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Australian actor Heath Ledger died in New York yesterday, after his housekeeper found him naked and unconscious in his SoHo apartment, with a selection of prescription and non-prescription pills by his bedside.
The 28-year-old star of Brokeback Mountain is said to have been in full cardiac arrest by
the time emergency services arrived and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The father of one was heartbroken by his split with co-star Michelle Williams last year and had admitted being left tormented and sleepless by playing the Joker in the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight.
Ledger told recently how playing the psychopathic Joker drove him to drink and pills. He said: "I stressed out too much. Last week I slept an average of two hours a night."
The sleeping pills he was reportedly taking have been embroiled in controversy in Australia, where hundreds of people have had potentially dangerous reactions to the drug.
Called Ambien in the US, the tablet is marketed as Stilnox Downunder and hit headlines last year when a national drug hotline fielded calls from users reporting strange side-effects.
Some 500 people described odd behaviours from walking, crashing cars, having sex and falling from balconies after popping a pill.
But his family are adamant the Oscar-nominated actor did not take his own life, telling Perth reporters his death was a tragic accident.
"We, Heath's family, can confirm the very tragic, untimely and accidental passing of our dearly loved son, brother and doting father of Matilda," said his father, Kim Ledger.
"He was found peacefully asleep in his New York apartment by his housekeeper. He was a down-to-earth, generous, kind-hearted, life-loving, unselfish, individual [and] extremely inspirational to many.
"We'd like to thank our friends and everyone around the world for their well wishes," Mr Ledger said.
"Heath has touched so many people during his short life but few had the pleasure of truly knowing him."
Ledger's unconscious body was found by a housekeeper at 3.35pm (9.35am NZT) when a masseuse arrived for a scheduled appointment.
Lieutenant John Grimpal, of New York police, said the cause of death was yet to be determined.
Williams, Ledger's former fiancee and mother of their 2-year-old daughter, Matilda Rose, is said to be devastated by the death.
The couple met in 2004 while filming Brokeback Mountain. Matilda Rose was born in October 2005, but the couple split in August 2007 and shared custody.
Born in Perth, Western Australia, in 1979, Ledger was the son of engineer Kim and French teacher Sally.
A 20-year-old Ledger shot to fame as the bad boy misfit in the teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You.
But Ledger was uncomfortable with his pin-up boy status and deliberately chose grittier film roles.
From 2000 to 2004, he starred in moderately successful films, including The Patriot, Monster's Ball, A Knight's Tale and The Brothers Grimm.
In 2005 he received widespread critical acclaim for his role in Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain, in which he played a homosexual cowboy.
He was nominated for a Golden Globe and Academy award, although won neither.
Ledger, who recently completed the new Batman film, said the role was "the most fun I've had with a character and probably will ever have".
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