Is Hollywood over-doing the worship of Heath Ledger?

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JohnSe

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Heath Ledger is the Australian-born actor who played the part of "The Joker" in the latest Batman 2008 movie installment, "The Dark Knight". He died in a "toxic combination of prescription drugs" (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heath_Ledger) last January 2008, so there was significant talk about him at last year's Academy Awards in February 2008 although "The Dark Knight" was not brought up yet for award nominations.

Last night was the 2009 Academy Awards and Heath Ledger was honored when he won for Best Supporting Male Actor. There was also a special presentation on stage with his family and others saying eulogistic words for him, similar to some of what we heard at the 2008 Academy Awards when they took time out to say words of sorrow for Keith Ledger.

And then, there was all the hype the past few weeks leading up to this year's Academy Awards and virtually across the board, all the Hollywood pundits and reporters were saying Heath Ledger was a shoe-in for the Best Supporting Actor award. "Heath Ledger! Heath Ledger! Heath Ledger!"...was all that seemed to be coming from the TV the last several days whenever the news channels turned attention to the Academy Awards.

Now I am always one to show respect when someone has done a good job, and particularly when someone of merit has passed away. But I do note that other memorable actors and actresses have died in the world yet I cannot recall when there was more fuss made about an actor passing (save that of Ronald Reagan) than there was with Heath Ledger.

Why? Was he "the GREATEST actor of all time?"

[Actually, I like Jack Nicholson's portrayal of The Joker better than Heath Ledger's...and Heath also played Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain" which I didn't care for as a Western.]

My theory is that some people are drama junkies and getting behind a worthwhile cause -- be it to raise money for AIDS or to eulogize a fallen co-worker -- can sometimes motivate sympathetic hearts to an extreme. Hollywood is a cut-throat place where some would sell their own mother for a nickle if it got them some significant screen time, but they are also notorious as bleeding-heart liberals. So when there is a cause to show sympathy for something, they can go ALL OUT! (maybe to purge their own partying, guilt-ridden and tortured souls...smiles!)

Is it just my perception that the passing of Heath Ledger has been hyped to such an extreme that it may put other worthwhile actors' and actresses' passing to the pale?

No disrespect to the Ledger family intended. I'm just wondering if Hollywood is a little out-of-balance here with what the rest of the viewing public is shown and perceives. Was Ledger truly the GREATEST actor of all time? And if so, did I miss something?
 
can you imagine if he didn't win though?? Then the winner of the best-supporting actor would be hated to no end! his family even flew over from australia

i'm kind of neutral as to whether or not he deserved the oscar, haven't seen all the other performances yet.
 
yes,he was a brilliant actor and he played The joker very well and I was amused by it!
He had to win the academy award but at all he has gone away.
 
Sometimes but he was a good actor. (couldn't stand him as the Joker though.) Ugghh the constant licking of the lips drove me crazy.
 
I honestly think it's his untimely death at 28 years old that has people unable to move beyond this. Actors like Paul Newman and Ronald Reagan lived full lives and therefore were somewhat easier to accept. Anytime someone passes before their time I think the people left behind almost feel an obligatory need to constantly honor them, which is completely understandable.
As Far as the award show goes, Heath Ledger did deserve that award, not because he was a better joker than Jack, But because he brought a different twist to the character. You aren't comparing apples to apples. They are both equally brilliant in their own right.
And they didn't continuously honor him last night. The only time he was really talked about in depth was when his award was being accepted by his family. If you noticed, when Queen Latifah was singing and they were showing clips of the actors that had passed in 2008/2009, he wasn't even shown.
So I will quit rambling, and in conclusion, let the fans, friends and family of Heath Ledger continue to honor and mourn him in the way they feel necessary. And if they feel he is the GREATEST actor of all time, then good for them.
 
I thought Ledger's Joker was great, fantastic and awesome. I think he truly deserved awards for that performance. I suppose you can't give him an award without paying respects for the dead. The loss of Ledger is harder to take because we wanted and expected more great performances from him.

I think I hear what you are saying. There are news stories that get dragged out over and over and seam to never end. I think Ledger's Joker performance doesn't fit this category because the "hype" was limited to these award shows. IMHO
 
i think it's a way of keeping peace somewhat (but one part i would remove from that question was when you said why is he the best actor of all time because that was never the matter)

but i'm just gonna state my point as if that wasn't there because i would never stop talking about how no one said he was

ok well back to my first key point. it does keep peace because so many people are mad he got it but also so many people would be mad if he didn't. now here's the dirty part. he died because of a pill habbit and addiction to them and depression apparently. that was probably caused by playing his roles and sinking deep into the dark parts of his mind. if they just toss him aside it will show that the system doesn't mind people ruining their minds for roles then getting rid of them

now his story isn't someone who wasn't supported enough so he's dead

now he died and won best supporting actor

that's the headline right now right? ie that's the story people will remember

here's another part of that. his family may have felt resentment to the industry. or the people he knew

now that's overshadowed by them handing them the best supporting actor

that would sum it up enough for now. i feel i'm missing something i planned to write from the start because i was disrupted but what can ya do?

oh ya i remember that point now. this got many people who weren't interested in the award show interested. now you'll have joe shmow who doesn't really know a thing asking about heath ledger and if he won. or happy he won for no reason

or just people who just like that kind of movie or liked him in the movie. liked the movie in general etc. liked batman. that's more draw

oh and also not just asking but watching and maybe starting to see some of the other qualities that they haven't noticed before. and hey maybe now they're out to see benjamin bunton which they never would have seen before because they saw it represented on the show

and it's so true. death sells

if he didn't die i wonder if jack nicholson would have been the talk. some people would have been saying he did much better i'm sure

i heard no one saying that. i didn't even hear his name mentioned by people saying he did the role better

but all i heard was see that batman movie it's the best

and what did you think of heath ledger. and these were people who had never rated things like that before

death sells

they know damn well he's gonna win too so they can say he played it great and know he has the support of the big award pickers. therefor not look like they don't know what they're doing. people go for that so much and it makes me mad
 
He was a very handsome guy but hey, what a waste of an award. It should go to one of the very alive actors that deserve it too. At least they can enjoy the award while Heath has moved on and will never see it or is able to profit from it. I really think a separate category should be for posthumous awards for people who did a great job and are dead and leave the Academy award for the living. When the family went up to receive the award I had to put it on mute . I am so sick and tired of hearing about him. He died of an overdose. Lets put it in perspective and not honor that behavior. 'nuff said.
 
So ?
Cant an actor win multiple awards ?
It was the 2nd highest grossing film in film history , if the actor/s in the film didn't win awards there is something seriously wrong .
 
YES...he was good, but we dont need hero worship for this passed away drug addict
 
i agree with your theory. but its not just hollywood. its the general public. whenever someone dies people love to just "RIP" this and that. i think they kind of enjoy being mournful or something, like it makes them feel human
 
So ?
Cant an actor win multiple awards ?
It was the 2nd highest grossing film in film history , if the actor/s in the film didn't win awards there is something seriously wrong .
 
Hollywood loves to praise losers and that was what Ledger was. I also liked JackNicholoson better as the joker. Ledger was to scary. Batman should be a family movie and with Ledger in it, made it too scary. The only reason he won the award last night was because he died at a young age. Never mind that he killed himself with too many drugs.
 
Hollywood loves to praise losers and that was what Ledger was. I also liked JackNicholoson better as the joker. Ledger was to scary. Batman should be a family movie and with Ledger in it, made it too scary. The only reason he won the award last night was because he died at a young age. Never mind that he killed himself with too many drugs.
 
YES...he was good, but we dont need hero worship for this passed away drug addict
 
So ?
Cant an actor win multiple awards ?
It was the 2nd highest grossing film in film history , if the actor/s in the film didn't win awards there is something seriously wrong .
 
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