Heath Ledger
January 26, 2008 by Randy
Filed under Christianity, Current Affairs, Film, Gay, Homosexuality, Life, People, Photography, Tragedy
I wasn’t going to post anything about Heath yet because I wanted to wait and see what the results of his autopsy were. Even so, I didn’t plan on making a huge post and possibly not even addressing how he died.
We were taping for a DVD project coming out soon when a friend got a text message that Heath had been found dead. We all were like “wow” and there was a moment of silence and a few words of shock. Conversations picked up again about the project but about five minutes later I said out loud to those who were there, “Heath Ledger is dead? … that’s just not right.” What I meant by that is someone that young and talented should not die so quickly.
The reason I have gone ahead and posted this is because I have heard someone saying on their site that his role in Brokeback Mountain might have led to his demise because he played a gay character. Are you kidding me? I am not linking to their site because … that is just ridiculous and I won’t take the bait of sending all 7 or so of my readers over such ridiculous assertions.
I never saw Brokeback Mountain, I never saw it because I don’t really want to. I have seen Heath’s work in other movies and was really looking forward to seeing how he portrayed the Joker in the upcoming Batman movie. I don’t understand why someone would apparently entertain the idea that Heath died for playing a gay role.
God is the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and Ending of everything, and Heath will answer to Him and no one else. My prayers are for Heath’s surviving family and friends. They must be devastated.
Related posts (automatically generated)
Amy Lee on 
Cheryl on 
Ontario Emperor on 
Randy Thomas on 
Ryan on 
Yeah, That Thing Called Life : ETC: Everyday Thoughts Collected on 
Yeah, I never saw “Brokeback Mountain” either, but I liked him in “the Patriot” and “10 Things I Hate About You”. I was also looking forward to seeing him as the Joker. I’m like you, it’s sad when someone so young and talented dies like that. Just imagine what he could have went on to do.
I think you might be up to 9 or 10 readers now.
I forgot about The Patriot. He did a great job in that movie. Thanks for the reminder Brandon.
Eva! Coool. I guess in another four years of blogging I will have 20 readers :).
I only saw The Patriot (one of my favorite movies - guess why) and A Knight’s Tale. My opinion is that he was a very good actor. But why in the world would anyone try to speculate at WHY he died. We will never know the right answer to that question in our finiteness. If playing a gay character killed people, I’d be dead too.
Ok, so I’ll tell you why The Patriot is one of my favorites: 1) It is based on a South Carolinian and set (and partially filmed) in South Carolina, and 2) the father/son story (Mel/Heath). It is heart-wrenching but… never mind - I’m going to go watch it again and pray for Heath’s family.
That was a shocker. I also loved him in “the Patriot”.
Tony I had no idea the movie was shot in SC. That’s cool. I love watching movies that were shot in environments I have actually been in. And I hear you, we have *all* fallen short (no matter what the sin is) and if that were the only case for God striking us dead the human race would have died out somewhere in Genesis 4.
Just curious. You said: “I never saw Brokeback Mountain, I never saw it because I don’t really want to.” Why not? Why would you deliberately avoid the film? Ledger did a spectacular job of portraying a man struggling with his gay feelings. The film certainly did not glorify being gay.
The cinematograpy and direction were beautiful. The supporting cast did great jobs. It made my heart ache. I could identify with Ledger’s character — married, closeted and eventually losing someone he loved — murdered by anti-gay hatred and violence. You really owe it to yourself to see it.
Deliberately avoid? So strong a statement. I just don’t want to see it.
Plus, if I wanted to hear one-sided progay viewpoints of “closeted” homosexuality…all I have to do is read your and other gay activists comments about me personally and/or the beliefs I ascribe to. I don’t need great cinematography and dramatic reenactments to teach me that.
Why can’t you ever stay on topic of a thread instead of trying to turn it to being about me?
Randy, why the sudden defensiveness? I have made no personal comments about you or offered one-sided opinions on being closeted. I said I identified with the film — particularly the Ledger character’s inner struggle and the murder of his friend — since my friend was also mudered for being gay. You don’t have to be a “gay activist” (which I am NOT) or pro-gay to apprecaie the story of love and loss — just human.
I have made no comments about you. You and I have not corresponded before now. I do not know what you believe — except to assume that you believe that homosexual behavior is always sinful and that “change” is possible — although apparently very hard to define.
I have simply asked you a question about why you didn’t see the film and why you use words the way you do. I thought I WAS on the topic of this thread (the death of Keith Ledger) — you mentioned you didn’t see the movie and I simply asked why.
It’s obvious you did not see the film. It was not, as you assert, a “one-sided, progay viewpoint of closeted homosexuality.” It was a story about a man who had “unwanted SSA” — at at time and a place when you could be murdered if other people even suspected it. Sadly, such places still exist, even in our time.
not being defensive at all, I have no reason to be defensive with you . I just notice you seem to weave some sort of personally direct question or assertions into your comments each time.
Just curious. Did you happen to see “Notes on a Scandal”?
No… I’ll take the bait, why would you be curious about that?
It also dealth with the theme of a person struggling with SSA. Both movies “Brokeback” and “Notes” portrayed the “gay lifestyle” as sometihng miserable and lonely. You would have thought that EXODUS would have supported both films since they certainly did not glorify being gay. I was just wondering if you make it policy to not see films with gay themes.
Unlike you, it seems like Alan may have seen BrokeBack Mountain.
“Brokeback Mountain is a story of unbridled obsession and painful oppression—emotions that I and thousands of others who have left homosexuality are well familiar with,”
Maybe you could ask him about both movies. And by the way, Brokeback was not about “unbridled obession”. It was about falling in love with someone at a time and in a place that could get you killed if anyone found out. These places still exist.
When you think of it, both films could be used to make EXODUS’s point — that giving in to SSA is painful, destructive and can lead to death– here and hereafter. Heck, both films could be training films for EXODUS’s negative message about being gay.
TExodus supporting both films? … that’s a weird thing to say. It’s not a policy but it would have to be very compelling. Most gay centered films are very predictable if not just the same caricatures revolving around the same plot themes and symbolism … I find that boring. I didn’t go see Brokeback because Alan did and I trust his opinion. Now that I have read more about Notes, that sounds more intriguing to me.
Well, people can read our website and know that your summation of our “point” is a ridiculously negative reduction of our faith and belief system. It’s astounding that you say that both films could be training films when they were made my pro-gay people and actors.
It certainly wasn’t for me. I, and many others, didn’t need a training film to know that.