Heath Ledger, 1979-2008

Heath Ledger was found dead in his apartment this afternoon. The 28-year-old actor had an appointment with a masseuse, but when his housekeeper knocked on his door to tell him the masseuse had arrived there was no response. Eventually the two opened the door and found Ledger unresponsive. Details are sketchy, but authorities say there were no indications of foul play or suicide, and drugs look like a distinct possibility. TMZ was on the scene within the hour, and posted an admirably restrained story on the incident.

Celebrity death, even when the celeb is an absolute trainwreck (if-you-know-who-I’m-talking-about-and-I-think-you-do) is nothing to be celebrated. But Ledger’s death is a particularly unexpected waste. The guy was a genuinely talented actor, with an impressive filmography that promised to continue to grow, starting with The Dark Knight this summer and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which was filming at the time he died. He and Michelle Williams have a daughter, Matilda Rose, just two years old. And, while this might be shallow, supposedly Heath was dating Gemma Ward, one of the top models in the business and a fairly attractive human being. That’s a lot to live for, and Heath might have lost it all in a careless moment of recreational self-medication. A cautionary tale, and a sad one. He will be missed.