In 2008, the whole world was shaken by actor Heath Ledger’s tragic death. It’s hard to grasp, but it’s been over 16 years since the talented Australian actor passed away and left a whole world mourning.
It remains unclear as to why 28-year-old Heath Ledger ended up in such a downward spiral, but one thing that we know for certain is that he loved his daughter, Matilda, more than anything.
And if he could see how she’s doing today and what she looks like, I’m one hundred percent sure Heath would have been incredibly proud of his daughter…
Sister inspired him
Heath Ledger’s acting talents would take him on a trip all the way from school plays in Western Australia to the most significant motion pictures in the world. And even though he died only 28 years old, Heath managed to accomplish more than many actors do in a lifetime.
He was born in 1979 in Perth, Australia. His mom was a French teacher, and his dad was a racing car driver and a mining engineer. Already at a young age, Heath developed his interest in acting and he was a raw talent
Heath Ledger in 2000 (Bob Riha Jr/WireImage)
Heath was also very close to his older sister, and she inspired him to pursue a career in acting. As a hunky, twenty-year-old actor, he almost instantly made an impression after moving to Los Angeles.
His breakthrough came with the romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You in 1999. One year later, the handsome Aussie actor was hailed for delivering a memorable role in the blockbuster movie The Patriot.
But it would take a few years before he was cast to the movie that really changed Heath’s life forever.
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Meeting Michelle Williams
When Heath Ledger was offered the role as Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain in 2004, he nearly turned it down. But after being encouraged by this then-girlfriend, Naomi Watts, he decided to give it a go.
That decision would have a lot of consequences.
First of all, his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar, the rough and silent cowboy from Wyoming, became a career-defining role for Heath Ledger.
Heath Ledger during 2005 Venice Film Festival – “Brokeback Mountain” – Arrivals at Sala Grande in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Niki Nikolova/FilmMagic)
While working on set, he fell in love with actress Michelle Williams.
Sparks flew when the pair met during the production of Brokeback Mountain in the summer of 2004; Michelle played Alma, the wife of Heath Ledger’s character.
Years later, the director Ang Lee revealed that the couple’s love story began Michelle Williams was sent to the hospital on the first day of shooting the movie. She had twisted her knee and apparently, Heath Ledger was holding her hand all the way to the hospital. He “tried to comfort her and it was pretty obvious he was interested in her,” Lee told USA Today.
Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams together while on a break during filming of Brokeback Mountain in Fort McLoed, Alberta. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
The two actors became very close during the making of the iconic movie. In fact, Heath and Michelle lived in the same tiny trailer van while recording.
”It was really beautiful. Yeah it was very romantic. We were suddenly thrown into a little husband-wife situation. Our bed, honestly, was no bigger than that little round table there. My legs would hang off this far at the end. But it was worth it. And it was comfortable, somehow,” Heath told journalist Christine Spines back 2005.
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Ledger had fallen head-over-heels in love with Williams, one year his junior. It wasn’t long before the pair were starting to plan their future together.
“We talked about having children very early. I have always known that I wanted to become a young father,” Ledger said in an interview, according to Australian site News.
Stay-at-home daddy
One year after her father and mother started dating, Matilda Rose Ledger was born on 28 October 2005. She came into the world just before Brokeback Mountain premiered.
Four months after his daughter’s birth, Heath decided to become a stay-at-home dad so that Michelle could focus on doing movies.
“I’m going to try not to work at all this year and send Michelle out to bring in the cash. I’ll be Mr. Mom. It’s something that’s very important to me – something that every dad, if he can, should do his best to achieve,” Heath said and continued:
”My life right now is, I wouldn’t say reduced to food, but my duties in life are that I wake up, cook breakfast, clean the dishes, prepare lunch, clean those dishes, go to the market, get fresh produce, cook dinner, clean those dishes and then sleep if I can. And I love it. I actually adore it.”
Becoming a father exceeded all Heath’s expectations and he once said that it was ”the most remarkable experience I’ve ever had”.