Private Memorial for Heath Ledger Held in L.A.
An intimate memorial for Heath Ledger, attended by immediate family and close friends including former girlfriend Naomi Watts, was held in Los Angeles on Saturday night just hours after the actor’s death was marked at a New York event.
A discreet 30-minute service was held at Westwood Village Memorial Park, Australia’s Channel 7 reports, during which Watts was “visibly upset.”
Around 8 p.m. that evening, a small gathering of black-dressed mourners, including the Australian actress, was seen in the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hotel for a private event, a source said. Ledger’s rep had said that no public memorial was planned for Los Angeles.
Earlier, about 1,000 guests at an Australian event in New York heard a message from Ledger’s father, Kim Ledger, read by Australia’s consul-general.
“Heath did not become an actor for the fame or fortune. He loved his craft and he loved helping his friends. He loved chess and skateboarding too,” said the letter read to guests at the G’Day USA Australia Day Ball at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan. “My image of Heath in New York is him with his skateboard, a canvas bag and his beanie. That was Heath to me.”
But mostly, Kim wrote, “Heath is and always will be an Australian.”
Kim, Ledger’s mother Sally and sister Kate were in Los Angeles on Saturday awaiting arrival of the actor’s body from New York, The Age reports. Ledger was found dead in his New York apartment on Tuesday. A cause of death has not been determined.
According to several Australian news reports, a memorial and burial in Ledger’s hometown of Perth are also expected.
The Los Angeles memorial was first reported by Entertainment Tonight.
I was absolutly gutted when i read the article that heath ledger had been found dead he was my idol, i wanted to meet him in the future, i love all of his films i think he was a brillant actor, i am so sad he has left us, i love 10 things i hate about you, a knights tale, brokeback mountain, the brothers grimm,
x..||HEATH lEDGER IS MY HERO AND A LEDGEND R.I.P||..x
Comment by x...Chelsea-Louise...x — January 28, 2008 @ 9:43 am
Heath Ledger was the best actor everrrrr
LEDGENDDDDD FOREVER
REST.IN.PEACE HEATH
XXXXXX
Comment by Adam — January 28, 2008 @ 9:46 am
When i heard news of Heath Ledgers death ,i truly felt sick. He was a wonderful actor. Just by the roles he played, it was with out doubt he truly was a REAL actor. The passion he had for this art form was so well expressed, when he was on screan i felt as though i were apart of the movie. These days actors are all about the limelite,and the money . So,few still project the passion,and carry the real dream of performing from the heart!
From 10 things i hate to A Knights Tale he stold my attention.
Comment by robin — January 30, 2008 @ 1:00 am
People have been leaving messages on here thinking they knew Heath but the truth is no one really knew him except his family, but what we do know is that Heath had tremendous talent and he would have gone so far, I was deeply shocked when I heard he had passed away and my thoughts are with his family at this hard time.
Comment by Helen Speed — February 4, 2008 @ 2:22 pm