Heath Ledger's death is affecting me more than I thought it would, or more than it should, technically. I mean, I never met the man, I've seen only two of his movies. Yet I keep remembering and feeling incredibly sad. I don't want to use the same words as everyone else, "RIP, so tragic, so sad, gone too soon" because it seems more than that. It's not right, it's not fair, it's not natural and it doesn't seem real. For a touching tribute, read A Room Of One's Own's (http://aroom-of-ones-own.blogspot.com/) two wonderful posts on Heath. I really couldn't hope to do any better, but I found these two videos on youtube, and I really wanted to share them.
The first is Heath on Ellen in 2006, just after he was nominated for Brokeback Mountain. This is how I want to, and how I think we should, remember Heath: so vibrantly alive. He's obviously uncomfortable and nervous being interviewed, really fidgety, but look how he laughs and brightens when speaking of his daughter. It touches my heart. The "Oh my God!" when Ellen pulls out the outfit just makes me smile, and happy. Plus, we get to hear that beautiful Australian lilt that was so often buried under an array of accents.
And the second one is of Heath and Jake Gyllenhaal at the SAG Awards, presenting Brokeback Mountain. Obviously he's scared and giddy, and his laughing just makes me smile.
I think, to honor Heath, we should remember his work, and his life. Over the next few weeks, all sorts of "Breaking News" stories about his "heroin addiction" and "secret life." What good does this do? Let's have a little respect for the dead. He wasn't, and isn't, a tabloid story or cover. He should be remembered as a man, not as toxicology reports or a body being wheeled out from his apartment in a flash of paparazzi bulbs. As a human being who loved his daughter so fiercely, loved and craved privacy, and really had no interest in being in the public eye.
“I fall deeper and deeper in love with both my girls.”
I'm so sick of the entertainment shows saying in their pompous voices,"Did Heath Ledger have a drug problem? STAY TUNED!" Why does death cause this? Why is it any of our business? It's not. Why can't they just realize that a death is a death, even though Heath was an actor. Can you imagine if a regular person (as in, not famous) died and a newspaper or something started these horrible rumors? Yet because he "asked for it," it's okay. It's not. This will never be okay. His family has lost their 28 year old boy. Leave them alone. How dare they swarm them at the airport as they get off the plane to attend a memorial service for their son, their brother? How dare they?
Rest in peace just doesn't seem enough.
4 comments:
Word. It's terrible how his death is treated like more like a top show for ET than....a death.
I hear you. It also bugs me how huge part of the media has dealed about it in such a nasty/sensasionalist way... It's like Daniel Day-Lewis said in the press room after this year's SAGs: the creepy details about the investigation of his death should be kept only in his family, it's not anyone's else business.
He should be remembered by his art, and for that he will live forever. Thanks for mentioning my blog here. -x-
I've just seen the videos, and wow.. jeez. It made me smile and laugh, as I did before at those times, but this time it is just different, it's laughs and sadness at the same time. But you're right, that's how you should remember him.
Hey, A. Yeah, it truly sucks how this is treated.
I was telling my friend Ryan about it, and he -- shocker -- didn't realise who Heath was. When I told him, he got downright upset because he loved "A Knight's Tale" and thought he was great. My best friend almost cried when she realised he was the good albeit misunderstood male lead in "10 Things I Hate About You".
And while the media may rip him to pieces, my friend and I celebrated his short but impactful life by watching "Brokeback".
So for every negative word they have to say, I hope I can convince another one of my friends of how great he was. They won't be swayed into thinking he was some skeezy drug addict.
On another note entirely, I didn't even know "brilliant" was British. But good to know. My friends never inform me; I suppose they're used to it.
ALSO .. I saw JUNO! Love it. Went and bought the soundtrack, too. iTunes purchase, because I couldn't wait to get to the shops. So yes, it was as quality I expected it to be, which is ab fab in all of my books.
I love Diablo Cody, the screenwriter. And Ellen Page.
And I know this may be a little bad, considering his character in the end, but I liked Mark Loring. My friend, however, is checking me into rehab for such a statement.
Anyway, since I discovered something pretty grand about it, I shall be blogging about it.
And as always, flipping AWESOME blog entry.
Keep at it! =)
Post a Comment