectedmusicvideosandaspiredtobeafilmdirector.

　　ForhisportrayalofEnnisDelMarinBrokebackMountain,Ledgerwonthe2005NewYorkFilmCriticsCircleAwardforBestActorandthe2006"BestActor"awardfromtheAustralianFilmInstituteandwasnominatedforthe2005AcademyAwardforBestActoraswellasthe2006BestActorawardfromtheBAFTA.Posthumouslyhesharedthe2007IndependentSpiritRobertAltmanAwardwiththerestoftheensemblecast,thedirector,andthecastingdirectorforthefilm,I'mNotTherewhichwasinspiredbythelifeandsongsofAmericansinger-songwriter,BobDylan.Inthefilm,LedgerportrayedafictionalactornamedRobbieClark,oneofsixcharactersembodyingaspectsoftheiconicDylan.HewasnominatedandwonawardsforhisportrayaloftheJokerinTheDarkKnight,includinganAcademyAwardforBestSupportingActor,aBestActorInternationalAwardatthe2008AustralianFilmInstituteAwards,forwhichhebecamethefirstactortowinanawardposthumously,andthe2008LosAngelesFilmCriticsAssociationAwardforBestSupportingActorandthe2009GoldenGlobeforBestSupportingActorinamotionpicture.

　　Hediedattheageof28,[5][6]fromanaccidental"toxiccombinationofprescriptiondrugs."Afewmonthsbeforehisdeath,Ledgerhadfinishedfilminghispenultimateperformance,astheJokerinTheDarkKnight.Atthetimeofhisdeath,on22January2008,hehadcompletedabouthalfofhisworkperformingtheroleofTonyinTerryGilliam'sforthcomingfilm

　　Familyandpersonallife

　　HeathLedgerwasbornon4April1979,inPerth,WesternAustralia,thesonofSallyLedgerBell(néeRamshaw),aFrenchteacher,andKimLedger,aracing-cardriverandminingengineer,whosefamilyestablishedandownedtheLedgerEngineeringFoundry.[25][26][27]TheSirFrankLedgerCharitableTrustisnamedafterhisgreat-grandfather.[25]LedgerattendedMary'sMountPrimarySchool,inGooseberryHill,[28][29]andlaterGuildfordGrammarSchool,wherehehadhisfirstactingexperiences,starringinaschoolproductionasPeterPanatage10.[6][25]Hisparentsseparatedwhenhewas10anddivorcedwhenhewas11.[30]Ledger'soldersister,Kate,anactressandlaterapublicist,withwhomhewasveryclose,inspiredhisactingonstage,andhisloveofGeneKellyinspiredhissuccessfulchoreographyleadingtoGuildfordGrammar's60-memberteam's"firstall-boyvictory"attheRockEisteddfodChallenge.[25][31][32][33]Heath'sandKate'sothersiblingsincludetwohalf-sisters,AshleighBell(b.1989),hismother'sdaughterwithhersecondhusbandandhisstepfatherRogerBell,andOliviaLedger(b.1997),hisfather'sdaughterwithsecondwifeandhisstepmotherEmmaBrown.[34]

　　Ledgerwasanavidchessplayer,winningWesternAustralia'sjuniorchesschampionshipattheageof10.[35][36]Asanadult,heoftenplayedwithotherchessenthusiastsatWashingtonSquarePark.[37][38]AllanScott'sfilmadaptationofth