The City of New York’s Medical Examiner Statement concluded that Heath Ledger’s cause of death had been “the result of acute intoxication by the combine effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine”. The latest investigations and medical safety measures have concentrated on the terminal combination of prescription drugs such as narcotic pain killers and sleeping aids. However, the medical community get ignored – and have also been ignoring for some time – the main prescription drug class very often leads to habitual drug dependency along with dangerous lethal consequences. A couple of the drugs listed on Ledger’s survey are the most insidious, very damaging, highly prescribed and, but, the most overlooked and under-estimated simply by doctors. These drugs will start the chain reaction that probably leads to Vicodin or sleeping capsule abuse.
The first time I discovered Heath Ledger, it was by accident. Our date and later to-be husband, Chips, took me to see ‘The Sixth Sense’, finally succumbing to peer pressure to guess ‘the big surprise ending’. By now, ‘The Sixth Sense’ has been off the major theatre chain circuit and only screening throughout small suburban independent cinemas, which led us to have one of those now rare gatherings: a double-feature matinee. The first movie seemed to be ’10 Things I Hate Pertaining to You’.
Well passed ‘teen’ films, even those with Shakespearian-based scripts, we all shyly admitted to liking ’10 Things’. Wow, I really like the male lead, what was his name? “He’s Australia, you know”, replied Nick. As well as in typical Aussie-fashion, I was doubly astounded and now stupidly filled with national pride. Another brilliant Australian up-and-comer to become listed on the rapidly increasing queue to grace Hollywood window screens.
Years later, I would normally grab the DVD to help fill a cheerless afternoon and look for myself watching and rewinding the same scene. Over and over and over all over again. My secret guilty joy. Heath sliding down the pole, mike in hand, singing “You’re just too good to be true, can’t take our eyes off of you …Inches The brass band kicks in. And that charmingly defiant half-run, half-prancing across the college steps. The scene is definitely brilliant. It’s inexplicable. He simply has that old-fashioned ‘it’ point . I’m not a star-struck fan along with was never one of those teenagers having movie-star idol posters plastered all over the bedroom walls, but this specific kid’s got talent.
After which it came those scene-stealing roles this totally blew us away. The actual Patriot. Monster’s Ball. And finally leading-man status and an Academy Award nomination. By now, i was just used to having another well-known Australian up there with the rest of the world’s great talent producing an endless array of diverse, however illustrious film roles.
We had no idea. It was not endless. It ended on 22 January 2009.
When people who I’ve certainly not met but greatly appreciate die, I’m sad. Although I’ve never cried before. Ive never before felt that cardiovascular system wrenching overwhelming shock that held up for days after I heard good news. This time it was somehow a lot more personal. As soon as I read a detailed list of the first document of his deathbed scene, My spouse and i intuitively knew how this individual died.
Ten days later the ultimate medical examiner’s report confirmed this suspicions.
Hollywood is ‘Xanax-city’. Experience down, pop a Xanax. Experience stressed, pop a Xanax. Need to perform at your very best, pop a Xanax. A-list stars feel the stress to provide A-grade performances when concentrating on multi-million dollar films. There’s money at stake. The intense tension, both internal and external, is enormous. The studios are risking billions, paying the stars thousands and thousands, and the actors are unnaturally subjected to more pressure than we mere mortals can imagine.