NEW YORK — Oscar-nominee Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday at his downtown Manhattan residence, naked at the foot of the bed with prescribed sleeping pills in the apartment, police said. The Australian-born actor was 28.

There was no obvious indication of suicide or foul play, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said.

"We are all deeply saddened and shocked by this accident," Ledger's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said in a statement Tuesday night. "This is an extremely difficult time for his loved ones and we are asking the media to please respect the family's privacy and avoid speculation until the facts are known."

Ledger was found at his apartment at 421 Broome Street in the Soho section of New York City and was pronounced dead at 3:35 p.m. EST, NYPD spokeswoman Stephanie Jaramillo told FOXNews.com.

The "Brokeback Mountain" actor had an appointment for a massage at the residence in the tony SoHo neighborhood, Browne said. A housekeeper who went to let him know the massage therapist had arrived and the massage therapist found his naked body in the bed at about 3:30 p.m. They tried to revive him, but he was already dead.

Jaramillo declined to comment on the cause of death, saying only that "the investigation is still ongoing."

The medical examiner's office planned an autopsy Wednesday, spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said.

I am sorry to be insensitive, but couldnt this had happened before he was cast as the Joker. I just never liked him as an actor, except maybe on Lords of Dogtown.

No way? You saw the trailers and still didn't like him?! I thought he was surprisingly amazing as the Joker. *___*

Still, apparently it wasn't a suicide.

I forgot Brokeback Mountain didn't get him any headlines.

Considering the drug use in Hollywood I wouldn't think he'd be stupid enough to " accidentally " take too many pills.

In fact, it didn't appear that he had taken too many out of it at all.

The officials, who provided new details about Mr. Ledger’s death, emphasized that no illegal drugs were found in the apartment and that there were no obvious signs of suicide. Tests on a rolled-up $20 bill that was found in the apartment found no evidence that the bill had been used to handle drugs, they said.

Source: http://www.tmz.com/2008/01/23/five-differe...aths-apartment/

TMZ has learned what types of pills were discovered in the apartment where Heath Ledger was found dead.

NYPD sources tell TMZ that nearly full pill bottles containing the anti-anxiety medications Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan) were found in the apartment. The sleeping medication Zopiclone (Lunesta) and the sedative Temazepam (Restoril) -- which is used by people with "debilitating insomnia" -- were also found.

All of the drugs were prescribed to Ledger.

If you're one of those guys who has to get the last word in to feel good about themselves then feel free to do it.

Source: http://news.aol.com/entertainment/movies/m...S00010000000001

Ledger's Death an Accidental Overdose
OxyContin, Xanax Found in 'Brokeback Mountain' Actor's Blood
By AMY WESTFELDT, AP
Posted: 2008-02-06 17:26:06
Filed Under: Movie News
NEW YORK (Feb. 6) - Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose of painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medication and other prescription drugs, the New York City medical examiner said Wednesday.

The New York City medical examiner's office has ruled that Heath Ledger's death was caused by "acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine." Five other medications were found in the actor's apartment by the NYPD.
The cause of death was "acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine," spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said in a statement.

Ledger Family Statement

We remain humble as parents and a family, among millions of people worldwide who may have suffered the tragic loss of a child. Few can understand the hollow, wrenching, and enduring agony parents silently suffer when a child predeceases them. Today's results put an end to speculation, but our son's beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts.

While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage.

Our family enjoyed an extremely happy two week visit with Heath just prior to the New Year. Those recent precious days will stay with us forever. We as a family feel privileged to have some of his amazing magic moments captured in film. To most of the world Heath was an actor of immeasurable talent and promise. To those who knew him personally, Heath was a consummate artist whose passions also included photography, music, chess and directing. We knew Heath as a loving father, as our devoted son, and as a loyal and generous brother and friend.

We treasure our beautiful granddaughter Matilda (to our dear Michelle) as well as an unbelievably wonderful network of close friends, forever, around the world. Families rarely experience the uplifting, warm and massive outpouring of grief and support as have we, from every corner of the planet. This has deeply and profoundly touched our hearts and lives. We are eternally grateful.

At this moment we respectfully request the worldwide media allow us time to grieve privately, without the intrusions associated with press and photography.

Source: TMZ.com
The medical examiner's office only provided generic names, so it is unknown whether he took generic or brand-name drugs. Police had said they found six types of prescription drugs, including sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication, in Ledger's apartment.

Oxycodone is a painkiller marketed as OxyContin and used in other painkillers such as Percodan and Percocet; hydrocodone is used in a number of painkillers, including Vicodin.

Diazepam and alprazolam are the generic names for the anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax, and the other two drugs are sleep aids commonly sold under the brands Restoril and Unisom.

Borakove wouldn't say what concentrations of each drug were found in Ledger's blood, or whether one drug played a greater part than another in causing his death.

"What you're looking at here is the cumulative effects of these medications together," she said.

The ruling comes two weeks after the 28-year-old Australian-born actor was found dead in the bed of his rented SoHo apartment.

Ledger's family returned to the actor's hometown of Perth, Australia, on Tuesday to prepare for his funeral. Arrangements were private.

In a statement released through Ledger's publicist, the actor's father, Kim, said Wednesday: "While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage."

Heath Ledger was discovered by his masseuse Jan. 22 after she arrived for an appointment that afternoon. She entered his bedroom to set up for the massage and found him unresponsive, and proceeded to call Mary-Kate Olsen three times over the next 9 minutes before dialing 911. Ledger had been dead for some time, and police say no foul play occurred. Police said they found a rolled-up $20 bill near the bed.

Ledger, nominated for an Oscar for his role in "Brokeback Mountain," had returned to New York from London, where he had been filming a $30 million Terry Gilliam film, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," days before his death. He said in a November interview that his roles in the Batman movie "The Dark Knight" and the Bob Dylan biopic "I'm Not There" had taken a toll.

"Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Ledger told The New York Times. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going." He said he had taken two Ambien pills, which only gave him an hour of sleep.

Out of the whole list, I only recalled Brokeback and brothers grim. Lol.

Lance.

Jude Law, Johnny Depp and Colin Farrell will appear as Heath Ledger's character in unfinished film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, the BBC has learned.

A spokeswoman for Law confirmed the three would play the role of Tony in the film, but said she did not know how the role would be restructured.

Production on the Terry Gilliam directed film was suspended after Ledger, 28, died from a drug overdose.

Ledger had been filming scenes for the movie in London just before his death.

It is thought that original footage of Ledger will remain while Law, Depp and Farrell will play different incarnations of his character, Tony.

The fantasy film follows a travelling theatre troupe which offers audience members the chance to pass through a magical mirror to alternate dimensions.

Depp, Law, and Farrell are each expected to "become" Ledger's character in one of these new worlds.

Law's spokeswoman said the actor, who is on holiday, was unavailable for comment.

'Great actor'

Ledger died from an accidental overdose of six different types of prescription drugs in his New York apartment.

After filming for the movie had finished in London, the $30m (£15.1m) production then moved to Vancouver, Canada for interior and bluescreen scenes before it was suspended upon news of Ledger's death.

At the time, the film's makers described Ledger as "a great actor, a great friend and a great spirit" and said Gilliam and his producers would be "assessing how best to proceed".

Last weekend, international film stars were among mourners at a memorial service for the Ledger in his home town of Perth.

Speakers at the service, which was followed by a private burial for close family only, included actress Cate Blanchett and film director Neil Armfield.