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Heath Ledger was found dead in his apartment in Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon by his masseuse. The police believe the cause of death could be drug overdose since they found scattered sleeping pills next to his body but Heath's family are denying that he was the type to take his life.

According to reports, Heath was suffering from pneumonia at the time of his death.

Heath was a versatile Australian actor and was best known for his acting in movies such as Brokeback Mountain, Patriot, Four Feathers, Monster's Ball and the much talked about movie I'm Not There as one of the six actors who play Bob Dylan.

According to Washingtonpost.com:

Some of Ledger's movies worked, and many of them did not, but all along, a viewer could sense that he went about the craft with almost too much seriousness, with pain. In almost every interview he downplayed celebrityhood, tried to deny its meaning and place in his life, shrugged the usual serious-actor shrugs -- often while lighting his cigarette, creating a mood of nonchalance. 

"I had such great hope for him," said Oscar-winning actor-director Mel Gibson. "He was just taking off and to lose his life at such a young age is a tragic loss."

"What a terrible tragedy. My heart goes out to his family," said fellow Australian actress Nicole Kidman.

American actor John Travolta, who was in Australia at the time of Ledger's death, said the young actor had been one of his favourite performers.

"His abilities are rare...it's a tremendous loss," said Mr Travolta. 

Heath's role as the Joker in the latest Batman movie The Dark Knight (yet to be released) would be an eulogy to his expertise.

In his last interview, Heath Ledger said that he felt good about dying since he lived through his daughter.

Heath is survived by a two year old daughter he had with the actor Michelle Williams.

Ledger told The New York Times in a November interview that he "stressed out a little too much" during the Dylan film and had trouble sleeping while portraying the Joker, whom he called a "psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy."

"Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Ledger told the newspaper. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going." He said he took two Ambien pills, which worked for only an hour, the paper said.

Ledger was a widely recognized figure in his Manhattan neighborhood, where he used to shop at a home and children's store. Michelle Vella, an employee there, said she had frequently seen Ledger with his daughter — carrying the toddler on his shoulders, or having ice cream with her.

"It's so sad. They were really close," Vella said. "He's a very down-to-earth guy and an amazing father."

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