Heath

After class, I went online to http://www.msn.com/ to check my stocks. I saw the headline "Heath Ledger dead at 28" and could not believe it. It's such a tragedy. He was such a young and talented actor. After seeing him in Brokeback Mountain with Jake Gyllenhaal, I thought that his future would only get better. Instead, his life came to an abrupt end like so many young stars of the past--James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, and River Phoenix.

Heath was a gifted and good-looking actor who chose roles to enrich his acting abilities. He was more interested in the art of acting than getting by on his good looks. Like James Dean, he was more than just a handsome actor. He had the talent to have a promising career. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. An autopsy has yet to be performed, but they say it could have been an overdose of sleeping pills that killed Heath. He was found nude and in bed. He was only 28.

I first saw him in The Patriot with Mel Gibson. Then he was in Monster's Ball. For me, he was most notable in A Knight's Tale and Brokeback Mountain. His portrayal of a gay, reserved cowboy demonstrated his range as an actor. He brilliantly showed us the character's strength and vulnerability. He depicted love, anger, toughness, and sensibility. It was such a chagrin that he didn't win an Oscar for that role. Heath Ledger was one of the best young actors of this era. He leaves behind a 2-year old daughter, Matilda, with actress Michelle Williams.