I first "met" this actor when I watched the movie A Knight's Tale and he immediately went down on my favorite actors list.

I know, I know... the movie wasn't THAT great, but damn, the male cast was fantastic! I think that movie was one of the first movies I tortured Mjade with at my house, since it was one of those movies I just couldn't stop watching for some reason. Mjade, of course, immediately pointed out to me all that was wrong with the movie. I just kind of grinned, agreed, but still decided I loved it... and that I loved Heath Ledger. She then insisted I watch 10 Things I Hate About You in order to get the full Heath effect.

Eventually, I did watch that movie and I loved it for him.

I've never been a drooling jackass over Heath. I respected him for his talents-- which I strongly believed he possessed despite the numerous somewhat kitschy and crappy films he's done in the past. Of course, it helped that he was quite good looking in his own way.

When it was first announced that he will be playing the Joker in the next Batman film, most people were adamant against this decision. While on the other hand, I strongly defended Ledger's talent as a character actor. Despite the crappy-ness of say... Casanova, he still pulled off his role and made it believable.

I had always looked forward to all the films he would be in because I knew he always delivered.

Needless to say, I am devastated that Hollywood lost one of their few honestly good actors. I am sad that I will never see him again in a movie after the ones he's already made before his passing.

I tip my hat to him and all that he accomplished in his small time with us. I rarely ever agree that a celebrity death is truly tragic-- and probably, this isn't as tragic in the bigger picture. Still, in my heart it is a big lost to the entertainment world. .. even if it's just in the small world of true Ledger fans.