In Honor of Heath Ledger

Today we commemorate the life of a beloved actor, son, father, and friend: Heath Ledger. He made our hearts race with his heavenly facial features and his adorable Aussie accent. He has enchanted us with his sexy swagger down the red carpet, a long cigarette protruding from his statuesque lips. But most importantly, Heath Ledger stole our hearts with his dearly loved performances in some of Hollywood’s most memorable films.

Yes, there were some lows in Ledger’s career. Here, I reluctantly mention “Brokeback Mountain” and “Lords of Dogtown.” Despite the bisexual cowboy in “Brokeback” and the profane, super-wastoid Skip in “Dogtown,” he shines and entertains us in so many other ways.

He played a variety of roles, showing that he was not just any “pretty boy” one trick pony in Tinseltown. One of his best roles was Sir William Thatcher in “A Knight’s Tale.” I was joyfully entertained by his performance as the young and ever-capable William Thatcher, who recreates his identity from a lowly squire into a noble knight. He jousts his way into success and love, painfully trying the win the love of Lady Jocelyn, the object of his affection, who dresses in multi-colored garb and fashions her hair in impeccable, spiky masterpieces. Ledger was brilliant as the lovable, hilarious, somewhat pitiful William Thatcher and showcased multitudes of talent to his audience.

Personally, my favorite Heath Ledger role was that of Patrick Verona in “10 Things I Hate About You.” To me, “10 Things” is one of the greatest chick flicks in film history. “10 Things” is not only great because of Cameron’s determined, heartfelt pursuit of the beautiful and fair Bianca, or Kat Stratford’s witty repartee; it is Ledger’s unforgettable performance as Patrick Verona. As soon as Patrick is introduced, one is immediately amazed by Ledger’s flawless crown of brown curly hair, which frames his even more spectacular face. He embodies the essence of cool with his mysterious, beer-swigging, cigarette-smoking, duck-eating persona. However, his laugh-out-loud one-liners are not the greatest aspect of this film. The best part of the entire film is the scene where Ledger dances across the soccer field bleachers, singing a love song while being chased by enraged, out of shape police officers, for Kat. That is one of the most iconic, classic chick flick scenes in movie history, and Ledger delivers the performance effortlessly.

Let us also spend a moment remembering Heath’s two-year-old daughter Matilda. This must be an incredibly difficult time for her and for all of those who truly loved and knew Heath.

And so, we remember Heath on this day for his irresistible heartthrob status, his cute little accent, and his performances that always seemed to make our day. Whenever I felt upset or extremely hormonal, I could always rely on “A Knight’s Tale” or “10 Things I Hate About You” to chase my negativity away by cracking an irremovable smile on my face. No other will ever be able to capture our hearts in quite the same way. But Heath’s magic and panache are not gone forever—they are still with us despite the sleeping pills, the death, and the wreckage. The magic lives on in special television screenings of films, for a short while, in theaters, and most importantly, in our hearts. We love you, Heath Ledger. Thank you for helping us through those impossible days. You are an endless inspiration.