Heath Ledger Remembrance Day

“I miss you like the sun misses the flower, like the sun misses the flower in the depths of winter” (A Knight’s Tale 2001).  Every year on this day I think of this quote from my favorite Heath Ledger film.

This year marks 10 years since Heath Ledger’s death at the age of 28.

9 years ago Entertainment Weekly Magazine ran a cover story for the first anniversary of his passing and while I couldn’t bring myself to read the article I still wrote a letter to the editor. In the following issues that letter was edited and published. That was the day I started calling myself a writer.

10 years later and I still can’t bring myself to read that, or any, article about Heath Ledger. Not written in the original e-mail that I sent to EW was how for days right after his death I felt as if I had been kicked in the stomach. I know that grieving over the death of a man I never got the chance to meet sounds stupid but from the first moment I saw him on screen in The Patriot in 2000 I was hooked and became an instant fan. Heath Ledger was talented and beautiful. He was a reason to go to the movies, in fact I am sure there are a couple of movies he was in that I would not have seen if he wasn’t a part of them.

10 years and I still miss going to a film to see him. He was so good, I’ll even go so far as to say he was one of the best actors of his generation.

10 years later and I still think of Heath Ledger. I think of ALL the movies he could have made. Every movie I go to the theater to see I think of him and of what could have been.

10 years later and since watching his final film (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus 2009) I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch more than 10 minutes of any movie, including the ones I have memorized, he is in when I come across one on TV. There is three or four that I have yet to see because I never got around to doing so when he was alive and now may never watch them.

10 years later and I still remember how it felt as I watched my local news and not wanting to believe it when the anchor had to report that Heath Ledger was dead.  

 10 years later means that Health Ledger has been gone more years then I knew he existed.

I woke up that particular morning early and happy to watch the Oscar nominations live on TV and went to sleep heartbroken.

It doesn’t feel like 10 years have gone by since Heath Ledger passed away but life does still go on. I still have dreams to make come true. Dreams that include the stories I write being published. A life where I am a Hollywood director and making good films with ALL of the actors of whom I care about, love and admire.

I don’t ever again want to feel the way I did on January 22, 2008.

For an actor who is irreplaceable I will always love, never forget and will keep my promise to Heath Andrew Ledger.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Question-Who was your first fictional character crush?


I am pretty sure my answer is Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) 

(source: Senior High School Year Book '98)

and 30 years later my love for him is still strong. I waited a long time to see Luke on the big screen and after the tease we got of him at the end of The Force Awakens I was anxious and excited for his return in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.


It was well worth the wait. I should add that as the decades passed by, a cute young man who wanted more for his life than to be a farmer on Tatooine became an even more handsome older man who has seen and been through a lot, now a little darker and unsure of the future


For as much as I love Luke Skywalker with the new films comes new characters. As the story continues it is good to see that Finn (John Boyega) and Rey’s (Daisy Ridley) beautiful and undeniable friendship continues to be a crucial part of the story, but as much as a like them it is Poe (Oscar Isaac) who has quickly become my favorite newbie. What can I say he makes me laugh and his attitude towards fighting an enemy is bold if not following the plan and he seems like a good fun guy to hang out with, but it is his “love” for a droid named BB-8 that makes him a good human. Then there is General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) who, because I always tell the truth on this blog, I don’t remember from the previous film but this time I noticed him and for a bad guy I truly enjoyed him.   


But we met them in the last film. In The Last Jedi we meet a few more characters. The standout performance for me was by Kelly Marie Tran who plays Rose, when Finn first comes across her she is smart and adorable and soon becomes a key element to the story. Speaking of adorable characters I already mentioned BB-8 who although a “robot” is fun and sweat. I may not always understand him but I will always worry about him. Here we have more new creatures that make this film come alive-the funny, cute and furry Porgs and the beautiful Crystal Critters.


As for the story itself, written and directed by Rian Johnson the film picks up where the last one left off. After all it is that continuation that makes each Star Wars trilogy an epic adventure. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is growing in strength and Rey is doing everything she can to be his equal. In fact it seems that a new element of The Force is discovered by way of excellent scenes featuring the two actors.


The look of the film is as wonderful and amazing as expected. There is a part of the movie that takes place on a glamorous planet full of rich and fancy upper class characters to look at but not so nice to know. 


Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Gwendoline Christie, Anthony Daniels, Laura Dern and Billie Lourd also star


The Last Jedi is a perfect addition to the Star Wars franchise. Once again each actor (those we have met and the newbies) brings all he or she has to the telling of the story. Thrilling and breathtaking it has everything fans have come to love about each movie. I am faithfully looking forward to whatever happens next.


Cheers to the cast and crew of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and to Carrie Fisher I send love to a life and career that will never be forgotten.