HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — The entertainment industry reacted with shock Tuesday to the death of Australian-born actor Heath Ledger.
"I had such great hope for him," fellow Australian Mel Gibson, who played Ledger's vengeful father in "The Patriot," said in a statement. "He was just taking off and to lose his life at such a young age is a tragic loss. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family."
Actress Michelle Wiliams, Ledger's ex-fiancé and mother of his two-year-old daughter, Matilda, was reportedly on location in Sweden when she heard the news and a close friend has told several outlets that Williams is "devastated."
Perhaps realizing the obvious questions awaiting her, Naomi Watts has canceled all of her press appearances for Wednesday at the Sundance Film Festival, where her dark comedy "Funny Games" is scheduled to premiere at midnight. The actress met Ledger on the set of "Ned Kelly" in 2002 and they dated for nearly two years. The late actor accompanied Watts to the Academy Awards in 2004 when she earned a Best Actress nod for "21 Grams."
Another fellow Aussie, Nicole Kidman, who is a friend of Watt's tells Extra: "What a tragedy. My heart goes out to his family."
John Travolta, who is in New York City attending the Walk on the Wildside: Benefit Dinner for Wildlife Warriors and Australia Plays Broadway, also expressed his sorrow. "He is one of my favorite actors. His abilities are rare... it's a tremendous loss," he also tells Extra. "It's hard to be here celebrating Australia under these circumstances."
Also speaking out on the tragic loss were the filmmakers and studios that Ledger has touched over the years.
"This is an unimaginable tragedy," Todd Haynes, the director of Ledger's most recent film "I'm Not There," told Usmagazine.com in a statement.
"Heath Ledger was a courageous actor, and a great soul. He gave us the gift of sharing his fearless and beautiful love — of his craft, and of all who worked with him — for which all of us will be eternally grateful," said James Schamus, CEO of Focus Features and the the producer of "Brokeback Mountain."
"The studio is stunned and devastated by this tragic news," Warner Bros. execs Alan Horn and Jeffery Robinov said of Ledger, who had recently wrapped the studio's "Batman" sequel, "The Dark Knight."
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