Tag Archives: Heath Ledger

Posthumous Oscars

This year, the forerunner for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor seems to be Heath Ledger, nominated for his searing performance as The Joke in The Dark Knight. Ledger received the nomination on January 22 – the one year anniversary of his death. (This image, by Howie Berlin, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 License) In case you were wondering, other actors have been nominated for Oscars posthumously. In the past 81 years, 53 people have received 70 posthumous nominations with 13 of them winning. The first person nominated for an Oscar after his death was writer … Continue reading →

In Memoriam 2008

Another year is coming to an end and of course, we’ve lost some iconic names in pop culture. Here are some of the people that passed away in 2008: January 11 – Mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, first man to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, 88 15 – Actor Brad Renfro (The Client, Apt Pupil, 25, of an accidental drug overdose 17 – World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer, 64, of kidney failure 18 – Actress Lois Nettleton (“Crossing Jordan”), 80, of lung cancer 19 – Actress Suzanne Pleshette (“Bob Newhart Show”), 70, of respiratory failure 19 – Singer John Stewart … Continue reading →

The Golden Globes are Announced

The Golden Globes award ceremony will be on NBC on January 11th, provided there isn’t another strike (and yes, there is a potential actors strike brewing). Today, we learned who might just win at the 66th annual Golden Globes. For Best Drama, the race is between Brad Pitt’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, the historical piece Frost/Nixon, The Reader (about a German lawyer, a woman he loves, and Nazi war crime trials), Revolutionary Road (based on the novel by Richard Yates about a couple in the ‘50s), and Slumdog Millionaire (about a Hindi orphan who stands to win 20 … Continue reading →

No Criminal Case in Heath Ledger’s Death

They know he died from an accidental drug overdose, but federal prosecutors wanted to learn how actor Heath Ledger obtained the powerful painkillers that contributed to his death. But, now, it appears that will remain a mystery. Yesterday prosecutors overseeing a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation into whether the painkillers found in Ledger’s system were obtained illegally decided not to pursue criminal charges against the person who supplied the actor with the drugs. Law enforcement officials say they bowed out of the probe “because they don’t believe there’s a viable target.” The announcement comes less than 24 hours after actress Mary-Kate … Continue reading →

Bernie Mac’s Health and Mary-Kate’s Heath

Bernie Mac has been hospitalized for pneumonia, but a source, who reportedly knows Mac’s family, told the Chicago Sun-Times that the comedian is in “very, very critical condition.” Bernie Mac’s publicist, Danica Smith, calls it a “very horrible rumor,” saying that there is no truth to it at all. Mac was admitted to a Chicago hospital (his hometown) on August 1, but Smith said he was responding well and was expected to be released soon. Mac had previously been diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a chronic inflammatory disease, in his lungs, but Smith said this bout with pneumonia is not related to … Continue reading →

The Dark Knight – PG-13 (2008)

Last night at 12:01 a.m. I sat down in a packed theater to watch The Dark Knight, the latest Batman film directed by Christopher Nolan and featuring Christian Bale in the titular role. The Dark Knight is an amazing cinematic feat that I will do my best to cover, but I honestly do not believe any review will do it justice. Heath Ledger Heath Ledger died shortly before the film was completed. His fellow actors have been lobbying to get him an Oscar nomination for his work as the penultimate Batman villain: Joker. It needs to be said that their … Continue reading →

On the Move—Courteney, Lisa, Wheel and More

Courteney Cox is returning to her roots. The former “Friends” star will be part of must-see TV this fall when she appears in a three-episode arc on the hit comedy “Scrubs.” According to Entertainment Weekly, the former “Dirt” actress will play the new Chief of Medicine at Sacred Heart Hospital. Insiders say Cox’s character is being introduced to “ruffle feathers” on the show. Lisa Ling is also on the move these days. The former “View” co-host and current special correspondent for “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and the National Geographic Channel is adding yet another line to her ever growing resume—“Nightline” … Continue reading →

Big Screen Tribute to Heath Ledger Planned

When “The Dark Knight” makes its debut on the big screen next month all eyes will be on the movie’s star the late Heath Ledger… and on his family who plans to be front and center at the film’s premiere. According to new reports, the premiere of Ledger’s final complete film, in which he stars as Batman’s nemesis, The Joker, will be dedicated to the actor and his family just acknowledged that they will be the special guests at the event. New York newspapers are reporting that Ledger’s parents and sisters will make the trip from their native Australia to … Continue reading →

Star Updates: Brokeback the Musical and Leno Rescues McMahon

BROKEBACK THE MUSICAL Hey, if they can do it for “Little House on the Prairie” then why not “Brokeback Mountain?” The love story portrayed on the big screen will soon be revived and sung in one of the nation’s largest theaters thanks to the New York City Opera. The group just commissioned Charles Wuorinen to compose the music for the opera, which will be based on the Academy Award-winning film. Much like the popular movie, which starred Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger, the opera will follow the 20-year love affair of two cowboys who share a secret romance … Continue reading →

Celebrity Updates: Ledger, Chapman, and Aiken

HEATH LEDGER Still no word on the claims made by uncles of the late Heath Ledger as to whether the movie star fathered a love child. And we probably will never know how much Ledger’s daughter Matilda gained financially when her young father’s will was honored. But what we do know now is what some Aussie’s are doing to keep Ledger’s legacy alive. Australians in Film just announced that it has established a scholarship in the late actor’s name to help wannabe Australian movie stars follow in their idol’s footsteps. According to organizers, the scholarship fund will be presented each … Continue reading →