Timeline: Ledger's Life & Death
Ledger's Life & Death
April 4, 1979:
Heath Andrew Ledger is born in Perth, Western Australia.
(Photo: AP Photo)
1995:
Joins the Globe Shakespeare Company in Sydney and acts in independent films.
1996:
Plays a cyclist hoping to land a spot on an Olympic team in the TV show "Sweat."
July 1997:
Stars as a Celtic warrior prince in the TV series "Roar."
(Photo: AP Photo)
1998:
Moves to the U.S. Still hasn't taken any acting lessons.
Spring 1998:
Cast opposite Julia Stiles in "10 Things I Hate About You," an updated "The Taming of the Shrew" in a high-school setting. Then chooses not to work for over a year because he doesn't want to do another movie about teens.
Spring 1999:
Cast in the Revolutionary War drama "The Patriot," playing the son of Mel Gibson's character.
Spring 2001:
Stars in "A Knight's Tale."
(Photo: Columbia Pictures)
Winter 2001:
Plays the son of Billy Bob Thornton's character in "Monster's Ball."
March 2004:
Stars as the title character in "Ned Kelly," playing the Australian outlaw; dates actress Naomi Watts.
April 2004:
Works on "The Lords of Dogtown," a fictionalized version of a cult classic 2001 skateboarding documentary, which is filmed in the Los Angeles area.
(Photo: AP/Columbia/TriStar Pictures)
June 2005:
Moves to the New York City borough of Brooklyn. His girlfriend, Michelle Williams, is expecting the couple's first child. They met while filming "Brokeback Mountain"; she plays his wife in the movie.
(Photo: AP Photo)
August 2005:
Stars opposite Matt Damon in Terry Gilliam's "The Brothers Grimm."
(Photo: AP/Dimension Films)
Oct. 28, 2005:
Matilda Rose, his daughter with Williams, is born. Regarding a possible wedding, he tells Canada's National Post in 2005: "Look, I wouldn't rule it out. But if I was going to marry, the media won't know about it."
Dec. 15, 2005:
Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" is released.
Jan. 31, 2006:
Nominated for a best-actor Oscar for "Brokeback Mountain."
(Photo: Focus Features)
Nov. 11, 2006:
Stars as a heroin addict and sometime poet named Dan in the film "Candy."
September 2007:
Breaks up with Williams.
Nov. 21, 2007:
"I'm Not There" opens. Ledger is one of the actors playing Bob Dylan, along with Cate Blanchett. Williams also stars.
(Photo: AP)
2007:
Plays the Joker in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight," a sequel to "Batman Begins." Film is due out in 2008.
(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)
Jan. 22, 2008:
Ledger's body is found in his Manhattan apartment. He was 28.
(Photo: AP Photo/David Karp)
Jan. 23, 2008:
N.Y. police release a detailed timeline of the events of Jan. 22:
- 1 p.m.: Teresa Solomon, Ledger's housekeeper, goes into his bedroom to change a light bulb, sees him sleeping and hears what she thought
was snoring. She leaves the room without thinking anything is wrong. - 2:45 p.m.: Massage therapist Diana Wolozin shows up for Ledger's massage appointment, knocks on his door.
- 3 p.m.: Wolozin calls Ledger's cell phone to wake him up. After setting up her massage table, she tries to wake Ledger and realizes something is wrong. She tells police that the actor was cold to the touch, but she assumes he was unconscious.
- 3:17 p.m.: Wolozin uses Ledger's cell phone and makes a 49-second call to actress Mary-Kate Olsen, whose number is programmed into the
phone. Wolozin knows that Olsen and Ledger are friends, and she
asks Olsen for advice on what she should do next. Olsen, who also lives in Manhattan but was in California at the time, responds by saying she will send over her private security guards to help deal with the situation. - 3:20 p.m.: Wolozin makes another call, lasting 1 minute and 39 seconds.
- 3:24 p.m.: Another call to Olsen lasts 21 seconds.
- 3:26 p.m.: Wolozin calls 911. The emergency operator provides Wolozin directions on how to do CPR, but it is too late.
- 3:33 p.m.: Paramedics arrive and and go up in the elevator to the apartment with Olsen's security guards. Paramedics
do not allow the security guards into the bedroom where Ledger died, and they declared him dead at 3:36 p.m. - 19 minutes after
the first call to Olsen. - 3:34 p.m.: Wolozon calls Olsen a final time at 3:34 p.m. The duration of that call is not known.
Feb. 6, 2008:
The New York City medical examiner said Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose of painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medication and other prescription drugs. The cause of death was "acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine," a spokeswoman said in a statement.
Feb. 9, 2008:
Following his cremation, a memorial service was held in Perth. A program handed out to mourners read: "This room is filled with the love we all felt for a great friend who will be missed by all of us. We want to thank those of you who took care of him and participated in his beautiful life."
Later, family and friends said a final farewell with a sunset dip in the ocean.
(Photo: AP Photo)