Hollywood was left reeling in 2008 after actor Heath Ledger was discovered unresponsive in his bed by his housekeeper.
Despite her desperate attempts to resuscitate him while speaking with emergency dispatchers, her efforts proved futile, and he was declared dead soon afterward.
He was only 28 years old. A post-mortem examination determined his death resulted from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs, following years of battling insomnia.
Numerous admirers theorized that Heath had been pushed toward mental collapse by his portrayal of the sinister Joker in The Dark Knight, a character he completely reimagined.
A narrative developed of someone who had become consumed by his craft, devoting himself entirely to embodying a sinister, malevolent figure and losing his sense of self along the way.
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However, according to his cherished sister Kate, this narrative was entirely inaccurate.
Kate, who was Heath’s elder sibling, maintains ongoing communication with his former spouse Michelle Williams and their 16 year old daughter Matilda.
She explained “not a day goes by” without the family exchanging memories about Heath, and that he remains “very much alive” within her household.
Kate remembered the last phone call she had with her brother, with whom she shared an exceptionally close bond, and disclosed that he seemed optimistic and enthusiastic.
“He was a really happy person and he had huge plans for his future. I spoke to him the night before, and we were laughing and joking,” she told news.com.au.
“He was so proud of what he had done in Batman. And I know he had plans for another Batman. He loved working with Chris Nolan, Christian Bale, and Gary Oldman. He just had the best time ever doing that film.
“When he came home at Christmas, he couldn’t wait to tell us all about it, and he was doing the voice and laughing, showing me all the rushes. We had a great time.”
Kate recalled that they were “laughing” together, and Heath promised to call her at 8.30am the following day – but tragically, he never would.
She told him she loved him before hanging up, unaware it would be their final conversation.
Heath had battled prescription drug abuse and debilitating insomnia for years, struggles that would overshadow his remarkable Hollywood success.
In 2006, he revealed he used to “smoke five joints a day for 20 years”. The year prior to his death, Heath spoke openly about his long-standing insomnia.
He told the New York Times: “Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night.
“I couldn’t stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going.”
Heath said that even taking two Ambien sleeping tablets couldn’t help him sleep for more than an hour.
During the filming of The Dark Knight, he acknowledged getting only up to two hours of sleep per night, and famously isolated himself in a hotel room while keeping a diary to prepare for the role. Heath revealed to Empire magazine in 2007: “It’s a combination of reading all the comic books I could that were relevant to the script and then just closing my eyes and meditating on it.
“I sat around in a hotel room in London for about a month, locked myself away, formed a little diary and experimented with voices – it was important to try to find a somewhat iconic voice and laugh.
“I ended up landing more in the realm of a psychopath – someone with very little to no conscience towards his acts.
“He’s just an absolute sociopath, a cold-blooded, mass-murdering clown.”
The movie premiered six months following his passing, with Heath’s portrayal receiving widespread acclaim from critics and ultimately securing him a posthumous Academy Award.
Kate, along with Heath’s parents Kim Ledger and Sally Ledger Bell, took the stage to accept the award in an incredibly moving moment.
Sally expressed: “Heath was such a compassionate and generous soul who added so much excitement and inspiration to our lives. We have been truly overwhelmed by the honour and respect bestowed upon him by this award.
“Tonight we are choosing to celebrate and be happy for what he achieved.”
