Star of "Brokeback Mountain" Heath Ledger was found dead in a Manhatten apartment yesterday. Aged 28, Ledger was from Perth, Australia.

He was regarded as one of Hollywood's new generation of highly promising actors. He had already shone in some outstanding movies. Perhaps he first shot to world attention in the movie “The Patriot”, in which he played the son of Mel Gibson. He also starred in “Monster's Ball”, “A Knight's Tale” and achieved notoriety in “Brokeback Mountain” as a gay cowboy, for which he got an Oscar nomination. His final role was as the Joker in the yet to be released Batman movie “Dark Knight”.

His death has stunned Hollywood as well as his family, friends and admirers in Australia. There is no suggestion of foul play. Beside his bed, where he was found, there were found scattered a number of prescription sleeping pills. His family described his death as “tragic, untimely and accidental”.