Fans flood Twitter with birthday greetings for late Australian actor Heath Ledger

Fans of Heath Ledger have taken it to Twitter to pay tribute to the Australian actor, who would have turned 37 years old last April 4.

Eight years ago, Ledger died after an accidental overdose of prescription medication. The untimely demise of the young and promising actor shocked the movie industry and fans alike, especially since he had a bright career ahead of him. Months prior to his death, Ledger just finished filming “The Dark Knight,” where he played the iconic villain The Joker. In 2009, he was given posthumously the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in recognition for his outstanding performance in the movie [watch below].

Years after, Ledger is still remembered by celebrities and his fans. On his birthday, Twitter users flooded the social media in memory of him.

Born in Perth, Australia, Ledger broke into Hollywood in the 1990s, and was first known for his bad-boy-turned-romantic character in “10 Things I Hate About You” in 1999. He was also commended for his performances in his other movies, including “The Patriot,” “A Knight’s Tale,” “Monster’s Ball” and “The Brothers Grimm.”

In addition to “The Dark Knight,” Ledger showcased his acting prowess in Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain.” The controversial film, which also starred Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway and Ledger’s ex-girlfriend, Michelle Williams, followed the sexual and emotional relationship between two men in Wyoming, US. For his role in the movie, Ledger earned an Oscar nomination for best actor. Ledger’s last film was “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” which almost halted production because of his untimely death.

Ledger, who also dreamt of becoming a film director, was married to Williams, whom he began dating while filming “Brokeback Mountain” in 2004. The two had a daughter a year after, named Matilda Rose. In 2007, the couple reportedly broke up. In an emotional interview with Marie Claire magazine in early 2011, Williams said Ledger’s death left a hole in her and their daughter’s life. “Of course, the natural inclination is to want to fill it and make it disappear, but what I've come to recently is that it's impossible,” she said. “Nothing will fit in that hole because what we want back, we can't get, which is this one person.”

Source: YouTube/Oscars