History of Heath Ledger in Timeline
Heath Ledger was an Australian actor who gained international recognition for his diverse roles in a relatively short career. Beginning in Australian television, he transitioned to Hollywood in 1998. He starred in films like '10 Things I Hate About You,' 'The Patriot,' and 'A Knight's Tale,' before receiving critical acclaim for his performances in 'Brokeback Mountain' and, posthumously, as the Joker in 'The Dark Knight,' for which he won an Academy Award. Ledger also had aspirations as a director, producing and directing music videos before his untimely death in 2008.
1931: Last Documented Lynching in West Virginia
Heath Ledger mistakenly claimed lynchings had occurred in West Virginia as recently as the 1980s, but state scholars disputed this, asserting that no documented lynchings had occurred since 1931.
1974: Nick Drake's Death and Release of 'Black Eyed Dog'
In 1974, Nick Drake died from an overdose and released the song "Black Eyed Dog" about depression, which later inspired Heath Ledger.
1976: Peter Finch won a posthumous Academy Award
In 1976, Peter Finch won a posthumous Academy Award for acting in "Network".
April 1979: Heath Ledger's Birth in Perth
On April 4, 1979, Heath Ledger was born in Perth, Western Australia, to Sally Ramshaw and Kim Ledger.
1983: Publication of The Queen's Gambit
In 1983, Walter Tevis's novel, "The Queen's Gambit", was published, which Heath Ledger intended to adapt and direct into a film.
1990: Birth of Half-Sister Ashleigh Bell
In 1990, Ledger's half-sister, Ashleigh Bell, was born, who is the daughter of his mother, Sally Ramshaw, and her second husband, Roger Bell.
1991: Clowning Around Role
In 1991, Heath Ledger took a small role in "Clowning Around", the first part of a two-part television series.
1993: Role in Ship to Shore
From 1993, Heath Ledger had parts in the Perth television series "Ship to Shore".
1996: Role in Sweat
In 1996, Heath Ledger worked on the TV series "Sweat", where he played a cyclist.
1996: Birth of Half-Sister Olivia Ledger
In 1996, Ledger's half-sister Olivia Ledger was born, who is the daughter of his father, Kim Ledger, and his second wife, Emma Brown.
1997: Roles in Roar, Home and Away, and Blackrock
In 1997, Heath Ledger had roles in "Roar", "Home and Away", and "Blackrock", his feature film debut.
1998: Move to the United States
In 1998, Heath Ledger moved to the United States from Australia to further his film career.
1998: Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction Published
In 1998, the novel "Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction" was published, which was later adapted into a film starring Ledger in 2006.
1999: Starring roles in films
In 1999, Heath Ledger starred in "10 Things I Hate About You" and "Two Hands".
1999: 10 Things I Hate About You
In 1999, Heath Ledger starred in "10 Things I Hate About You".
2000: Role in The Patriot
In 2000, Heath Ledger played Gabriel Martin in "The Patriot".
2001: Roles in Monster's Ball and A Knight's Tale
In 2001, Heath Ledger had supporting roles in "Monster's Ball" and leading roles in "A Knight's Tale".
2001: A Knight's Tale and Monster's Ball Films
In 2001, Heath Ledger's career included roles in "A Knight's Tale" and "Monster's Ball".
2002: Role in The Four Feathers
In 2002, Heath Ledger starred in "The Four Feathers".
2003: Ledger signed will
In 2003, Heath Ledger signed his will, which divided his estate between his parents and siblings. This was prior to his relationship with Michelle Williams and the birth of their daughter, Matilda Rose.
2003: Roles in The Order and Ned Kelly
In 2003, Heath Ledger starred in "The Order" and "Ned Kelly".
2004: Relationship with Michelle Williams
In 2004, Heath Ledger began a relationship with Michelle Williams after meeting her on the set of "Brokeback Mountain".
2004: Denial of Spitting Allegations
In 2004, Heath Ledger strongly denied press reports alleging that he spat at journalists on the Sydney set of the film "Candy".
October 2005: Birth of Daughter Matilda Rose Ledger
On October 28, 2005, Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams's daughter, Matilda Rose Ledger, was born in New York City.
2005: Roles in Casanova, The Brothers Grimm, and Lords of Dogtown
In 2005, Heath Ledger had leading roles in "Casanova", "The Brothers Grimm", and "Lords of Dogtown".
2005: Awards for Brokeback Mountain
In 2005, Heath Ledger received 'Best Actor' awards from the New York Film Critics Circle and the San Francisco Film Critics Circle for his performance in "Brokeback Mountain". He was also nominated for a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a BAFTA Award, and an Academy Award.
2005: Casanova, Lords of Dogtown, and Brokeback Mountain Films
In 2005, Heath Ledger starred in the films "Casanova", "Lords of Dogtown", and "Brokeback Mountain".
2005: Screen Actors Guild Awards Presentation
In 2005, after Heath Ledger giggled while presenting "Brokeback Mountain" at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Los Angeles Times described his presentation as a 'gay spoof.' Ledger later apologized, citing stage fright.
January 2006: Listing Sydney Residence for Sale
In January 2006, Heath Ledger listed his residence in Bronte, Sydney, for sale and returned to the US.
January 2006: Paparazzi Incident at Brokeback Mountain Premiere
On January 13, 2006, members of the paparazzi retaliated against Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams by squirting them with water pistols at the Sydney premiere of "Brokeback Mountain".
2006: Directing Music Videos and Launching The Masses Music
In 2006, Heath Ledger directed music videos for N'fa and Ben Harper and inaugurated his record label, The Masses Music, with Ben Harper.
2006: Candy Film Release
In 2006, Heath Ledger starred in "Candy", an Australian film about young heroin addicts. He received nominations for 'Best Actor' awards for his performance in the film.
2006: Substance abuse allegations
In 2006, video footage surfaced of Heath Ledger stating he "used to smoke five joints a day for 20 years." This, alongside alleged drug abuse, prompted Michelle Williams to request he move out of their Brooklyn apartment. Ledger's publicist disputed the reports of drug use.
September 2007: Breakup with Michelle Williams
In September 2007, Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams broke up.
September 2007: Bumbershoot Festival Showing
In September 2007, Heath Ledger's music video set to Nick Drake's 'Black Eyed Dog' was shown at the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle.
October 2007: Ledger completes work on The Dark Knight
In October 2007, Heath Ledger completed his work on "The Dark Knight". Director Christopher Nolan described editing the film after Ledger's passing as tremendously emotional but felt lucky to have a performance Ledger was proud of, and Nolan added no digital effects to alter Ledger's actual posthumous performance.
October 2007: Screening at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre
In October 2007, Ledger's music video for Nick Drake's 'Black Eyed Dog' was screened at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.
November 2007: Dating Rumors and Relationship with Gemma Ward
In November 2007, after his breakup with Michelle Williams, Heath Ledger was linked to Helena Christensen, Kate Hudson, and Gemma Ward. Gemma Ward later revealed she and Ledger started dating in November 2007, and their families spent Christmas together in Perth.
November 2007: Insomnia due to Joker role
In an interview published in The New York Times on November 4, 2007, Heath Ledger spoke about his insomnia, which was exacerbated by his role as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" (2008). He mentioned sleeping an average of two hours a night and resorting to two Ambien pills when one wasn't effective, but still finding his mind racing.
2007: Role in I'm Not There
In 2007, Heath Ledger played Robbie Clark in Todd Haynes' film "I'm Not There", portraying one of six characters representing aspects of Bob Dylan's life.
2007: I'm Not There Film
In 2007, Heath Ledger starred in "I'm Not There".
2007: Todd Haynes compares Ledger to James Dean
In 2007, director Todd Haynes compared Heath Ledger's presence to James Dean, casting Ledger as Robbie Clarke, a fictive personification of Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There." Haynes noted Ledger's "precocious seriousness" and intuition, considering him mature beyond his years.
January 2008: Mourning and memorial at apartment
Following the news of Heath Ledger's death, throughout the night of January 22, 2008, and the following day, media, mourners, fans, and onlookers gathered outside his apartment building, leaving flowers and memorial tributes.
January 2008: Death and Completion of The Dark Knight Role
In January 2008, Heath Ledger completed filming his role as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" shortly before his death. His performance was highly praised and led to posthumous awards.
January 2008: Death from Accidental Overdose
In January 2008, Heath Ledger passed away due to an accidental overdose resulting from prescription drug abuse.
January 2008: Heath Ledger's Death
In January 2008, Heath Ledger passed away, marking a tragic end to his life.
January 2008: Estimated time of death
In January 2008, although some reports estimated Heath Ledger's death occurred between 1 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. on January 22, the Medical Examiner's Office did not publicly disclose the official estimated time of death. The announcement of the cause and manner of death raised concerns about prescription drug abuse and combined drug intoxication (CDI).
January 2008: Health issues and sleep problems during filming
In January 2008, while in London for his last film assignment, Heath Ledger complained of difficulty sleeping and taking pills to help. Christopher Plummer, his co-star in "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus", noted Ledger had a cold that developed into walking pneumonia and that he was taking pills to help him sleep.
January 2008: Autopsy conducted
On January 23, 2008, an initial autopsy was conducted following Heath Ledger's death, which was followed by a complete toxicological analysis.
January 2008: Ledger found unresponsive
On Tuesday, January 22, 2008, at approximately 3 p.m. EST, Heath Ledger was discovered unresponsive in his bed at his loft in Manhattan by his housekeeper and massage therapist.
February 2008: Ledger's will filed
Heath Ledger's will was filed in New York City on February 28, 2008. His father, Kim Ledger, emphasized that Matilda Rose's financial well-being was a priority and that Michelle Williams was an integral part of their family. The will, signed in 2003, divided his estate between his parents and siblings.
February 2008: Depp, Law, and Farrell Join "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"
In February 2008, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell joined Terry Gilliam's film "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" to take over Heath Ledger's role as a memorial tribute. The three actors donated their fees to Ledger's daughter.
February 2008: DEA Investigation Exonerates Doctors
Late in February 2008, a DEA investigation into medical professionals connected to Heath Ledger's death cleared two American physicians practicing in Los Angeles and Houston of any wrongdoing, determining that they had prescribed Ledger other medications, not the ones that caused his death.
February 2008: Posthumous Award for ISP Robert Altman Award
On February 23, 2008, director Todd Haynes praised Ledger upon accepting the ISP Robert Altman Award, which Ledger posthumously shared.
February 2008: Cause of death released
On February 6, 2008, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York released its conclusions, stating that Heath Ledger's death was a result of acute intoxication from a combination of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine. The report deemed the manner of death accidental, resulting from the abuse of prescribed medications.
February 2008: Independent Spirit Robert Altman Award
Posthumously, on February 23, 2008, Heath Ledger shared the 2007 Independent Spirit Robert Altman Award with the cast and crew of "I'm Not There".
March 2008: Report of another child
A report on March 31, 2008, suggested that Heath Ledger may have fathered another child. However, the mother and stepfather of the child in question dismissed the claim.
July 2008: Release of The Dark Knight
In July 2008, "The Dark Knight" was released, breaking box office records and receiving critical acclaim, especially for Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker. Critics praised Ledger's performance as both sinister and mesmerizing, dispelling speculations that it led to his death.
August 2008: Mary-Kate Olsen denies involvement
On August 4, 2008, Mary-Kate Olsen's attorney released a statement denying that Olsen supplied Heath Ledger with the drugs that caused his death and asserting that she did not know their source.
August 2008: Investigation closed without charges
On August 6, 2008, the US Attorney's Office in Manhattan closed its investigation into Heath Ledger's death without filing any charges, rendering moot the subpoena of Mary-Kate Olsen. It remains unknown how Ledger obtained the oxycodone and hydrocodone in the lethal drug combination.
September 2008: Estate to Matilda Rose Ledger
On September 27, 2008, Kim Ledger announced that the family had agreed to leave Heath Ledger's US$16.3 million estate to his daughter, Matilda Rose Ledger.
November 2008: People's Choice Award Nomination
On November 10, 2008, Heath Ledger was nominated for two People's Choice Awards for his work on "The Dark Knight": "Best Ensemble Cast" and "Best Onscreen Match-Up" (with Christian Bale).
December 2008: Golden Globe Nomination
On December 11, 2008, Heath Ledger was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for his performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight".
2008: The Dark Knight Movie
In 2008, Heath Ledger starred as the Joker in "The Dark Knight", a role which caused him insomnia.
2008: Inspiration for "Perth" Song
In 2008, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver began working on the song "Perth." The inspiration came from stories about Heath Ledger shared by Matt Amato, a music video director, after Ledger's death.
2008: Nomination prediction for Academy Award
In 2008, film critics, co-stars Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Caine, and Ledger's peers predicted and called for a nomination for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in recognition of Ledger's performance in The Dark Knight.
January 2009: People's Choice Award win
In January 2009, Heath Ledger won a People's Choice Award for "Match-Up" with Christian Bale for their work in "The Dark Knight", at the ceremony aired live on CBS.
January 2009: Golden Globe Award
On January 11, 2009, Heath Ledger posthumously won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for his performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" at the 66th Golden Globe Awards ceremony on NBC. Christopher Nolan accepted the award on his behalf.
January 2009: Posthumous Academy Award nomination announced
On January 22, 2009, the anniversary of Heath Ledger's death, Ledger received a posthumous nomination for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
February 2009: Ledger wins posthumous Academy Award
On February 22, 2009, Heath Ledger posthumously won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. His family attended the ceremony, accepting the award on his behalf. It was later determined that Ledger's daughter, Matilda Rose, would own the award, with Michelle Williams holding it in trust until 2023.
August 2009: "King Rat" Video Premiere
On August 4, 2009, Heath Ledger's animated music video for Modest Mouse's song "King Rat" premiered posthumously.
2009: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Release
In 2009, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" was released posthumously, featuring Heath Ledger.
January 2011: Heath Ledger Theatre Opening
In January 2011, the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia in Perth named a 575-seat theatre the Heath Ledger Theatre. For the opening, Ledger's Academy Award and Joker costume were displayed.
2011: Bon Iver releases "Perth"
In 2011, Bon Iver's song "Perth" was released, inspired by Heath Ledger. Justin Vernon, the lead singer, revealed he began working on it in 2008 and was scheduled to meet with Matt Amato, a music video director and friend of Ledger's.
April 2017: Trailer released for I Am Heath Ledger documentary
On April 4, 2017, a trailer was released for the documentary "I Am Heath Ledger".
May 2017: Release of I Am Heath Ledger documentary
The documentary "I Am Heath Ledger", featuring archival footage of Ledger and interviews, was released on May 3, 2017.
2017: Analysis of drug combination
In 2017, forensic pathologist Jason Payne-James stated that Heath Ledger might have survived if hydrocodone and oxycodone had been excluded from the drug combination he took before his death. The mixture of drugs, coupled with a possible chest infection, caused Ledger to stop breathing.
2023: Matilda Rose to gain full ownership of Academy Award
In 2023, Matilda Rose will gain full ownership of the Academy Award won posthumously by her father, Heath Ledger, after her eighteenth birthday.
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