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Taking her daughter Matilda Ledger to the pediatrician for a checkup, Michelle Williams was spotted out in New York City earlier today (October 27th).
The “Brokeback Mountain” babe looked warm and cozy as she bundled up for the chilly fall weather in a brown topcoat with black stockings and matching black shoes.
Heath Ledger may have been self-medicating his bipolar disorder when he died. A new biography about the actor titled Heath: A Family’s Tale reveals that his uncle Haydn is bipolar and that it could run in the family. Heath’s family and friends believe this explains his wild mood swings and the need for all those the prescription medication in the first place.
The book also reveals details about Heath’s relationships with Michelle Williams, Heather Graham and Naomi Watt and how his father started worrying about his sons mental heath over a year before his death.
Looking at Matilda Rose in those pictures you can see she is going to be a star. Look at the show she is putting on her for mom, Michelle Williams!
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For the second day in a row, Michelle Williams was spotted hand-in-hand with daughter Matilda Rose for a walk in their Brooklyn neighborhood on Friday afternoon (October 17).
Dressed for New York City’s suddenly cold October temperatures, the mother/daughter duo slowly walked along before making a short stop so that little Matilda could satisfy her curiosities by inspecting the ground.
Michelle Williams and a little bundled-up Matilda Ledger enjoyed a lovely fall day in the NYC on Friday.
Looks like Matilda is having so much fun!
We loved crunching fall leaves as a kid, too! And we totally loved the snow! We didn't have either in Miami, but it was always fun to pretend.
[Image via Buzz Foto.]
Matilda Rose Ledger is so adorable in her purple Princess outfit. It is nice to see her and Michelle Williams and her so happy!!!
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While Heath Ledger may be dead and gone, his name is alive and still kicking in the media world. Heath’s ex-attorney has shed his snake skin in the honor of Heath’s daughter, Matilda Rose, and is suing ReliaStar Life Insurance Co. for over $10 million for failure to pay up on Heath’s policy.
ReliaStar states in its legal response that it is seeking more information about whether Ledger may have lied on paperwork and about whether his death may have been a suicide. LaViolette’s lawsuit claims ReliaStar had to investigate any statements Ledger made in paperwork while the actor was still alive.
“There’s a young girl whose father died who is entitled to this money, and ReliaStar is doing everything it can to avoid paying,” William Shernoff, the attorney representing LaViolette and Matilda Rose said in a press release.
Geez, if it wasn’t for the fact that Matilda wasn’t tiny and cute, I would say she must be one of the most unloved children of the century. This company won’t fork over money and her father didn’t bother putting her in his will. Sure, her family gave her Heath’s entire estate, but when Matilda gets to be 15 and, out of teen angst and childhood drama, sleeps around with dangerous men and does personal favors for Mary-Kate Olsen in exchange for drugs, they are going to be kicking themselves in the ass. Matila, if you could read this (or read for that matter) then I would advise you to continue making blank stares and blowing bubbles in your chocolate milk as long as you can, because that’s perhaps the only reason so many people are reeling over you right now.
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While Heath Ledger’s family has settled the late actor’s estate recently, leaving it entirely to his 2-year-old daughter, Matilda, the life insurance company that underwrote his $10 Million policy isn’t moving so quickly. Though Ledger’s death was ruled accidental, ReliaStar Life Insurance Company is saying that his death could have been a suicide- in which case, the policy is null and void. And now, lawyers acting on behalf of Matilda Ledger are suing the company.
The company that wrote Heath Ledger’s $10 million life insurance policy is being sued after claiming the actor’s death might have been a suicide, even though officials concluded it was accidental. Lawyers for Ledger’s daughter say it’s a transparent ploy to avoid paying the money.
ReliaStar Life Insurance Company wrote the policy in June 2007 — six months before Ledger died. The beneficiary of the policy is a trustee who would hold the money for 2-year-old Matilda.
Instead of paying the $10 mil, ReliaStar set out to investigate whether Ledger took his own life, despite the fact that the New York City Medical Examiner ruled the death accidental.
TMZ has obtained a lawsuit, filed by Matilda’s trustee, claiming ReliaStar (owned by ING Americas) has acted in bad faith by not promptly paying the $10 million and by wrongfully prying into the life of Heath Ledger after his death.
Sources say lawyers for the insurance company have claimed Ledger’s death was “suspicious” — possibly suicide, which would nullify the policy. The company alleges in its answer to the lawsuit, “ReliaStar is entitled to investigate Plaintiff’s claim to determine if the ‘Suicide’ provision is applicable.” That provision states, “If the Insured commits suicide … we will pay only the amount of premiums paid to us.”
ReliaStar’s lawyers have informed Matilda’s lawyers they intend to take the depositions of Mary-Kate Olsen, as well as the masseuse who was at Ledger’s home when he died, Ledger’s colleagues on his last film, his agents, doctors, psychologists and others. Lawyers for Matilda believe the insurance company is trying to scare and shame them into submission. They believe ReliaStar is trying to drag the process out, for what could be years, to avoid paying the money.
We’re also told ReliaStar believes Ledger may have lied on two questions on his insurance application — specifically, whether he was taking prescription drugs when he filled out the application and whether he ever used illegal drugs.
In its answer to the lawsuit, ReliaStar claims it can contest the policy if Ledger lied on the application and it was a “material misrepresentation.” Sources tell us Ledger had a prescription for Ambien when he filled out the application, but Ambien was not in his system when he died, nor were any illegal drugs.
Lawyers for Matilda’s trust claim ReliaStar is flagrantly violating California law, which prohibits insurance companies from re-examining insurance applications after the policyholder dies. In the lawsuit, Matilda’s lawyers say they received a letter from ReliaStar, asking them to identify “all physicians who attended to [Ledger] and all hospitals or institutions where [he] was treated since 1996.” Matilda’s lawyers say the request blatantly violates the law.
An official for ReliaStar told TMZ, “No decision has been made on the claim.” But lawyers for Matilda’s trust believe ReliaStar should have already paid and, according to the suit, is acting “maliciously, fraudulently and/or oppressively … depriving plaintiff of the insurance policy benefits.”
The way I see it, the insurance company is on shaky ground here if the cause of death was already ruled an accident. Maybe one of our esteemed commenters with a background in estate law can shed some light here. It seems obvious to me that the company is trying to get out of paying the policy (probably due to the latest economic woes affecting the insurance industry) and will do anything to avoid it- including dragging Ledger through the mud once again. It’s absolutely sickening.
Michelle Williams is shown at the premiere of ‘Wendy and Lucy’ during the New York Film Festival on 9/27/08. Michelle and Heath are shown out in NY on 3/30/06. Credit: WENN.
On the heels of a report that Heath Ledger’s 2-year-old daughter, Matilda Rose, will inherit the late Australian actor’s entire $16 million estate, there is still another legal money matter to be settled. The company that wrote Heath Ledger’s $10 million life insurance policy is being sued after claiming the actor’s death might have been a suicide, even though officials concluded it was accidental. Lawyers for Ledger’s daughter say it’s a transparent ploy to avoid paying the money.
ReliaStar Life Insurance Company wrote the policy in June 2007 — six months before Ledger died. The beneficiary of the policy is a trustee who would hold the money for 2-year-old Matilda. ReliaStar believes Ledger may have lied on two questions on his insurance application — specifically, whether he was taking prescription drugs when he filled out the application and whether he ever used illegal drugs.
Instead of paying the $10 mil, ReliaStar set out to investigate whether Ledger took his own life, despite the fact that the New York City Medical Examiner ruled the death accidental. In its answer to the lawsuit, ReliaStar claims it can contest the policy if Ledger lied on the application and it was a “material misrepresentation.” Sources tell us Ledger had a prescription for Ambien when he filled out the application, but Ambien was not in his system when he died, nor were any illegal drugs.
ReliaStar’s lawyers have informed Matilda’s lawyers they intend to take the depositions of Mary-Kate Olsen, as well as the masseuse who was at Ledger’s home when he died, Ledger’s colleagues on his last film, his agents, doctors, psychologists and others. Lawyers for Matilda believe the insurance company is trying to scare and shame them into submission. They believe ReliaStar is trying to drag the process out, for what could be years, to avoid paying the money.
Lawyers for Matilda’s trust claim ReliaStar is flagrantly violating California law, which prohibits insurance companies from re-examining insurance applications after the policyholder dies. In the lawsuit, Matilda’s lawyers say they received a letter from ReliaStar, asking them to identify “all physicians who attended to [Ledger] and all hospitals or institutions where [he] was treated since 1996.” Matilda’s lawyers say the request blatantly violates the law.
TMZ has obtained a lawsuit, filed by Matilda’s trustee, claiming ReliaStar (owned by ING Americas) has acted in bad faith by not promptly paying the $10 million and by wrongfully prying into the life of Heath Ledger after his death.
An official for ReliaStar told TMZ, “No decision has been made on the claim.” But lawyers for Matilda’s trust believe ReliaStar should have already paid and, according to the suit, is acting “maliciously, fraudulently and/or oppressively … depriving plaintiff of the insurance policy benefits.”
Although the bean counters won’t confirm the exact amount, it looks like Matilda will be getting every penny of her father’s $20 million dollar estate. You probably remember that Heath Ledger left behind an old will drawn up before Matilda’s birth in which left everything to his parents and sisters. Now that all is said and done, Heath’s father says there will be no challenge and the family has given everything to Matilda.
Many people also expected Michelle Williams to lay claim on some of the money as well because her father has made such a public stink about how much his estate was actually worth. But she hasn’t. It’s nice to see his family do the right thing by little Mattie. There’s a bunch of new good Karma floating around in the universe now.
After what seems like an incredibly long time, Heath Ledger’s estate is nearly settled, with the entire thing going to his two-year-old daughter Matilda. The Ledger family says Michelle Williams never had to make a claim on Heath’s will because they have “gifted” every penny to Matilda.
EVERY penny of Heath Ledger’s estimated $20 million will go to his little girl Matilda Rose, Ledger’s father says. In his will, which has been probated behind closed doors at the Supreme Court in Perth, Ledger left everything to his parents and three sisters. Many observers expected his former partner Michelle Williams to lodge a claim on the will, which was signed by the actor on April 12, 2003, two years before Matilda was born.
The will left half of the estate to Ledger’s sisters, Kate and Olivia Ledger and Ashleigh Bell. The remainder was to go to his parents, Kim Ledger and Sally Bell, after debts had been paid. But Ledger’s father, Kim, says there will be no challenge and the family has given everything to Matilda. “There is no claim,” Mr Ledger said. “Our family has gifted everything to Matilda.”
Some estimates have put the value of the Heath Ledger estate at up to $20 million. But Adelaide accountant Mark Dyson, who is an executor of the estate, said he could not reveal what Matilda would inherit. The will, filed at the Manhattan equivalent of Australia’s Family Court after Ledger died in New York on January 22 from a cocktail of prescription drugs, puts the bulk of his assets into a trust.
[From Perth Now]
Michelle Williams’ father, who is a well-known stock market trader, had had a beef with the Ledger family over some of the financial details in Ledger’s will that didn’t make sense.
Despite the millions of dollars in property in Ledger’s trusts, his will lists assets and cash of just $145,000, with no mention of mansions or millions.
Williams’ father has previously challenged the grieving Ledger family to publicly state the value of their son’s fortune.
Larry Williams, one of the world’s best-known stock market traders, said he was perplexed that documents filed in a New York court listed Ledger’s assets at just $145,000.
“It’s real simple: just come clean with everything,” he said.
[From Perth Now]
It does seem that Heath’s affairs (and finances) were a bit out of order, to say the least. He hadn’t updated his will since Matilda was born, which added a lot of complications. And clearly he had some sort of assets worth a good deal more than $145,000, as it’s estimated Matilda will probably inherit something around $16.5 million in U.S. dollars.
Hopefully this wraps up any lingering tensions between the Ledger and Williams families and they can all continue to be involved in Matilda’s life.
Heath Ledger’s two-year-old daughter, Matilda, will inherit the entire fortune of the late Australian actor’s entire estate, estimated to be worth $16.6 million, according to a new report.
Ledger had named his parents and sisters as the beneficiaries in his will, which was drawn up in 2003, before ha had any money and before his child was born.
There had been speculation that Heath’s ex and mother of Matilda, Michelle Williams, would lodge a claim on behalf of their daughter.
However, Heath’s father Kim has probably made that unnecessary as he now claims that Matilda will inherit it all.
He told Australian paper the Perth’s Sunday Times, “…Our family has gifted everything to Matilda.”
We think that’s what Heath would have wanted!
It looks like Heath Ledger's fam has decided to do a truly charitable thing and look out for the most important person in Heath's life: his daughter, Matilda Rose.
Perth Now reports that in the late actor's will, half of his estate was to go to his three sisters and the other half to his parents, Kim Ledger and Sally Bell. The document was signed by Heath on April 12th, 2003 - two years prior to Matilda's birth.
But Heath's father has already taken it upon himself to do the right thing. "Our family has gifted everything to Matilda," he says. And just how much is that?
An estimated $20 million!
We're just glad to know that the little girl will be taken care of. R.I.P, Heath.
Think Heath would be happy with this decision? We think so!
Looking like a picture perfect mother-daughter moment, Michelle Williams was spotted taking a stroll around her Brooklyn, New York neighborhood with her almost-3-year-old daughter Matilda earlier today (September 16).
And the “Dawson’s Creek” darling was dressed for the chill in the air, sporting a black and beige striped sweater with black trousers and beige flats while Matilda rocked a pink dress with a white cardigan sweater.
It's nice to hear that actress Michelle Williams is about to take some good care of herself!
The ex-fiance of the tragically departed Heath Ledger and mommy to Matilda Ledger recently opened up to the New York Times about taking a year off from work and her plans:
"I'm going to take a year off. I think I stopped feeling creative a while ago, and I'm just realising it now. I used to have all the time in the world to daydream and even just to dream and let your unconscious do some of the work for you. Now I'm up at five in the morning and I don't remember what I dreamed about."
In addition to spending quality time with her three year old, she wants to pick up a new hobby:
"I want to humble myself in front of a task like embroidery. I like how really physical work can free your mind."
She also revealed that when she gets back into the switg of things, she'll be doing more light-hearted fare:
"When I work again, maybe it should be a comedy. I've always had a tendency for darker, more life-life material. I think I had this sense that important things are heavier things. I don't know if that's true any more."
Good for you, Michelle.
[Image via Buzz Foto.]
Getting her morning caffeine fix, Michelle Williams was spotted out at a New York City coffee shop with her mom, Carla, and daughter, Matilda Ledger, earlier today (August 20).
According to a source on the scene, Michelle had to chase after her toddler daughter after she playfully dashed out of the cafe for some fun in the sun.
Hollywood heartthrobs Jude Law, Colin Farrell, and Johnny Depp have proven themselves to be not only talented, but also very generous.
According to press reports, Matilda Rose, daughter of actress Michelle Williams and the late Heath Ledger, has received a generous gift from her father’s co-workers and friends.
Not everyone in Hollywood is a selfish, self-centered A-hole. Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell were all so concerned about the state of Heath Ledger’s final will that they donated their entire salaries from The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus to little Matilda. All four actors played versions of the character Tim in the fantasy epic directed by Terry Gilliam.
Director Terry Gilliam, 67, said: “They didn’t take money — it goes to Heath’s daughter. That’s extraordinary! And wonderful . . . and when you’re part of that, you think, ‘Ah, this is maybe why I went into the movies in the beginning. I thought it would be full of wonderful people. And we’ve got a movie full of wonderful people who did extraordinary things to help.”
That’s a nice little savings account for little Mattie. And what a great feel-good story to read before you scroll down to the next story. Be warned. It involves …well read for yourself. It’s not pretty.
Mary-Kate Olsen must have breathed a sigh of relief today when she learned that the federal investigation into Heath Ledger's death was closed, and that the DEA subpoena against her will not be enforced.
The Associated Press reports that prosecutors have called off the case "because they don't believe there's a viable target." According to a government official, the subpoena is no longer valid because it was contingent upon prosecutors pursuing the case; however, the case could be brought back if evidence of a crime surfaces.
As you may recall, Mary-Kate's masseuse, Diana Wolozin, was the one who discovered Heath's body in his New York City home on January 22, 2008. Wolozin phoned Mary-Kate before calling 911, which raised questions as to what involvement, if any, the 22-year-old actress had in Heath's death.
Do you think Mary-Kate had anything to do with Heath's death?
Feds close Heath Ledger investigation
Federal investigators have officially closed the investigation into the death of Heath Ledger. The results? . . . dramatic pause . . . Mary-Kate Olsen is being charged with attempted murder! Just kidding. No charges were filed against anyone. The Associated Press says:
Prosecutors in the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan had been overseeing a Drug Enforcement Administration probe into whether the painkillers found in Ledger’s system were obtained illegally. But the prosecutors have bowed out “because they don’t believe there’s a viable target,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because no charges have been filed.
The decision comes after recent reports that actress Mary-Kate Olsen was demanding immunity before answering questions about the startling death of her close friend and his drug use. Authorities say she was the first person called by a masseuse who found the 28-year-old “Dark Knight” actor’s lifeless body in his Manhattan apartment.
The DEA had obtained a subpoena that could have forced Olsen if she continued to hold out. But the subpoena, issued in April, is no longer valid because it was contingent upon prosecutors pursuing the case, the official said Wednesday. The official added that the case could still be revived if evidence of a crime emerges. (Source)
No viable target? What about the chick that’s demanding immunity before she testifies. What about her? Call it a crazy hunch, but I think she just may be hiding something.
The official investigation of how Heath Ledger obtained two of the prescription painkillers found in his system at the time of his sudden death has been closed due to lack of evidence. It was previously reported here that actress Mary-Kate Olsen had been subpoenaed to testify in front of a grand jury as part of a probe into the mystery surrounding the star’s death.
Ledger died of an accidental prescription drugs overdose at his New York apartment in January (08). Olsen’s name was brought into the case because a masseuse Diana Wolozin, who found Ledger dead called the former child star 3 times on Ledgers phone (he had her on speed dial) before contacting the emergency services, prompting suspicion. Sources confirmed Olsen wasn’t willing to talk to the Feds unless granted immunity for any possibly illegal activity, and a subpoena was reportedly headed her way.
But now it looks as if the 22-year-old actress has somehow successfully stonewalled the investigation and will escape having to give testimony. An unidentified official has reportedly told People Magazine that prosecutors have closed the investigation “because they don’t believe there’s a viable target”.
Heath Ledger is receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews for his performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight, but his friends have mixed feelings about seeing the late actor in one of his last roles.
Mary-Kate Olsen, whose role in Heath’s death is reportedly being questioned by the DEA and was rumored to be casually dating Heath at the time of his death, made a low-key visit to see The Dark Knight in New York City on July 24.
Dressed entirely in black, wearing sunglasses and sipping her customary Starbucks drink, Mary-Kate, 22, caught the 7:30 p.m. show at NYC’s Battery Park….”She was keeping to herself,” an onlooker tells OK! “She shut off her phone before entering the theater and seemed somber.”
[From OK! Weekly, print edition, August 11, 2008]
Shutting off her cell phone must be how Mary-Kate shows respect.
Heath’s Brokeback Mountain co-star Jake Gyllenhaal is still coping with his death and can’t bring himself to see The Dark Knight, even though his sister Maggie is also in the film.
“Jake is proud that Heath did such a great job and is getting rave reviews for his performance — even Oscar talk — but he can’t see it right now,” a source tells Star. “He’s still not over it.”
[From Star, print edition, August 11, 2008]
I imagine it would be difficult to see a recently departed friend in a powerful performance, especially in such a dark film. I didn’t know Heath, but I still can’t watch A Knight’s Tale when it’s shown on USA Network.
In lighter news, Jake is basking in his new role as buff stud in his latest film Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, and wants to show it off on the big screen. According to Star, he wants all his costumes to have the sleeves removed so his biceps can be seen.
“Jake has a lot of sword fighting scenes and wants to look strong and manly,” says an insider. Disney executives refused, but Jake insisted, so they compromised — 80 percent of the tops will have no sleeves.
[From Star, print edition, August 11, 2008]
Mathematically speaking, I don’t think 80/20 is a compromise, but if it results in gleaming biceps, I’m not going to argue. In fact, if Orlando Bloom, who was rumored to be up for the Prince of Persia lead, had made this demand, Kingdom of Heaven may have done better at the box office.
Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal are shown at a press conference at the Toronto Film Festival for Brokeback Mountain on 9/10/05. Credit: Kevin Corkum / WENN
Mary-Kate Olsen has been legally compelled to testify in front of a grand jury in the Heath Ledger investigation. The NYPD has closed their case looking into the death of the 28 year-old actor, but the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency is trying to determine where Heath obtained the prescription medications that led to a fatal drug interaction. Mary-Kate requested immunity from prosecution before talking to the DEA, and many people thought that looked suspicious. Others with legal backgrounds have said that she might just be proceeding cautiously as her lawyer advises and that we shouldn’t jump to conclusions.
Mary-Kate has not been granted immunity and was served a subpoena to testify in front of a grand jury. A grand jury determines whether there’s enough evidence to proceed with a trial. The proceedings are private and closed to the public, and Mary-Kate does not have the right to have her attorney with her when she testifies. If the grand jury decides that there is enough evidence to go forward with a federal trial it could possibly be open to the public.
Access Hollywood is reporting this story, and while I don’t doubt that Mary-Kate was served a subpoena their facts differ from other reports. They claim Heath died from five medications, not six, and that there are two drugs he didn’t have prescriptions for. The official coroner’s report listed six drugs as the cause of death, and a story in the NY Daily News earlier this week said that the only drug Heath didn’t have a prescription for was Oxycontin. Access Hollywood says that he didn’t have prescriptions for either the Oxycontin or the Vicodin. Whatever happened, Mary-Kate is going to have to talk:
As the investigation surrounding Heath Ledger’s accidental overdose continues, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration office in New York has confirmed to Access Hollywood that they have issued a subpoena that would force Mary-Kate Olsen to testify in front of a grand jury.
Five medications were found in Heath’s body at the time of his death, according to the DEA, three of which he’d obtained via doctors in Texas and Los Angeles. At the center of the investigation is how he acquired Oxycontin and Vicodin without a legal prescription.
The actress was the first person called by the masseuse who discovered Heath’s body after the “The Dark Knight” actor’s untimely death…
According to Benjamin Brafman, a high-profile defense attorney not associated with the case, seeking immunity is not the same as admitting guilt.
“It may not mean anything other than she’s getting good legal advice,” Brafman told Access.
“You don’t know what the DEA may suspect in this case and I think it’s a cautious way to proceed. I think it would be wrong to assume she’s done something criminal simply because she’s invoking her 5th amendment against self-incrimination.”
[Access Hollywood as found on omg.yahoo.com]
We can’t presume to know what Mary-Kate’s motivations were for seeking immunity, and it’s possible she was just taking her lawyer’s advice. Yesterday she denied supplying Heath drugs at all and her lawyer called the stories about it “inaccurate and incomplete.”
Mary-Kate Olsen is shown at a screening for The Wackness in NY on 6/25/08. Credit: WORKUM/bauergriffinonline.com
The Feds have interviewed about 23,000 people in connection with the accidental drug overdose that resulted in Heath Ledgers death. Investigaters say that everyone has been extremely cooperative except for the troll-girl Mary-Kate Olsen.
The New York Post reports that MK “has refused to speak” and her lawyer, Michael Miller, claims she won’t be interviewed “unless she gets immunity, exercising her constitutional rights.”
The fuzz want to know where the un-prescribed OxyContin involved in Heath’s death came from and since MK was the first one called they assume she knows something. They know troll-girl could lead them to the source and possibly to some major drug players.
There is also buzz that the Oxy came from a “a friend” and the bottle with that “friends” name on it was removed from the apartment before the police arrived. Do you think little trolly snuck in there and got her drugs out before the coppers got there? It totally makes sense. Maybe the Feds will figure out a way to prove it without her help and prosecute her annoying ass to the fullest extent of the law. Or at least take away those heinous flannel she wears all the time.
We told you yesterday that The Dark Knight broke the midnight opening record by bringing in $18.5 million, but after everything was tallied up from Friday night sales, the film ended up having the best opening day gross EVER, with an estimated $66.4 million in ticket sales.
The film could score the highest opening ever for a non-holiday weekend if people keep flocking to theaters. The previous record holder for both best opening day and best opening for a non-holiday weekend is Spider-Man 3, which made $59.8 million on its opening Friday, and $151.1 million for the weekend.
Madness!
Have you seen the film yet? Thoughts?
The Dark Knight shattered box office records for the midnight opening, earning an unprecedented $18,489,000 at the box office last night. Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures made the announcement today, and added:
“We have been thrilled by the response to The Dark Knight, first from the critics and now from audiences. From our earliest screenings, the buzz on the film has been white hot and it hasn’t let up. Now that the opening weekend is here, we are very excited to finally share The Dark Knight with moviegoers nationwide.”
The 12:01 a.m. opening grosses beat the previous record of $16.9 million, which was held by Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith from May of 2005. Insiders have predicted that the film could make up to $150 million this weekend, and Heath Ledger has already gotten Oscar buzz for his role as the Joker.
We can't wait to see it!!!!
Do you think the film would have pulled in these kinds of numbers if Heath were alive today?
Verne Troyer spoke to E! News about the sex tape his ex girlfriend has been shopping around. He’s been fighting its release and says his lawyer is great but it’s been expensive for him. Verne says that he broke up with Ranae Shrider right before she decided to go public with the tape and he suggests she’s doing it for revenge. He also confirms that they’re still living together and says that Ranae was just taunting him the other day. The story she told News of The World about having to rescue him after he nearly drowned in a bubble bath is false according to Verne.
“I feel like I have no privacy. Just because people are seeing something that was meant to be between me and her. That’s the biggest reason that I’m, you know, trying to stop the tape from being released.”
The diminutive actor says he feels “betrayed and hurt” by the release of the tape, and he denies all involvement in its release. Troyer and his attorney Edwin McPherson succeeded last week in upholding an injunction to prevent the sale of the tape while they try to shelve the issue entirely.
“I’ve been, for the past two weeks, three weeks probably, spending a lot of money to fight this. I have my lawyer and he’s doing a great job,” Troyer said…
“I broke up with her in the middle of June; it was something probably to do with that. It was basically when she decided to give the tape away. I highly doubt that she thought that would get me back with her. Ransom or something,” Troyer said.
And what of claims made by Shrider, like that she nearly drowned the Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me star in a romantic bubble bath?
“There’s no incident like that. She’s coming up with things and telling media anything to make it interesting. I haven’t seen everything she’s done…The things she says just aren’t true,” he adds…
“She’s still in the house,” Troyer says, noting that he’s taking legal action to force her out, but their situation “makes it even harder, to, you know, not strangle her…
“I saw her when I left today and she was calling me names and stuff. Uh, so I can’t get away from it,” he said, choking back tears.
Troyer says friends, family and attorney are helping him pull through the mess, but that the embarrassment “has already started affecting [work opportunities].”
[From E-Online]
You can tell the guy was really betrayed by this woman and that he’s hurt by it. He’s not my favorite person and I didn’t like the way he behaved on The Surreal Life, but no one deserves to go through that.
Troyer also talks about Heath Ledger’s death. He worked closely with Heath on his last movie, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. Troyer confirms statements from other cast members that it was a difficult shoot and that it was cold and a lot of the actors were sick from filming. He says Heath was troubled in his personal life, he’s not going to say exactly what it was about because he doesn’t want to betray their friendship, but that his death was an accident and Heath wasn’t about to take his own life. He told a funny story about how Heath taunted a paparazzo that was trying to shoot him.
Verne and other cast members have the same heart tattoo for Heath. It’s of a drawing the late actor made.
“I don’t believe that he was troubled,” Troyer says of Ledger’s final days working on the movie. “Everyone knew that he had a hard time sleeping and from working in the cold weather in London—we were out in the rain and things like that—so everybody got sick, to a certain extent…
“He couldn’t sleep because he was so wrapped up in the character of Joker in Batman,” Troyer said. “He was still going through not sleeping because he was so involved in that. Throughout our shoot it was the same way.”
Troyer insists that despite sleeplessness Ledger was still “upbeat” about his work on Parnassus. Playful even, as Troyer recalls the last time he and Ledger were together: On the cast’s final night of shooting before they departed London for hiatus, the pair shot a scene at a bar where paparazzi loomed out front. Ledger made his way into the crowd unseen to tease the shutterbugs.
“Heath snuck his way out into the crowd without anybody noticing and came right up next to one of the photographers and asked him, ‘Who are you trying to shoot? Who are you trying to get?’”
The photog said he wanted a snap of Ledger, to which Ledger responded, “’Oh, really? That’s cool,’” according to Troyer. By the time the pap could realize it was Heath himself, the actor had disappeared.
“I thought that was classic, just classic and hilarious,” Troyer said.
Troyer, who was visibly choked up during our sit-down with him, said he valued Heath’s confidence in him.
“There were things in his life going on and I don’t want to say anything about it because it was personal and he trusted me…anybody would have been a little bit depressed [in Heath’s existing situation],” Troyer said
Troyer maintains, however, Ledger would never commit suicide.
“He wasn’t, for me, depressed enough to even think about taking his own life. It was an accident, it happened and it’s very unfortunate.”
On a brighter note, Verne and other castmates like Lily Cole were able to pay homage to their costar and friend. They tattooed themselves with replicas of a heart Ledger drew on a piece of paper. Troyer, who got his on his right hand, considers it a memorial.
“A lot of people from the cast and crew got a tattoo of it somewhere, of that heart, just thinking of Heath and respecting him.”
[From E! Online]
It’s surprising to hear that Verne knew Heath. He touched a lot of people and his accidental death was a real tragedy. Heath had a few tattoos himself and even had one for his daughter, Matilda. It was a heart with her name on it that he had done on his chest about a year before he died.
Heath Ledger is shown on 9/2/05 at the Venice Film Festival. Credit: Graffiti Press / PR Photos. Verne Troyer is shon on 6/3/08. Credit: Jody Cortes / WENN
It may be the most buzzed about film role of the year. And the late Heath Ledger’s family was in full force to see their beloved son/brother play the Joker at last night’s premiere of “The Dark Knight.”
Not big fans of glitz and glamour, Heath’s dad Kim and stepmother Ines made a beeline for the doors at the AMC Loews Lincoln Center cinema. Heath’s mother Sally Bell and her husband, along with Heath’s older sister Kate also showed up.
It’s a tragedy that still eerily lingers within the entertainment industry. And six months after his tragic death, Heath Ledger’s parents are getting ready to celebrate his role in “The Dark Knight.”
Kim Ledger, along with his wife and daughter were spotted at the Sydney airport earlier today on their way to America for the New York City premiere of their late son’s film on July 14th.
It is truly amazing to see how much Heath Ledger touched people’s lives. Most of the time after a celebrity dies, people stop mentioning them after a month or two. But five months after Ledger’s untimely death, he is still very much in the news – especially with the release of The Dark Knight, for which Ledger has earned a good deal of Oscar buzz.
Heath was honored by his hometown of Perth, Australia today. The city chose to name their new $87 million theater after Ledger.
The Australian hometown of the late actor Heath Ledger named a theater in his honor Tuesday for his commitment to acting.
The $87 million, 575-seat Heath Ledger Theater in Perth is a fitting tribute because Ledger was always supportive of other young actors, Western Australia state Premier Alan Carpenter said at a naming ceremony.
“Heath Ledger was totally dedicated to the craft of being an actor and that’s what made him successful,” Carpenter said. “I think what we’re doing is continuing that support for young people who want to make a career in the arts and acting, stage and in film, whatever it happens to be.”
Kim Ledger, the actor’s father, called the tribute a pleasant surprise. “He was such a giver to the arts right across the board. I really feel that there’s not a lot of things he’d put his name to, but he’d put his name to that,” said Kim Ledger, who attended Tuesday’s ceremony.
[From the Huffington Post]
I think that’s a truly beautiful tribute to Ledger’s memory. And very fitting. There was so much inappropriate speculation after he died, and it is nice to know that he will ultimately be remembered and honored in a decent way.
Every early review I have seen of the new Batman movie ‘The Dark Knight’ seems to say the same thing. The movie is fabulous!
Director Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jersey Girl) got an early look at the film and he wrote about it on his blog. Without giving any secrets away Kevin says:
“Courtesy of Peter Sciretta over at SlashFilm.com, I caught an early screening of “The Dark Knight” yesterday evening.Without giving anything away, this is an epic film (and trust me: based on the sheer size and scope of the visuals and storytelling, that’s not an overstatement). It’s the “Godfather II” of comic book films and three times more earnest than “Batman Begins” (and f**k, was that an earnest film). Easily the most adult comic book film ever made. Heath Ledger didn’t so much give a performance as he disappeared completely into the role; I know I’m not the first to suggest this, but he’ll likely get at least an Oscar nod (if not the win) for Best Supporting Actor. F**king flick’s nearly three hours long and only leaves you wanting more (in a great way). I can’t imagine anyone being disappointed by it. Nolan and crew have created something close to a masterpiece.”
I have seen more of the same from other reviews. It a rare occurrence when a 3-hour film doesn’t turn out to ‘go to far’ but this one seems to be the exception. Looking forward to seeing it!
Finding herself surrounded in controversy as of late, Michelle Williams attempted to clear her head with a family walk in New York City with half-brother, Jason, and daughter, Matilda, on Thursday (June 26).
The “Deception” actress recently denied rumors that a bust-up with Heath Ledger’s family is the reason she will not be present for the premiere of Heath’s last completed movie, “The Dark Knight.”
Michelle Williams will be boycotting the upcoming premiere of the new Batman movie Dark Knight. Heath Ledger’s family will be flying in from Australia to attend, representing Heath. However according to the New York Post, the Ledgers and Williams are feuding over Heath’s will.
Part of the problem is that Ledger never updated it after he and Williams had daughter Matilda, now 2. His old will, written in 2003, had his father as the main beneficiary. However Matilda is supposed to be the beneficiary now, and the Ledgers have publicly stated that she will be taken care of. But Michelle has supposedly not gotten anything from the family yet, and is pretty upset.
HEATH Ledger’s father, Kim, mother, Emma, and other family members are flying in for the “Dark Knight” premiere on July 14 for what some are calling a “sort of tribute” to him - but don’t expect to see his ex, Michelle Williams, or daughter, Matilda. An insider said, “Michelle is furious with Heath’s family and threatening to boycott the premiere. Matilda is supposed to be the beneficiary of the will, but Michelle has seen nothing from them. Heath didn’t have much in cash, but there was a big house in LA and a back-end deal for ‘Dark Knight’ [that] could reap millions.”
Ledger’s will, made out in 2003 before Matilda was born, left everything to his father, mother and sisters. But Matilda is now considered the beneficiary, and Kim is the executor. Williams fears that by the time Matilda reaches 18 and can cash in on her inheritance, nothing will be left. Years ago, Kim’s brothers charged that he mismanaged their father’s estate, losing millions. A rep for Williams didn’t return repeated calls.
[From Page Six]
The issue of Kim Ledger’s mismanagement of his late father’s estate does appear to be a pretty legitimate concern, as all the money was lost and the estate ended up in debt. My first thought was that as an actress, you’d think Michelle Williams could afford to take care of Matilda just fine. But that’s really not the issue – Heath’s daughter has a right to what her father presumably would have left her.
Page Six doesn’t make it clear if Matilda is now supposed to be the beneficiary of the will legally or if it’s just that the Ledgers promised she would be. All of that said, it seems like the mature thing would be for Michelle to go to the premiere and try to keep relations friendly. It’s likely that Matilda will want