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Yesterday, 26 January was Australia Day, the day Australians commemorate the anniversary of England’s First Fleet arriving at Sydney Cove in 1788 and starting the colony. It’s a bitter sweet day, because for many Aussies this is also the day that the Aboriginal population, that had been on the land for centuries, were side stepped and their land taken away. That sad note aside, this is also a day for Aussies living in the U.S. to celebrate the contribution that Australia has made to the celebrity world. As one patriotic Aussie girl, I am proud of our exports… who do you think is the biggest Australian talent to have taken over Hollywood?

Yesterday we reported all about the Golden Globes and one of the big winners on the night was Michelle Williams. She is already hot property on the Hollywood A-list, and now she is just..well, SIZZLING on the cover of GQ. Check out the the February 2012 cover before it hits the news shelves next week…

The late Heath Ledger is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of Vanity Fair magazine whose coverstory is all about Heath‘s last days alive. The article compiles interviews with friends of Ledger and is meant as a tribute to the late actor’s memory. Here is the cover of the new issue of Vanity Fair magazine:

Why was Heath Ledger so ambivalent about his own stardom, and what happened at the end of his life? Vanity Fair contributing editor Peter Biskind sheds new light on these difficult-to-answer questions as he writes about the actor’s remarkable talent and untimely death in the August cover story, “The Last of Heath.” In his article, Biskind explores Ledger’s final movie role, his uncertainty about Hollywood, his devotion to his young daughter, and what happened in the days and weeks leading up to his death as he battled chronic insomnia, pneumonia, and exhaustion. Here are some of the revelations contained in Biskind’s story.

How he cleaned up his act: Cinematographer Nicola Pecorini, who worked with Ledger on his last film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, says Ledger “used to smoke marijuana on a regular basis, like probably 50 percent of Americans.” But after it became an issue, Ledger “went clean as a whistle.” And vocal coach Gerry Grennell, who worked and lived with the actor during the filming of The Dark Knight, says Ledger even stopped drinking: “Heath would happily go to the bar, buy a round of drinks for friends, and come back and have a soda or juice, never once drinking alcohol.”

How chronic insomnia may have led to his death: Ledger’s use of sleeping medication to combat chronic insomnia at the end of his life was of more concern to Grennell. “I’d say, ‘If you can possibly bear it to stop taking the medications, do, because they don’t seem to be doing you any good.’ He agreed. It is very difficult for me to imagine how close he came to not taking them.” Ledger would typically spend night after night awake, diverting himself with time killers, Biskind reports, such as re-arranging the furniture in whatever space he happened to be living in at the moment. Grennell coached him in the Alexander Technique, which helped him to sleep for a few hours at a time, but he still struggled. “Everyone has a different view of how he passed away,” Grennell tells Biskind. “From my perspective, and knowing him as well as I did, and being around him as much as I was, it was a combination of exhaustion, sleeping medication … and perhaps the aftereffects of the flu. I guess his body just stopped breathing.”

How his relationship failed: Terry Gilliam—Ledger’s friend and mentor, and the director of Doctor Parnassus—agrees with Pecorini that the romance between Ledger and Williams began to unravel during the Oscar campaign for Brokeback Mountain. “The whole machinery started growing up around them,” Gilliam says. “That was the moment when it changed, when he realized, Uh-oh. We perceive the world differently. He didn’t care about things like those awards.” … As Ledger’s relationship with Williams unraveled, and the pair started dealing with lawyers and custody issues, according to Gilliam, Ledger fell apart. “The thing that really made Heath snap” was legal wrangling over his daughter, Matilda, Gilliam says. “He said, ‘Just fuck all of you! I’m not giving Michelle anything.’???” Recalls another source, when it came to Matilda’s care, “there were definitely heated conversations, and emotions were high.” (Ledger’s lawyer declined to comment on any aspect of the separation or custody dispute.)

Ledger’s apathy for stardom: Ledger’s friend and agent, Steven Alexander, tells Biskind that Heath “was always hesitant to be in a summer blockbuster, with the dolls and action figures and everything else that comes with one of those movies. He was afraid it would define him and limit his choices.” According to friends of Ledger’s, one of the reasons he agreed to do Dark Knight was that the unusually long shoot would give him an excuse to turn down other offers. Alexander tells Biskind that Ledger had a pay-or-play deal on The Dark Knight—meaning he’d get compensated no matter what—so he felt he had the freedom to do whatever he wanted as the Joker. According to Pecorini, Ledger hoped his performance would be so far-out he’d be fired, and thus become the beneficiary of a lengthy, paid vacation. “He was ready to bust out of the gate, but he didn’t want to step on the gas and become something that he didn’t want to become: a matinee idol,” says Alexander. “He was a private person, and he didn’t want to share his personal history with the press. It just wasn’t up for sale.

Altho we’ve been forced to deal with so much new death in just the past week (Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Billy Mays) it is still very difficult to process that Heath Ledger has already been gone for more than a year now. The Dark Knight is currently playing on HBO on a daily basis and I cannot help but watch it over and over again … marveling at Heath‘s amazing performance. He truly was an amazing actor. He is still very much missed. After the jump, check out a few photos of Heath that accompany this piece in Vanity Fair magazine …

This morning, the first thing that I did after I dragged myself out of bed was to log onto my computer and find out which films and actors were nominated for Academy Awards this year … then I scanned the news reports looking to see if Heath Ledger got nominated for his role in The Dark Knight (which he was). Then … I sadly remembered that it was one year ago today that we learned the horrible news that Heath had unexpectedly passed away. I cannot believe that it’s been an year already … it doesn’t seem like that much time has passed since Heath‘s death. I still recall the shock I felt at the news … something about his passing just touched so many people in a very surprising and profound way. This past summer’s release of The Dark Knight just drove home the point that the world lost an amazing actor in Heath Ledger. So while I’m very happy that he got his Academy nomination, I’m still very sad that he is no longer with us:

On Thursday, while comic book fans (and movie fans in general) across the globe celebrated Heath Ledger’s inevitable — and well-deserved — Best Supporting Actor nomination for “The Dark Knight,” January 22 also holds a more somber place in film history. One year before, to the day, news broke that Heath Ledger had tragically died of what would later be deemed as an accidental prescription-drug overdose. Usually — unless you’re a hard-core film buff — Academy Awards season means nothing except anticipation for outrageous red-carpet fashions or office pools featuring films that most of us haven’t even seen yet. But this year’s announcements had even casual moviegoers glued to TV sets and Internet streams, waiting to hear Ledger’s name called for a role that the actor clearly gave his all to. “It was an exhausting process,” Ledger explained to MTV News in November 2007. “I actually had quite a bit of time off between scenes — weeks sometimes. But it was required because whenever I was working, it exhausted me to the bone. At the end of the day, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t talk. I was absolutely wrecked. If I had to do that every day, I couldn’t have done what I did.” And that performance came through. After a posthumous win at this year’s Golden Globes, Ledger now stands as the arguable frontrunner against Philip Seymour Hoffman, Josh Brolin, Robert Downey Jr. and Michael Shannon. And it’s nearly impossible to find a story about the record-breaking, critically acclaimed “Dark Knight” in which Ledger’s name isn’t mentioned as the stand-out feature of the film. “Heath has given an incredible performance, a real definition of the character that I think will be incredibly memorable for years to come,” co-star Christian Bale of Ledger’s work as the Joker. “I want to do nothing but celebrate his work.” Granted, all of the Oscar nominees deserve praise for their efforts in their given categories, but it’s clear that Hollywood — and the film world in general — will be buzzing about Ledger in the weeks leading up to the February 22 ceremony. Win or lose — a gifted actor with years of potential still ahead of him was taken from us far too early.

I find it very curious that Heath and Philip Seymour Hoffman are, once again, going head to head for the Academy Award. As you may recall, they faced off against one another in the Best Actor category back in 2007 (Heath for his work in Brokeback Mountain, Philip for his work in Capote). Back then, Philip went home with the prize … this year, my money’s on Heath. The saddest thing about Heath‘s death, at least for us fans, is that we will only get to see him in one more film (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus — the film he was working on when he died) … and then never again. Fans have been leaving flowers in front of the building where Heath died on mark this sad anniversary:

I cannot imagine the pain that his family must still be feeling just a short year after his death. While they must be appreciative, I’m sure all of these accolades are small comfort when compared to his passing. I, for one, still vividly remember and mourn his loss. I want him to win the Oscar. But, win or lose, I will still always remember him and cherish his work.

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]

The late Heath Ledger won the Best Supporting Actor award at last night’s Critic’s Choice Awards which were held here in SoCal at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. When his name was announced, Heath was honored by the assembled audience with a standing ovation and The Dark Knight‘s director Christopher Nolan accepted the award on his behalf:

THE late Heath Ledger has won the Critic’s Choice Award for best supporting actor for his portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight. The film’s director Christopher Nolan accepted the award on Ledger’s behalf. The win is another indication the Australian actor’s role in the Batman blockbuster may also be recognised with a Golden Globe on Monday. The Dark Knight also won in the best action movie category but the big winner at the Los Angeles ceremony was Slumdog Millionaire which received best picture, director, young actor, writer and composer honours.

This is a great sign that Heath will not only win his Golden Globe nomination but may, too, garner at least an Academy Award nomination … and possibly go on to win that as well. Detractors may still claim that these awards are merely “sympathy” awards but I have always contended (since the first time I saw the film) that Heath‘s powerful performance is worthy of the accolades. Personally, I believe that he should’ve won the Best Actor award for his work in Brokeback Mountain so, for me, his Academy Award is overdue. Whatever happens in the coming Awards Season, it can’t be denied that Heath‘s portrayal of the Joker was stunning and a true tour de force. Here’s hoping this Critic’s Choice Award is just the first of many to come.

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The first photos from the late Heath Ledger‘s final role have made their way to the Internets. The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus was the film that Heath was working on — was very close to finishing, in fact — when he tragically passed away earlier this year. As y’all know, Heath very expertly portrayed The Joker in this summer’s blockbuster film Batman: The Dark Knight but it turns out that his other performance as a clown will be remembered as his final film:

Newly released photos show Heath Ledger in the film role he never completed. The actor died of an overdose of prescription medicine halfway through filming The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus in January. The 28-year-old’s death temporarily stopped work on the film, but it has now been completed and is due out next year. The photos are the first official shots to be released. Following his death Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell all stepped in to fill his role for the remainder of the film, playing different incarnations of Ledger’s character. The £15 million fantasy film involves a supernatural mirror that takes people into different dimensions, allowing director Terry Gilliam to switch between actors. Gilliam, who previously worked with Ledger on The Brothers Grimm, has retained the footage shot of the late actor. A third of the movie was filmed in London’s Clerkenwell, with Ledger dying in his Manhattan apartment three days after completion. His co-stars, including model Lily Cole, went onto film in Canada.

Even tho it’s been many months since Heath Ledger passed away, I still find his loss very hard to accept. He was so vibrant and was such a talented actor … I really do miss him still. Even tho I had no reservations in watching Heath‘s performance in The Dark Knight after his passing, I am hesitant about seeing this movie. I dunno why … there is a different sort of tragedy attached to this film for me. I have no doubt that Heath turned in an exceptional performance. After the jump, check out a few more photos of Heath as the motley clown in Parnassus …

People magazine is reporting that Matilda Rose, the only child of the late Heath Ledger, will be the sole heir of Ledger‘s estate … which has been determined by Ledger‘s next of kin. While I find this wholly appropriate, I cannot help but think on this as a sad, bittersweet development in Matilda‘s very young life. There is a snag, tho … TMZ is reporting that the life insurance company that insured Ledger‘s policy is opening their own investigation into his death to determine if he died by accident or by suicide … if suicide, they will not have to pay out the premium. Blah. What a sad, gross scenario this whole thing has become. Here are a few really supercute pics of Matila out for a stroll on the streets of NYC this weekend, lookin’ as cute as can be … thankfully, she’s too young yet to know what any of this stuff means:

Heath Ledger’s family has decided to donate his entire estate to the late actor’s daughter, Matilda Rose. Two years before his little girl was born, the Dark Knight star – who died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in January – signed a will leaving his fortune to his parents and sisters. But Ledger’s father, Kim, says they have decided that all the money should all go to 2-year-old Matilda (the actor’s daughter with ex-girlfriend Michelle Williams). In fact, he tells PEOPLE, that was the plan “from the moment my boy passed away.” “There was never any question about the fact that Heath’s estate would go to Matilda,” he says, confirming a report in Australia’s Sunday Times. “Never a question. We are very close to Michelle and Matilda” … Although some reports have valued Ledger’s assets at up to $20 million, Adelaide accountant Mark Dyson – an executor of the actor’s estate – has refused to state the amount Matilda will inherit.

It’s unclear if the premium to be paid from Ledger‘s life insurance policy is included in his estate … which could significantly affect Matilda‘s inheritance:

The company that wrote Heath Ledger’s $10 million life insurance policy is being sued after claiming the actor’s death might have been a suicide, even though officials concluded it was accidental. Lawyers for Ledger’s daughter say it’s a transparent ploy to avoid paying the money. ReliaStar Life Insurance Company wrote the policy in June 2007 — six months before Ledger died. The beneficiary of the policy is a trustee who would hold the money for 2-year-old Matilda. Instead of paying the $10 mil, ReliaStar set out to investigate whether Ledger took his own life, despite the fact that the New York City Medical Examiner ruled the death accidental. TMZ has obtained a lawsuit, filed by Matilda’s trustee, claiming ReliaStar (owned by ING Americas) has acted in bad faith by not promptly paying the $10 million and by wrongfully prying into the life of Heath Ledger after his death. Sources say lawyers for the insurance company have claimed Ledger’s death was “suspicious” — possibly suicide, which would nullify the policy. The company alleges in its answer to the lawsuit, “ReliaStar is entitled to investigate Plaintiff’s claim to determine if the ‘Suicide’ provision is applicable.” That provision states, “If the Insured commits suicide … we will pay only the amount of premiums paid to us.” ReliaStar’s lawyers have informed Matilda’s lawyers they intend to take the depositions of Mary-Kate Olsen, as well as the masseuse who was at Ledger’s home when he died, Ledger’s colleagues on his last film, his agents, doctors, psychologists and others. Lawyers for Matilda believe the insurance company is trying to scare and shame them into submission. They believe ReliaStar is trying to drag the process out, for what could be years, to avoid paying the money. We’re also told ReliaStar believes Ledger may have lied on two questions on his insurance application — specifically, whether he was taking prescription drugs when he filled out the application and whether he ever used illegal drugs. In its answer to the lawsuit, ReliaStar claims it can contest the policy if Ledger lied on the application and it was a “material misrepresentation.” Sources tell us Ledger had a prescription for Ambien when he filled out the application, but Ambien was not in his system when he died, nor were any illegal drugs. Lawyers for Matilda’s trust claim ReliaStar is flagrantly violating California law, which prohibits insurance companies from re-examining insurance applications after the policyholder dies. In the lawsuit, Matilda’s lawyers say they received a letter from ReliaStar, asking them to identify “all physicians who attended to [Ledger] and all hospitals or institutions where [he] was treated since 1996.” Matilda’s lawyers say the request blatantly violates the law. An official for ReliaStar told TMZ, “No decision has been made on the claim.” But lawyers for Matilda’s trust believe ReliaStar should have already paid and, according to the suit, is acting “maliciously, fraudulently and/or oppressively … depriving plaintiff of the insurance policy benefits.”

I thnk it’s safe to assume any any insurance company is gonna do whatever it can to keep from paying out premiums, so this comes as no surprise. Whether or not they are able to build a case that benefits them, tho, is another question. In the end, who is the final arbiter? If ReliaStar determines that they don’t have to pay out … who has the final say? Again, I’m glad that little Matilda is too young to comprehend any of this stuff. She is such a little doll, the spitting image of her late father. My heart goes out to her because despite whatever money she may get in the end, it will never be enough to replace the absence of her father :(

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source, Source]

Here are a few pics of the new Joker action figure from Batman: The Dark Knight, created by Hot Toys, which is about to hit the market … I’m just amazed at how much this little figure looks exactly like Heath Ledger. I mean, I know that action figures are supposed to look like the actors who play their characters but that isn’t always the case … in this instance, the likeness is uncanny:

Hot Toys is releasing a 1/6th scale figure of The Joker in “Bank Robber” mode. The figure stands 12-inches tall, features 32-points of articulation, and comes with a choice of two removable heads, one with a huge grin, the other with the slicked back hair. Accessories include a removable clown mask, handgun, a bigger gun, duffle bag, smoke and fragmentation grenades, playing cards, gotham city money and more.

Click HERE to see more photos of this action figure, it’s really very remarkably made. I have a pretty good feeling that Heath would’ve gotten a real kick out of this action figure had he been able to see while he still lived. I think it’s a pretty cool tribute to the chilling character that he portrayed in The Dark Knight. Well done.

[Source]

Yeah, remember all that jazz about Mary-Kate Olsen getting subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury to find out what she may know about the circumstances surrounding Heath Ledger‘s untimely death? Yeah, that’s already over with … the US Attorney’s Office has decided to officially end the investigation, putting a stop to all subpoenaed testimony before it was even given. You know somewhere Mary-Kate Olsen is heaving a HUGH sigh of relief right about now:

The U.S. Attorney’s Office closed its investigation into Heath Ledger’s accidental overdose death and will not enforce a subpoena against Mary-Kate Olsen, a law-enforcement source told PEOPLE. The probe was closed without any charges being filed. Olsen, 22, was subpoenaed by a federal grand jury on April 23, but her attorney had been in negotiations with federal authorities since then, the source said. Olsen had wanted immunity before testifying. Olsen’s attorney released a statement saying the actress “had nothing to do” with Ledger’s drugs and had already provided “relevant information” to investigators. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Olsen’s rep both declined to comment. Ledger, 28, was found dead in his Soho apartment on Jan. 22, and the coroner determined the actor died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs for pain, anxiety and sleep.

And that, folks, is that. To be honest, I never thought that things would be brought to this point, I never anticipated that subpoenas would even be issued so I’m not all that surprised that the investigation was ended (called off?). By the sounds of it, the investigation shouldn’t've even gotten this far (since “a massive investigation … launched over an accidental death in which no criminality was even hinted at” has never happened before). Hopefully now Heath can just rest in peace and the world can move on … and MK can finally get a peaceful night of sleep (which doesn’t necessarily mean her conscience is totally clear).

[Source]

Christian Bale and Heath Ledger, in their roles as Batman and The Joker, are featured on the cover and in the pages of this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly … here is the magazine cover and an excerpt from the coverstory that contains no spoilers but gives you a good understanding of what the article is all about:

With The Dark Knight, Nolan and Bale return to Gotham City for a second, even moodier and more savage installment of the superhero franchise they revamped in 2005 with Batman Begins. The movie delivers on its promise, pitting Batman against the freaky new fiend in psychotic cosmetics who robs banks and blows up hospitals for the sheer anarchic kick of it. Most of the familiar faces (and one new Two-Face) are on board, including wry butler Alfred (Michael Caine), stalwart police detective Gordon (Gary Oldman), and lawyer-slash-love interest Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, taking over the role from Katie Holmes), as well as a new crusading district attorney named Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). The Dark Knight has everything fans expect from the series: gizmos like a sleek new ”Bat Pod” motorcycle, eye-popping stunts (most performed the old-fashioned way, with real stuntmen and real explosions), and, of course, the brooding Bale, arguably the best, certainly the most serious actor ever to growl under the cowl. Still, when the film opens July 18, Ledger will be Topic A. His turn in The Dark Knight would have been widely talked about this summer even if the 28-year-old actor hadn’t died of an accidental prescription-drug overdose last January. It might have even earned him another Oscar nomination (it still could, posthumously). Now the performance is shrouded in tragedy, though, and may well be Ledger’s last cinematic testament (it’s unclear what Terry Gilliam will, or can, do with the actor’s unfinished footage from The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus). And that loads The Dark Knight with a poignancy its creators never anticipated. Certainly one they never desired. Along with the grief it caused friends and family, Ledger’s death cast a shadow of uncertainty over the film. It had Warner Bros. reexamining its entire marketing plans for the movie, conducting taste tests on the appropriateness of Ledger’s clown face on publicity stills and in trailers. Hardly the way the studio had hoped it would be launching its biggest summer thrill ride.

To be honest, I haven’t even read the entire coverstory for fear of reading too much about the movie that is still over a week away from release. If you are so inclined, you can read the article online HERE and risk the spoilers for yourself (a new trailer for The Dark Knight ran in front of Hancock last night and I tried to cover my eyes … there’s just so much TDK stuff out there that I don’t want to see any more until the movie comes out on the 18th). Even still … there is a lot of cool stuff that I think we can see safely, without fear of spoiling the movie. After the jump, check out a photo of Heath Ledger wearing The Joker prosthetics on his face but without make-up … it’s kind of an eerie thing to see …