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At 18 he debuted in his first movie. At 26 he was nominated for his first Oscar. And at 28 he was dead.

Heathcliff Andrew Ledger was born in 1979 in Perth, Australia, to a teacher mother, and a race driver dad. Ledger attended the Guildford Grammar School, and starred in the school’s Peter Pan production at the age of 10. Only six years later, he left school and scored roles in Australian movies’, Blackrock, Two Hands, and Paws as well as a brief stint on Home and Away, one of Australia’s longest running television shows.

But it was his role as Mel Gibson’s son in the Patriot, and as Ennis, a gay cowboy in Brokeback mountain that made him a household name. The latter got him an Oscar nomination for the “Best Actor” category, and raving reviews from critics. One review by the Chicago Tribune boasted that “Heath Ledger is a revelation as Ennis. Where did he come from, this 26-year-old Australian-born actor who creates such a full and convincing portrait of a man who excels at burying his torment?”

The announcement of Ledger’s death in January makes me wonder if the talented actor excelled at burying his torment in real life too? I’m afraid the answer to that question will be buried along with him.

From the outside Ledger seemed to have the perfect recipe for happiness. He had fame, talent, good looks, in addition to Michelle Williams, his beautiful fiancé, and Matilda Rose, the daughter he adored. But on the 22nd of January, Ledger was found naked and dead in his Manhattan apartment, with reports that six different types of  prescription drugs were found in the apartment. As the news sent shockwaves around the world, rumours surfaced about his alleged drug abuse, depression, and loneliness after his separation from Williams.

 So what happened? Last year’s tabloids were filled with endless stories of celebrities battling depression, alcoholism, and spending time in rehab. Owen Wilson’s shock suicide attempt, Lindsay Lohan, in and out of rehab like a swinging door, and Britney Spears, a runway train to madness. Why do people who seem to have it all seem so unhappy? And if they can’t find happiness, what happens to us? Millions of people die everyday, some of them younger than Ledger. But it was his success that made his death so hard to swallow.