Heath Ledger’s legacy lives on

Heath Ledger - photo by Anthony HarveyTen years after his passing, the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) has published an online curated collection celebrating the legacy of Australian actor Heath Ledger. Born on 4 April 1979, Ledger achieved great success as an actor in both Australia and Hollywood, starring in 18 films before his tragic death on 22 January 2008.

His work was incredibly diverse, ranging from teen heartthrob (10 Things I Hate About You) to sheep herder (Brokeback Mountain) and heroin addict (Candy). His role as The Joker in The Dark Knight won him a posthumous Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in 2009.

This curated collection features highlights of Ledger’s career, including: Home and Away (1997) – Ledger had a guest role on the long-running soapie as bad boy Scott Irwin; Brokeback Mountain (2005) – the NFSA’s collection includes a film poster and publicity portrait signed by Ledger; and the Heath Ledger Oral History Project (2014): Actor Bryan Brown shares his memories of working with Ledger on the film Two Hands (1999).

The collection also includes the Ledger-directed music videos: Ledger directed music videos for a number of bands and artists, including Modest Mouse, Ben Harper and N’fa; and clips from Ledger’s Australian films: including Blackrock (1997); Two Hands (1999); Ned Kelly (2003); and Candy (2006).

For more information, and to view the Heath Ledger collection online, visit: www.nfsa.gov.au for details.

Image: Heath Ledger – photo by Anthony Harvey