Ledger’s death catches Tinseltown by surprise

Courtney Hazlett The Scoop

“No one saw this coming.”

That was the phrase used countless times in the hours following the unsettling news of Heath Ledger’s death. From Hollywood agents and publicists to the foreign desk reporters in the MSNBC newsroom, no one expected to hear the news that Ledger’s life had ended so abruptly.

Ledger, 28, did not fit the standard Hollywood mold, and that was part of his appeal, according to one industry insider who worked with him on several films. “He was always kind of an individual. He did his own thing, cared immensely about his work. He never bought into the Hollywood hype,” said the insider.

Out of respect for his family, all sources requested that they not be named.

Indeed, Ledger wasn’t a typical leading man, whether the role was a high-school tough guy (“10 Things I Hate About You”) or a conflicted cowboy (“Brokeback Mountain”). “Ledger was very into his craft,” said one person who worked on several films with him.

Death of Heath Ledger Heath Ledger’s cause of death Feb. 7: New York’s medical examiner revealed that the actor died from an accidental overdose of prescription medications. WNBC’s Jonathan Dienst reports. Ledger autopsy results released Ledger OD’d on Rx drugs Fallout over Ledger video Calls to Olsen in Ledger death

Everyone who interviewed for this piece during the hours after his death agreed that not only did Ledger not court reviews, but good ones took him by surprise. “He genuinely didn’t know what to do with praise,” said a person who worked closely with the actor. “He did his best, but wasn’t fully satisfied. It’s what drove him toward the next role.”

More than anything, Ledger appeared solid and was “over the moon in love with his daughter (Matilda),” and was a “down-to-earth creature of habit,” according to someone who’s known Ledger for years. “He lived a bohemian lifestyle that wasn’t over the top.”

It’s true, Ledger didn’t succumb to the flashy trappings typical of many of his colleagues. He was a man-about-New York in a true sense, the kind of guy who rolled his own cigarettes, and a creature of habit who made a daily stop at the Victory coffee shop in Boerum Hill, the Brooklyn neighborhood where he lived with his ex-fiancee, Michelle Williams, and 2-year-old Matilda.

Although some insiders claim that Ledger wasn’t ever “totally happy about things,” or that recently he was inexplicably turning down roles, those points are elements of Ledger’s life that in the long term, will be overshadowed by his body of work and his love for his family.

Ledger’s starring roles might have often been of the “bad guy” variety, but one thing’s certain: Hollywood has truly lost one of its good guys.

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