When Movie Stars Die Too Young

David Edelstein Looks At Actors' Careers That Ended Too Soon

(CBS)  In movies like "Brokeback Mountain" and many others, Heath Ledger exhibited talent to spare, and he tantalized his fans with the promise of greater things to come. His sudden death has prompted many to reflect on the price of fame, as does our David Edelstein.

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Film actors are fragile, and if that sounds patronizing, well, it's meant to be: I am their patron, and so are you.

In return for celebrity and riches and seemingly unlimited access to sex, our movie stars need only stay beautiful - which is hard - and wide open - which is harder. They have to switch off the defense mechanisms that keep the rest of us from imploding. It's no wonder they sometimes medicate themselves to death.

History is full of twenty-something casualties and near-casualties, because young actors party hard and program themselves to hold nothing back. They cling to the image of James Dean, who didn't O.D. but lived on the edge and acted there, too.

There is a kind of willed madness to American Method acting: Actors want to show what they do has a personal cost.

River Phoenix kept his childhood pain alive in "My Own Private Idaho" and "Running on Empty." He told an interviewer he wished he wasn't as conscious as he was, and off-screen he sought unconsciousness at every turn. He died at 23 from a mix of uppers and downers.

I could be talking about Robert Downey, Jr., or Keifer Sutherland or Lindsay Lohan - gifted performers whose crazy freedom became, and in some cases still is, a kind of prison.

But the subject is Heath Ledger.

Apart from the loss to his family, the saddest thing about Ledger's death at 28 is that he was still unformed. Was he a great actor? I don't know, but he was on his way to greatness - nakedly desperate to measure up to the stardom thrust on him so suddenly.

Ledger could have gotten by on charm, as in his first lead role in "10 Things I Hate About You." But he brooded and pushed himself and grew as an artist, at a cost to his emotional autonomy.

As the son who can never please his father in "Monster's Ball," Ledger was so raw he was difficult to watch. He wasn't classically trained, and he couldn't take refuge in craft or use the Method to harness his emotions. He went to scary places.

One of them was in "Brokeback Mountain," where as a sort of gay Marlboro Man his cowboy lockjaw and uncanny low tones were hypnotic. He made you feel the unbridgeable gap between his mythical persona and emotions he didn't dare unleash.

In life, Ledger had license to act out too much, and it didn't help that he'd just finished playing the Joker in the upcoming Batman movie, "The Dark Knight" - a role in which he courted insanity, a wild, limitless freedom.

What happened next we don't fully know. But Heath Ledger's death reminds us what a dangerous art this can be.

[cherbert29]

For all anyone knows as of yet, Heath Ledger could have died of natural causes. It''s possible that a combination of poor health and the wrong type of medication could have caused his system to shut down. And yet, David Edelstein is lumping his death in with the death of River Phoenix, whose death resulted from taking enough recreational drugs to kill a horse. He mentions Phoenix''s "childhood pain"; well, he definitely suffered from a childhood that included sexual abuse, but Heath Ledger DIDN''T suffer from any "childhood" pain. He had a loving, supportive family who adored him. As as for they theory that young actors ruin themselves with drink and drugs because of their "art" is purely ludicrous. Edelstein is absolutely clueless on the subject of Heath Ledger. He calls Ledger''s character in "Brokeback Mountain" a "gay Marlboro man", which is a snide, homophobic comment if I ever heard one. Has he even SEEN that movie? The character of Ennis Del Mar was so MUCH more than "a gay Marlboro man". David Edelstein does not understand one single thing about Heath Ledger the actor OR Heath Ledger the man.

[mariafl-2009]

Danininha - I don''t know if you will see this, but I wanted to say that you summed up the way I am feeling. The sad death of Heath Ledger has just broken my heart, I thought I was the only one that felt that way. I didn''t know him either, but I know he was a talented actor whose family loved him dearly and now his little girl will not know him or remember him. I am sick of seeing & hearing all these stories of speculation, let''s wait to see what the findings are, but no matter what they are, it doesn''t change the fact that it is a sad, tragic loss for his family, friends & daughter.
I am glad his family is protecting the funeral service, may he rest in peace & his memories live on for them.

[rncoale]

Mr. David Edelstein

Your characterization on CBS Sunday AM (1-27-2008) of Hollywood excesses as hard work plunged celebrity sycophancy to a new low. You said you are a patron of the Hollywood crowd when actually you%u2019re just another lackey. Your comparison of River Phoenix''s O.D. death to the unfortunate and tragic death of Heath Ledger was a travesty. Phoenix''s death was a result of his illegal drug abusing decadent life style while Mr. Ledger was a victim of the times. The times being the TV airways rife with feel-good ads for prescription drugs depicting them as a panacea for every ill known to man. This is dishonest, misleading and dangerous propaganda as is Edelstein''s misinformation about the Hollywood crowd.

[rncoale]

Mr. David Edelstein

Your characterization on CBS Sunday AM (1-27-2008) of Hollywood excesses as hard work plunged celebrity sycophancy to a new low. You said you are a patron of the Hollywood crowd when actually you%u2019re just another lackey. Your comparison of River Phoenix''s O.D. death to the unfortunate and tragic death of Heath Ledger was a travesty. Phoenix''s death was a result of his illegal drug abusing decadent life style while Mr. Ledger was a victim of the times. The times being the TV airways rife with feel-good ads for prescription drugs depicting them as a panacea for every ill known to man. This is dishonest, misleading and dangerous propaganda as is Edelstein''s misinformation about the Hollywood crowd.
Rod Coale
Lake Havasu City, AZ

[movcritic]

I, too, was looking forward to an interesting piece looking at Heath Ledger''s career and brief legacy, but I was surprised and disappointed that David Edelstein, who I normally enjoy and respect, instead did a piece that assumed Ledger took his own life or died of an accidental drug overdose. While the toxicology reports may eventually bear some of that out, it''s possible his death was as a result of something else. Jumping to conclusions was a disservice to Ledger and his fans. If, ultimately, that''s the case -- that it was a drug overdose -- then, fine, have the discussion. But the entire piece was built on speculation, which is unfair.

And I agree: Saying that playing a gay character was "going to a very dark place" is backward-thinking, insulting and ignorant. I expect better from Edelstein.

[grammawhamma]

Just goes to show that fame and fortune doesn''t buy happiness.

[danininha]

I wish there was a way to turn back the clock Heath%u2026and stop this from happening%u2026 One of the most talented and promising actors%u2026 so many images left unseen, so many emotions left to portray. And on top of it all, you seemed to be a genuine, nice and real person%u2026
Wish I could turn back the clock and stop this from being true%u2026 You won my heart%u2026talent is a most splendorous thing%u2026 I wish I could still watch you when we were both in our 60%u2019s. Wish there was a way%u2026 My heart sunk when I first heard you were gone%u2026 And it sinks everytime I think of you%u2026 I just shake my head in sadness and disbelief...
I can4t take your face out of my mind Heath, and Gustavo Santaolalla%u2019s %u201CThe Wings%u201D from Brokeback%u2019s soundtrack is playing in my head and won%u2019t stop%u2026Probably because it%u2019s so sad, and so beautiful, and it reminds me of you%u2026
Rest in peace, Heath.
This is just me, one who never met you but now feels as if she lost a very dear and close, special friend, saying goodbye%u2026
You%u2019ll forever be up there with the greats to me Heath%u2026
It%u2019s really hard letting you go%u2026
You will be missed.
Love always,
Daniela.

[bacardistuff]

why does meaghanl repeat herself all the time? I don''t get it... what''s the point? Boy, I hope she is just cutting and pasting because if I had to type up all that *** just to feed my ego, I''d be ticked of.

[roconner1]

This piece was an insult to the memory of a great young actor and a loving father. Your lack of compasion for his family, friends, and fans, is unforgivable.

Everyone who knew him, loved and respected him.
I tuned in expecting a memoral to his talent and sensitivity, instead you did you best to tarnish his
reputation and memory.

Insinuating that playing a gay man is going to a dark
place, is an insult to every gay man and women in the world. I am appalled.

After 30 years of viewership, I promise that I will never watch this program again!

[leruth]

Your words were an excellent commentary on a situation that is difficult to understand. I am sure he is typical of many young people who get into the business and have difficulty dealing with all that it entails. Very few of us could stand up to the excess and constant pressure that the life of a "star" involves. It is sad that he just did not get away for awhile between roles and maybe go home to Australia with his daughter. It is all a sad commentary on the price of such an existence.

[meaghanl]

Thank you for this piece. It was so heartfelt and meaningful, the inverse of the gossip tv show coverage that turns this man''s death into filler. Heath Ledger''s work challenged the idea of what is masculine. He was brave. Your piece moved me to tears and made me feel less foolish for caring that a movie star died.

[meaghanl]

Thank you for this piece. It was so heartfelt and meaningful, the inverse of the gossip tv show coverage that turns this man''s death into filler. Heath Ledger''s work challenged the idea of what is masculine. He was brave. Your piece moved me to tears and made me feel less foolish for caring that a movie star died.

[meaghanl]

Thank you for this piece. It was so heartfelt and meaningful, the inverse of the gossip tv show coverage that turns this man''s death into filler. Heath Ledger''s work challenged the idea of what is masculine. He was brave. Your piece moved me to tears and made me feel less foolish for caring that a movie star died.

[bebn2732]

Acting is not dangerous. The danger already existed in Heath Ledger fighting his demons.

[meaghanl]

Thank you for this piece. It was so heartfelt and meaningful, the inverse of the gossip tv show coverage that turns this man''s death into filler. Heath Ledger''s work challenged the idea of what is masculine. He was brave. Your piece moved me to tears and made me feel less foolish for caring that a movie star died.

[meaghanl]

Thank you for this piece. It was so heartfelt and meaningful, the inverse of the gossip tv show coverage that turns this man''s death into filler. Heath Ledger''s work challenged the idea of what is masculine. He was brave. Your piece moved me to tears and made me feel less foolish for caring that a movie star died.

[thomasormsby]

David Edelstein''s eulogy for Heath Ledger is a thoughtful explanation of why actors choose to express their own problems by portraying others, and the difficulties they experience submerging into those roles, while dealing with constant public intrusion. And unlike other celebrity show tributes, Edelstein showed a brief clip from "Lords of Dogtown," the very best example Ledger''s extraordinary talent, untainted by "acting lessons." -- thomasormsby.com

[thomasormsby]

David Edelstein''s eulogy for Heath Ledger is a thoughtful explanation of why actors choose to express their own problems by portraying others, and the difficulties they experience submerging into those roles, while dealing with constant public intrusion. And unlike other celebrity show tributes, Edelstein showed a brief clip from "Lords of Dogtown," the very best example Ledger''s extraordinary talent, untainted by "acting lessons." -- thomasormsby.com

[meaghanl]

Thank you for this piece. It was so heartfelt and meaningful, the inverse of the gossip tv show coverage that turns this man''s death into filler. Heath Ledger''s work challenged the idea of what is masculine. He was brave. Your piece moved me to tears and made me feel less foolish for caring that a movie star died.

[max843]

"Dangerous" relating to the profession of acting refers to the mental leap in "becoming" that other person, to exploring parts of your psyche not visited before, to revealing your innermost thoughts and feelings to others in a very public arena.

Of course those who put themselves in harm''s way for the military are in a very dangerous profession that has no comparison with acting. I do not believe the author of the piece was trying to make that type of reference.