heath ledger

Heath Ledger was born on April 4, 1979 in Perth, Western Austraila. Ledger started his career working in theatre at the Globe Shakespeare Company. He starred in such plays as "Peter Pan" and "Bugsy Malone." Ledger then auditioned for and won the lead role of a young Celtic prince in Shaun Cassidy's medieval-set adventure series, Roar. which was filmed in Australia, sadly the show had low ratings and was cancelled. He also starred in "Black Rock, which was nominated for Australia's Best Picture. Ledger's first big break in the US came when he starred in Touchstone Picture's "10 Things I Hate About You," a modern remake of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Next, Ledger received the part of Mel Gibsons son in the Revolutionary War saga "The Patriot." The pairing was perhaps inevitable: Given the good looks and impressive acting abilities.

Already something of an established actor in his native Australia, Heath Ledger first came to the attention of American audiences in 1999 with his winning turn in the teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You. Playing the rebellious Patrick Verona in the update of The Taming of the Shrew, Ledger managed to arouse many an adolescent hormone with his thorny, charismatic performance.

Born in Perth, Western Australia on April 4, 1979, Ledger first became interested in acting while attending the all-boys Guilford Grammar School. He began his career performing onstage with the Guildford Theatre Company and was soon appearing in substantial roles on Australian television shows. The 1996 series Sweat featured him as a gay cyclist, while the following year's Roar cast him as a medieval Celtic prince--and also won him the beginnings of a fan base. After moving across the Pacific to Los Angeles, Ledger landed his lead role in 10 Things I Hate About You opposite Julia Stiles in 1999. The movie proved to be a summer hit, and it succeeded in introducing Ledger to a legion of new fans. That same year, he starred in Two Hands, an Australian action comedy that cast him as a Sydney teenager who finds himself in debt to an underworld kingpin, played by Bryan Brown. The film premiered at that year's Sundance Film Festival.

Already something of an established actor in his native Australia, Heath Ledger first came to the attention of American audiences in 1999 with his winning turn in the teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You. Playing the rebellious Patrick Verona in the update of The Taming of the Shrew, Ledger managed to arouse many an adolescent hormone with his thorny, charismatic performance. Born in Perth, Western Australia on April 4, 1979, Ledger first became interested in acting while attending the all-boys Guilford Grammar School. He began his career performing onstage with the Guildford Theatre Company and was soon appearing in substantial roles on Australian television shows. The 1996 series Sweat featured him as a gay cyclist, while the following year's Roar cast him as a medieval Celtic prince--and also won him the beginnings of a fan base. After moving across the Pacific to Los Angeles, Ledger landed his lead role in 10 Things I Hate About You opposite Julia Stiles in 1999. The movie proved to be a summer hit, and it succeeded in introducing Ledger to a legion of new fans. That same year, he starred in Two Hands, an Australian action comedy that cast him as a Sydney teenager who finds himself in debt to an underworld kingpin, played by Bryan Brown. The film premiered at that year's Sundance Film Festival. Heath Ledger joins a growing list of Australian talents gracing movie screens all across America these days, a list that includes such names as Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, and Geoffrey Rush. However, Ledger calls to mind another famous star from down under, Mel Gibson. In fact, Ledger shot to stardom by playing Gibson's son in The Patriot, a Revolutionary War epic. Like the blockbuster superstar, Ledger has a strong masculine presence combined with a sensitive face and soul -- traits that help him appeal to both male and female audiences. Prior to his American film debut, the Perth-born Ledger was already a television star in Australia. His first major role was in the short-lived Australian series Sweat, in which he played a gay cyclist, the first major young gay role down under. Following the series' demise, Ledger packed up with a buddy and headed for Sydney. There he won parts in a variety of projects before winning the role of Conor, a Celtic prince destined for great things, in the series Roar. The show, which aired briefly stateside on FOX, co-starred a then-unknown pre-Felicity Keri Russell, earned Ledger legions of young female fans who instantly fell in love with the young heartthrob. But like his first series, Roar didn't last too long and was quickly cancelled.

Filmography
Four Feathers (2002) .... Harry Faversham
Sin Eater, The (2002) .... Father Alex Bernier
Our Sunshine (2002) .... Ned Kelly
Monster's Ball (2001) .... Sonny Grotowski
Knight's Tale, A (2001) .... Sir William Thatcher
2000 MTV Movie Awards (2000) (TV)
Patriot, The (2000) .... Corporal Gabriel Martin
... aka Patriot, Der (2000) (Germany)
Two Hands (1999) .... Jimmy
10 Things I Hate About You (1999) .... Patrick 'Pat' Verona
"Bush Patrol" (1997) TV Series .... Schoolboy
Paws (1997) .... Oberon
"Roar" (1997) TV Series .... Conor
Blackrock (1997) .... Toby Ackland
"Home and Away" (1988) TV Series .... Scott Irwin (1997)
"Sweat" (1996) TV Series .... Snowy Bowles
"Ship to Shore" (1993) TV Series
Clowning Around (1992)

Television Guest Appearances
"Ray Martin Show, The" (2001) playing "Himself"(episode # 1.5) 10/29/2001
"Ray Martin Show, The" (2001) 10/29/2001
"Panel, The" (1998) playing "Himself" 9/27/2001
"Rove Live" (2000) playing "Himself"(episode # 2.10) 4/24/2001
"Panel, The" (1998) playing "Himself"(episode # 2.19) 6/16/1999
"Home and Away" (1988) playing "High School Student" 1998

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