Heath Ledger is on Top of the World

Awards, critical praise and a new family member has Heath Ledger stitting on top of the world.

Heath Ledger is receiving great reviews and many nominations for his role in Brokeback Mountain. His role as a bisexual cowboy may be his finest screen appearance. Patrick wrote, “Heath Ledger gives an iconic performance as Ennis Del Mar.” Scott wrote that Ledger as Ennis is, “...a man of few words, but you always know what he’s feeling.”

This type of praise is very inspiring for a man whose first work was that of playing “pretty boys” on Australian television. In fact, one of his first roles was on a television show called Sweat in which he played a gay character. He was first noticed in America by starring in the sword and sandal television show Roar. It was a Hercules/Xena type show that ran for one year. It got him the role in his first major Hollywood film, 10 Things I hate About You(1999).

Wanting to be recognized for more than just his looks, Ledger went for a dramatic film next and starred with fellow Aussie native Mel Gibson in The Patriot (2000). The following year Ledger appeared in one of the funnest movies of that year, A Knights Tale as well as one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year, Monsters Ball.

Like any movie star, a streak of good movies is always eventually interrupted with some bad ones. For the next few years Ledger would star in such boring, forgettable films as The Four Feathers, Ned Kelly and The Order. The bad luck streak was broken in 2005.

Last year Ledger saw the release of four films that he starred in. The Lords of Dogtown, The Brothers Grimm, Casanova and Brokeback Mountain. Although none broke any box office records, they do represent Ledger’s desire for variety and maturity as an actor. Of the four films it is Brokeback Mountain that is garnishing all of the attention for it’s gay love story.

Homosexuality is hardly new to movies. In 1982 there was Making Love in which Michael Ontkean and Harry Hamlin have an affair. However, Making Love was only in limited release before it went to the pay channels. Brokeback Mountain is in wide release and the two stars are at the heights of their careers. Neither Jake Gyllenhaal or Heath Ledger can do an interview without answering questions about the gay love scene. But Brokeback Mountain is more than just a one gimmick movie. Scott wrote that “...this is one of the best movies of the year,..” Patrick wrote that it “...is like going to the movies for the first time.”

This past year was personally important for Ledger. He and Michelle Williams, who plays his wife in Brokeback Mountain, had a daughter born in October. In an interview with Bob Strauss of The Los Angeles Daily News, Ledger described parenthood as "..an absolute pleasure." Professionally, Ledger is at the top of his game. After playing a skateboarder, a ghost hunter, a romancer and a gay cowboy this past year, he can pretty much write his own ticket for a long time to come.