- Title: VARIOUS: Australian-born actor Heath Ledger found dead in his New York apartment
- Date: 23rd January 2008
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) ( English) PAUL BROWNE, NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT(NYPD) SPOKESMAN SAYING: "What I said earlier is there were prescription medications that included sleeping pills that were taken from the apartment. Reports that they were scattered around the body were untrue." REPORTER: EXPLAIN WHAT THE SCENE WAS LIKE. "I explained that he was face down at the foot of the bed....REPORTER: NAKED...he was not clothed at the foot of the bed. REPORTER: HIS HEAD WAS AT THE FOOT OF THE BED OR WAS HE SIDEWAYS He was not responsive to the individuals that found him." REPORTER: "WAS THE ROOM IN DISARRAY?" "No the room was not is disarray. I don't know the cause of death we are awaiting the medical examiner's determination. REPORTER: IN TERMS OF THE PILLS WERE THERE EMPTY POTS JUST ON THE SIDE OF THE BED. CAN YOU GO INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT ?" "I can only repeat what I said, there were prescription medications taken from the apartment that included sleeping pills they were not scattered about the apartment. They were his prescription medications." REPORTER: "WAS THE DOOR TO THE APARTMENT LOCKED?" "Well, I don't know if i t was locked at the moment. It was occupied by two people in addition to him, who had reason to be there." REPORTER: DO YOU KNOW IF HE LIVED ALONE? " I don't know. " REPORTER: "He was renting that apartment." REPORTER: " YOU SAID THAT HE HAD TWO ROOMMATES? "I did not say that, there were two individuals, the housekeeper and the masseuse who had reason to be there when I was asked whether the door was looked or not." REPORTER:" DID THEY LIFT HIM OFF THE FLOOR?" " No, they found him at the foot of the bed on the floor."
- Embargoed: 7th February 2008 12:00
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- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,People
- Reuters ID: LVA8TY8VBARHGOFSY67L0HYEFWJ
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- Story Text: Australian-born actor Heath Ledger is found dead in his New York apartment. The Oscar nominated actor was found with pills near his body after a possible drug-related death.
Brokeback Mountain actor Heath Ledger was found dead in his New York apartment on Tuesday (January 22), police said.
Ledger, 28, was found unconscious with pills near his body after a possible drug-related death this afternoon, New York police department spokesman Paul Browne said.
Outside the SoHo apartment in downtown Manhattan, several police officers stood guard at the door as a large crowd of reporters and photographers gathered outside.
The Australian-born actor was found by his housekeeper at around 1530 EST (2020 GMT) after she went to let him know the masseuse had arrived for her appointment, Mr. Browne said.
Police officials said they did not suspect foul play and Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the city's medical examiner's office, said an autopsy was planned for tomorrow.
Neighbours and shop workers in the area said they frequently saw Ledger carrying his daughter Matilda on his shoulders, or having ice cream with her.
One man who works in a nearby department store says he saw Ledger walking in the neighbourhood on a regular basis.
"I'm just shocked by it obviously. I don't know exactly what the cause was, there's rumours. But it's a sad story, so young."
Ledger, who was nominated for the best actor Oscar in 2006 for Brokeback Mountain, had a two-year-old daughter Matilda from his relationship with actress Michelle Williams, who played his wife in the film.
The couple split up last year.
He was due to appear as the Joker this year in The Dark Night, a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins, and his other roles include the suicidal son of Billy Bob Thornton in Monster's Ball.
He also starred in A Knight's Tale, The Patriot, and 10 Things I Hate About You.
Ledger grew up in Perth, Australia and began doing amateur theatre at age 10. At 16, he moved to Sydney to pursue an acting career, quickly landing TV movie roles and guest spots on Australian television. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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