Heath Ledger

Actor Heath Ledger was discovered dead this afternoon in an apartment building in New York City, according to local police. He was just 28.

At 3:31 p.m., a masseuse arrived at Apartment 5A in the SoHo-area building for an appointment with Ledger, the New York Times reports.

The masseuse was let in to the home by a housekeeper, who then knocked on the door of Ledger's bedroom. No one answered. The housekeeper and the masseuse then opened the bedroom and found the actor unconscious.

The two called the authorities after they shook, but could not revive Heath Ledger. Suicide has not been ruled out in his death, but foul play has.

Pills were reportedly found strewn across the floor near where a naked Heath Ledger was found. Police say signs point to suicide or accidental overdose.

Heath Ledger (1979-2008) was found dead today in New York.

UPDATE: As of 5:47 p.m., the Times reports that the apartment Ledger was found in belongs to Mary-Kate Olsen. However, as of the same time, TMZ reports that it is not her place, nor is it connected with Mary-Kate Olsen at all.

The celebrity news site also reports that Heath Ledger had a substance abuse problem, but had been clean for a year. Contrary to several published reports, he had not been in rehab prior to this tragic incident.

UPDATE: As of 6:05 p.m., police say pills found near Ledger were prescription medication and nonprescription ... the medical examiner's office is removing the body from the scene, with an autopsy scheduled to be conducted Wednesday.

A native of Perth, Australia, Heath Ledger will probably be most remembered for his role in Brokeback Mountain (2005). Heath won wide critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Ennis del Mar and had just completed filming The Dark Knight.

Ledger met actress Michelle Williams while filming Brokeback Mountain. The two actors fell into a very public romance and had a daughter, Matilda Rose, on October 28, 2005. They moved to Brooklyn, but separated last year.

We will continue to provide updates on the passing of Heath Ledger as more information becomes available. May this talented star rest in peace.

Goodbye, Riley Giles.

Hello, Heath Ledger?

Forgive us by never being shocked by anything from Lindsay Lohan's love life anymore, but new gossip states that Lohan hooked up with Ledger in New York recently, leading to her ditching the aforementioned snowboarding loser.

Perhaps Lindsay Lohan was attracted to the new look Heath Ledger dons as The Joker in next summer's The Dark Knight. Or maybe the actor simply bought her a drink.

"Lindsay and Heath hit it off straight away," said a source, referring to a meeting between the pair at Beatrice Inn over the Thanksgiving. "When she left the club she started texting him straight away and they hooked up a few times while she was still in New York. They were meeting late at night for sex. It was purely physical."

That's a major divergence from Lohan's dalliances with Criss Angel, Jude Law, Harry Morton and any guy that buys her a drink.

Just as Bill Rancic and Giuliana DePandi were getting married - as were Usher and Tameka Foster for a second time - another famous twosome was calling it quits.

A source close to the couple tells Us Weekly confirms that Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams "quietly and amicably split a few weeks ago."

Despite seeming like one of the healthier Hollywood couples, these two "had been rocky recently. They tried very hard to make it work but finally decided to separate. They just grew apart," reported the insider.

Ledger and Williams "have a beautiful daughter and they are both committed to being great parents," a source says. Still, like Spencer Pratt and Brody Jenner, this pair has broken up.

Jack Nicholson, who?

While that Oscar-winning actor originated the role of The Joker on the big screen many years ago, Heath Ledger takes it over for next summer's Dark Knight. By the look of the photo below, the Brokeback Mountain star can play both gay and homicidal quite well.

Also scheduled to appear in the movie? Christian Bale as Batman and Maggie Gyllenhall, who takes over the role of Rachel Dawes from Katie Holmes.

We'd like to see Dick Cheney portray The Penguin.

We don't know who Daniel Robert Epstein is. But he recently sat down with Heath Ledger and talked about the next Batman movie.

DPE: Have you started to think about how you will play The Joker?
Heath Ledger: Yeah. I've been trying to delay my commitment to the preparation process on that because I'm trying to extend my holiday time. I definitely have an image in my head. I definitely have something up my sleeve. I want to be very sinister. It's so early that I'm trying to be open at this point. I don't want to be glued down to anyone.

DRE: Have you read many Batman comics?
HL: No and I think that's kind of helping me a little bit. I was never really a fan of comic books or comic book movies. I never despised them but I was never one to read them. I never sought out the films but I would sit down and enjoy them. So because of that I really feel that I'm not carrying much pressure.

DRE: Have they given or asked you to read certain comics?
HL: The Killing Joke was the one that was handed to me. I think it's going to be the beginning of The Joker. I guess that book explains a little bit of where he's from but not too much. From what I've gathered, there isn't a lot of information about The Joker and it's left that way.

DRE: Is doing the role of The Joker scary after Jack Nicholson did it so well?
HL: I'm not going for the same thing he went for. That would be stupid. It is also two very different directors with different styles. Tim Burton did a more fantastical kind of thing and Chris Nolan is doing nitty gritty handheld realism. I love what [Jack] did and that is part of why I want to do that role.

I remember seeing it and thinking how much fun it would be to put on that mask and attempt to do something along those lines. But it would obviously be murder if I tried to imitate what he did.

DRE: Have you ever wanted to do superhero movies before?
HL: Not really. With the tights and undies and the boots, I would just feel stupid and silly. I couldn't pull it off and there are other people who can perfectly. But I just couldn't take myself seriously. I feel like this is an opportunity to be in one and not do that. I just gravitated towards the villain role because I felt I had something to give to it. I instantly had an idea.

Tell us, Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams, how do you really feel about the paparazzi?

We can't read that sign Heath is holding up, but the dueling middle-finger salute H&M are serving up means it probably ain't positive. He's probably not being a Joker, one could say. Clank. Anyway, the two were on a Mexican vacation recently, and proudly shared their thoughts with a lucky camera man who caught their eye.

This isn't the first bad encounter the Oscar-nominated Brokeback Mountain star has had with the paparazzi. Back in June, Heath's dad told Australia's Daily Telegraph that the paparazzi was the reason the actor sold his house and moved to the U.S. Why, we're not sure -- it's not as if the great U.S. of A. is free of tabloids... or sites like this. Thankfully!

We're sorry to report, Heath Ledger, but The Joker doesn't have a beard.

We know you enjoy your scruff, what real man doesn't? And with a beautiful wife and baby at home, you don't really need to keep up appearances too well. (Unless you're angling to win back to back Best Kiss awards).

Anyway, ladies, let Heath know which handsome version of himself you prefer. Guys, you can vote, too. After all, this is the dude from Brokeback Mountain.

Heath Ledger, who won widespread acclaim and an Oscar nomination for his role in last year's Brokeback Mountain, will be swapping the cowboy boots and Western charm for whiteface and an evil grin. The Aussie star will be Batman's arch-nemesis, the Joker, in the latest Batman picture.

The sequel to last year's Batman Begins will be titled The Dark Knight, and is slated to go into production early next year, Warner Brothers announced.

In addition to Ledger, the film will reportedly feature the return of last year's caped crusader, Christian Bale, as superhero Bruce Wayne. Michael Caine is also scheduled to return as Alfred the butler, and Gary Oldman will be coming back as Lt. James Gordon.

Internet speculation has run rampant over the past year as to what director Christopher Nolan has in store for the follow up his first Batman, which was considered by many critics to be the best of the Batman films to date.

In addition to the Joker, there could be another casting announcement on the horizon. One Batman fan site reports that Philip Seymour Hoffman, who beat out Ledger for Best Actor last year with his performance in Capote, may be in talks to play the Penguin.

In the wake of Father's Day, Life & Style saw fit to pay tribute to the most underappreciated of roles: the famous father. Herewith is a list of those the publication considered worth recognizing (a write-in campaign for Kevin Federline is underway):

Brad Pitt, the new dad - How many men go from no kids to three in one year? While holding on to his boyish charm?

Chris Martin, rocker dad - Married to Gwyneth Paltrow and father to two-year-old Apple and two-month-old Moses, this musician tastefully juggles life at home and on the road.

Matthew Broderick, city dad - Hitched to former Sex & the City star, Sarah Jessica Parker, and a constant fixture on Broadway for years, Broderick shows three-year old James around NYC regularly.

Will Smith, funny dad - He wrote a song about one of his children and is always seen smiling brightly next to wife, Jada Pinkett. Five-year old daughter, Willow, will appear on screen with Smith shortly.

David Arquette, wacky dad - He frightens us sometimes, too, but Courtney Cox-Arquette doesn't seem to mind his antics; not does little Coco Riley.

Ryan Phillippe, Mr. Mom - Just try to track down this actor without daughter, Ava, and son, Deacon, by his side. And that gorgeous woman next to him is Oscar-winning wife, Reese Witherspoon.

Guy Richie, spiritual dad - His wife is a busy woman, leaving Guy often in charge of stepdaughter, 9-year-old Lourdes, and son, 5-year-old Rocco.

Heath Ledger, hipster dad - The ultimate bohemian, Heath has taken time off to remain close to seven-month old daughter, Matilda Rose. He also dote on fiance, Michelle Williams.

Ben Affleck, working dad - While shooting his directorial debut in Boston, Ben keeps wife Jennifer Garner, and newborn daughter, Violet Anne, close at all times.

How times change. The Best Kiss Award at this year's MTV Movie Awards went to Jake Gyllenhaal… and Heath Ledger.

The two co-starred in last year's Brokeback Mountain, the acclaimed film centered around two young men who meet and fall in love in Wyoming in 1963, and endure an emotional, complex relationship over the next two decades. Both actors received Oscar nominations.

"This is a real honor, not just for me and Heath but for all of you, that you picked this movie and this kiss over all the other ones," Gyllenhaal said.

Both Ledger and Gyllenhaal have stated that while they did not fear taking on such challenging roles, the intimate scenes in the beginning of the movie were difficult to do. Ang Lee, who went on to win the Academy Award for Best Director this past winter, similarly found the scenes difficult to shoot, and has frequently praised the two actors' courage.

Interestingly, Ledger began dating his on-screen wife, Michelle Williams, during the filming of Brokeback Mountain. The two now have a child together. While denying rumors that he is bisexual, Gyllenhaal nonetheless says he regards it as flattering. Rumor has it that Jake has split with on-again, off-again love and has started dating Natalie Portman.

In winning Best Kiss, Heath and Jake beat out Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (in Mr. & Mrs. Smith) and Rosario Dawson and Clive Owen (Sin City), among others. Brangelina didn't go home empty-handed, though â€" they took home the award for Best Fight. Actually, since they were in Namibia, they did not actually take home anything. They weren't at the award show. Forget it.

The night's ultimate big winner was Wedding Crashers, which won Best Picture and numerous other honors. Congrats to Vince Vaughn and that shaggy, blonde co-star of his.