Heath Ledger R.I.P.

It's been three days since I first heard the shocking news of the untimely death of actor Heath Ledger at the age of 28 due to a drug overdose and possible pneumonia (the full details are still coming together at this point, but that's what I've heard thus far). It really saddens me, because here was a young man whose career was blossoming because of some really high profile appearances in films such as "A Knight's Tale", "The Patriot", and his Oscar-nominated performance in the 2006 film "Brokeback Mountain" (aka the gay cowboy movie). It saddens me even more that, as a parent myself, he too had an infant daughter who's only two and will now have to grow up without getting to know her daddy. I just don't have more words about that part.

But here's what really is sad. Obviously you know about his high profile portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan's upcoming Batman sequel "The Dark Knight", which is scheduled for release this July. I was looking forward to his take on one of comicdom's most sinister villains ever, which from the few video and audio glimpses I've seen thus far was going to be even more intense than Jack Nicholson's portrayal 20 years ago in Tim Burton's big-screen adaptation. On one of Warner's promotional sites for the film, WhySoSerious.com, it's got a very ironic and chilling message that says something to the effect of, "The only way to live in this world is without rules." On the film's official website, in place of the usual film-related promotions they have a single touching memorial page to Ledger.

And last night I shared this with my wife... Jack Nicholson had talked with Ledger some time recently and warned him of the dangers of drugs and fame. It's extremely eerie that the actor who portrayed the Joker two decades before had warned the actor who would have made his mark as the Joker in this decade of this danger. Even eerier is the fact that in Burton's original "Batman" film, the Joker dies. Apparently, in some earlier promotional teases for "The Dark Knight", a mock police dossier appeared online stating that the Joker was dead. Now Heath Ledger is dead in real life. This is too eerie, if you ask me.

How many more actors, musicians, and Hollywood celebrities have to die from drugs before people stand up and take notice? Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, John Belushi, Chris Farley (who idolized Belushi to the point of boasting that he wanted to live and die like him - don't ask for it, you may get it), Kurt Cobain, River Phoenix, and now Heath Ledger - granted I've only mentioned some of the more notable examples, but who else has to die before everyone gets the message? If Britney Spears doesn't get her act together inside and out, she'll be gone before she's 30, mark my word.

In any event, when "The Dark Knight" hits theaters in July, we'll have the opportunity to see Heath Ledger's last fully completed performance on the big screen. As for his unfinished work on Terry Gilliam's current film project, nobody really knows what'll happen there - probably Gilliam will have to recast the role and reshoot everything. Really sad.

I know this is a bit of a downer compared to my reviews, but somehow I just had to get this out of my system.