Warner Bros. Issues a Statement

THERE IS SPECULATION THAT THIS "joker" ROLE WAS SO DISTURBING FOR HIM THAT HE COULDN'T GET ANY SLEEP AT NIGHT. HE STARTED TAKING SLEEPING PILLS (Ambien) TO HELP. BOTH THE ROLE AND HIS CRAZY WORLD WIDE TRAVEL SCHEDULE IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD MIGHT HAVE REALLY PLAYED WITH HIS HEAD.

HE MAY HAVE TAKEN TOO MANY PILLS BY ACCIDENT....

Batman: Dark Knight's release date is July 18. The date will not be pushed back as the film has been wrapped now for the last two months. It's currently being finished in post. Multiple trailers have already been released, including the date of release. There is no right or reason to push back the date of the film despite this tragedy.

Obviously I haven't seen Dark Knight, but if The Joker dies in it, betcha they recut it and change the ending.

IF YOU HAVE SEEN IT ONCE AND KNOWN PEOPLE IN LIFE TO HAVE SIMILAR EXPERIANCES, YOU PRETTY MUCH KNOW IT WAS AN OD

that's sooo sad to hear about heath and brad,sooo young

YEAH I KNEW A PILL POPPER WHO COULDNT SLEEP CUS OF HIS OTHER PILL ADDICTIONS. AND HE GOT AMBIEN, HE DIDNT DIE, BUT DONT MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THE MOVIE ROLE WAS TO BLAME, HE HAD HIS BEDFELLOWS LONG BEFORE HE "STUDIED" FOR THE ROLE.

TAMERA True, that is possible...but I dont know...hollywood seems to make lots of people depressed you know. Honestly I hope it is what you are saying but...lately he just seemed sad you know. I mean if you look back at his latest interviews...i dont know...but its sad anyways.

Kitty....
Thank You for responding.... I hope that he was just tired and that this was just a natural cause of death such as a blood clot. Either way I feel really bad for his daughter and Michelle, whatever happend between them she will never get to say sorry, I love you nothing!

yeah thats also sad.
Well let's wait and hear what will be said in the next couple of days about this.
and thank you for answering back.
:*

R.I.P

Would have thought Britney would be dead by now. Ledger had more talent in his little finger than she possesses in her entire being.

Give me a break!! This guy HAD IT ALL and he threw it away like yesterday's trash. There's nothing anymore sad about his death than Anna Nicole's. In fact I felt worse about her death since she lost her son (also to drugs). These people had the best jobs in the world and riches beyond belief. So he kills himself. Why? Because he had a failed marriage? Spare me. Too bad he didn't grow up before getting married and having a kid. By the way, he was not cut off from his daughter. He could readily see her. His wife just would not put up with his juvenile behavior. He'll be forgotten in a month. He was no Steve McQueen. He had a handful of films under his belt and was about to become a break-out star with The Dark Knight. Now he gets nothing but a ticket to the great unknown. I'm so sick of this "star worship" culture. Many of these people are one step away from being the people we thrown money at in the streets. Many of them are whores, addicts, low-lifes, etc. So they occasionally entertain us. Big f**kin deal. Sayonara Heath.

Marketing The Dark Knight after this has got to be a nightmare for Warner Bros. Headline News already has experts saying Heath got so into the Joker role it caused him to have sleeping problems, so if playing the Joker drove Heath to madness, then how does Warner sell the Dark Knight as a fun summer popcorn flick? Seriously, who wants to see that? Sure some will want to see it for the macabre aspect of seeing Heath's final performance, but this has to be a total disaster for Warner.

Maybe Hollywood will start taking better care of its young celebrities. Hollywood has to share some blame for how many young actors and actresses have substance abuse problems.

Sad...yes! Selfish...if its suicide. Too bad the thousands that have died in Iraq & Afganistan don't this much attention.

I am just so very sorry to hear about this shocking news, prayers and wishes to his family who must be reeling right now... and continued thoughts to his little girl.

he looks to much like Brandon Lee (The Crow) in this picture.