He and Naomi Watts broke up for the 2nd time in April 2004.

The youngest actor to play the Joker in a Batman movie (The Dark Knight (2008)).

Had three sisters: Catherine (Kate) Ledger, married to Nathan Buckey, and half sisters Olivia Ledger and Ashleigh Bell.

Was of Scottish/Irish ancestry.

Dated Naomi Watts from August 2002 to May 2004.

Was found dead in his apartment at 421 Broome Street in the SoHo neighborhood in New York City at 3:26 p.m. EST by his housekeeper and a massage therapist, finding him face down and unconscious at the foot of his bed with sleeping pills on a nearby table. [22 January 2008]

Chosen by Empire Magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the world (#79) 2007.

Dated Heather Graham. [October 2000 - June 2001]

Actor and Filmmaker Philippe Vonlanthen worked as his Body-double and stand-in on "Roar" (1997).

In an interview shortly before his death, he stated that his favorite role so far in his career had been his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight.

Said in 1999 that his favorite actors and directors were Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Bob Fossey, Stanley Kubrick, Katherine Hepburn, Jack Nicholson, Marcel Cann, Terrence Malick, Mel Gibson, and Meryl Streep. Later, he went on to co-star with Gibson; and play The Joker (previously portrayed by Nicholson) with his character was partly inspired by Kubrick`s A Clockwork Orange (1971); and had almost been cast in Malick`s Tree of Life (2009).

Was good friends with Joaquin Phoenix.

His favorite Australian bands and musicians were Spiderbait, Powderfinger, and Silverchair.

Before appearing with Christian Bale in The Dark Knight (2008), the two of them both played incarnations of Bob Dylan in I`m Not There. (2007). This makes Ledger the second Joker actor to share a role with a Batman actor. Previously, Cesar Romero shared the role of lawman John "Doc" Holliday with Adam West and Val Kilmer.

After his death his body was returned to Perth, Western Australia, where his body was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery, with his ashes to be "scattered in a family plot at Karrakatta Cemetery, next to two of his grandparents.

On February 9, 2008, a memorial service attended by several hundred invited guests was held at Penhros College in Perth, Western Australia followed by a private wake on Cottesloe Beach with his family and friends.

In 2006, took a year off from acting to raise his daughter Matilda while his girlfriend at the time, Michelle Williams, worked.

The youngest actor to play the Joker in a Batman movie The Dark Knight (2008), as oppose to Jack Nicholson and Cesar Romero.

He was the co-founder of record label Music Masses Co with singer Ben Harper, and directed Harper`s video for the song `Morning Yearning`.

Was good friends with Ben Harper.

Favorite food was risotto.

Owned a pet kangaroo that was found by his mother as a child.

Actor Daniel Day-Lewis made a dedication to him at the SAG Awards 2008.

Was considered for a role in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003).

Was very good friends with Russell Crowe.

His first lead role (A Knight`s Tale, 2001) in a film and his final film role (The Dark Knight, 2008) focused on the everyman protagonist, set against an unforgiving public; to be accepted as a "true" knight.

Lived in Roman Way, Islington while filming his last movie ever in London in 2007.

First acting role was as "Peter Pan", at age 10, at a local theater company.

Was painfully shy.

Directed three music videos for Australian artist N`fa and Ben Harper.

Was found dead in his apartment at 421 Broome Street in the SoHo neighborhood in New York City at 3:26 p.m. EST by his housekeeper and a massage therapist, finding him face down and unconscious in his bed with sleeping pills on a nearby table. [22 January 2008]

Resided in Brooklyn, Los Angeles and Sydney.

Called off his engagement to Michelle Williams in September 2007.

Was one of seven godparents of Elizabeth Hurley`s son Damien.

Dropped out of Australia (2008) to do The Dark Knight (2008).

When he was cast as The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008), rumors circulated that his Brokeback Mountain (2005) cast mate Jake Gyllenhaal would be playing district attorney Harvey Dent. Instead, Jake`s sister Maggie Gyllenhaal was cast as assistant D.A. Rachel Dawes.

Michelle Williams` "Dawson`s Creek" (1998) co-star Busy Philipps and his Brokeback Mountain (2005) co-star Jake Gyllenhaal are his daughter`s godparents.

Set to star in Baz Luhrmann`s pre-WWII drama, but backed out to play The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008).

Was the first non-American actor to portray the Joker.

Invited to join AMPAS in 2006.

Was mentored by, lived with, and was very good friends with Martin Henderson.

Jake Gyllenhaal is the godfather of his daughter Matilda.

Was selected in the State U17 squad in field hockey and was touted as one of the up and coming young stars, but chose to pack it in and try to make a career out of acting.

Met Michelle Williams on the set of Brokeback Mountain (2005).

Former fiancée Michelle Williams gave birth to daughter Matilda Rose Ledger on 28 October 2005, who weighed in at 6 lb, 5 oz.

Starred in 3 films which screened at the 2005 Venice Film Festival. They included Brokeback Mountain (2005), The Brothers Grimm (2005) and the out-of-competition Casanova (2005).

Was of Irish and Scottish ancestry.

Most of his wardrobe was designed by his friend Shem.

Was named "the new Matt Damon" in Josie and the Pussycats (2001). They now act side by side in The Brothers Grimm (2005)

Worked with Orlando Bloom in Ned Kelly (2003). Ledger worked with Scottish actor James Cosmo in The Four Feathers (2002). Both Bloom and Cosmo worked together in the movie Troy (2004).

Was considered for the role of Kar in Bulletproof Monk (2003) but eventually turned it down. The role later went to Seann William Scott.

Was originally set to star in Oliver Stone`s Alexander (2004) before Colin Farrell took over the role.

Was a men`s-fashion judge at the Melbourne Cup Carnival in November 2001.

Was a part of the 1990 Kalamunda Field Hockey team, whose president his father Kim was from 1990 to 1992.

Named one of People Magazine`s 50 Most Beautiful People in 2001.

Mother was Sally Ramshaw (daughter of John and Jackie Ramshaw) and father was Kim Ledger (son of Colin and Es Ledger). Stepfather was Roger Bell and stepmother was Emma Brown. His great-grandfather was Sir Frank Ledger, son of Edson Leger.

Had three sisters: Catherine (Kate) Ledger, married to Nathan Buckey, and half sisters Olivia Ledger (b. 1997) and Ashleigh Bell (b. 1989).

Auditioned for the part of Max on the TV show "Roswell" (1999). However, the show was originally developed for Fox and since he had already starred in "Roar" (1997), which was unsuccessful for Fox, they did not want to hire him.

Concentrated on drama and sports in school. When asked to choose between the two, he picked drama. Attended a private all-boys school called Guildford Grammar.

He and his older sister, Kate Ledger, are named after the two main romantic characters of the Emily Brontë novel, "Wuthering Heights".