Heath Battled Drugs
Filed under: Australiastic > Heath LedgerWhile it remains uncertain if Heath Ledger's tragic death on Tuesday was the result of an accidental overdose or a suicide….
It has now become apparent that the actor kept a substance abuse issue hidden very well. Ledger may have also been suffering from depression.
Click here to watch a shocking video of Heath being interviewed just two months ago, and appearing to be clearly under the influence of drugs.
Posted: January 22, 2008 at 7:09 pm
ok his death is starting to make a little more sense now.
I have always loved Heath, He doesn't look like hes on drugs here. He just looks nervous or anxious. His facial expressions are normal and he sounds fine. You don't know what the HELL u are talking about. Its not a SHOCKING video. Its a video of Heath talking about his role.
May he rest in peace. This is so sad. His little girl will never know him.
He was a great talent and an honorable man. I don't see any sign of "under the influence" in this video. Please let him rest. Maybe someday we'll know what happened, but it's really none of our business. He will be sadly missed.
It's true - - the more PzH gets him some famous, the fewer bold chances his site takes. Ever get the feeling you've been cheated? Coverage on H Ledger pitiful so far. Where's the provocation? Where're the conspiracy theories?
Perez spreading rumors even in times of tragedy… proof the fat fuck has no soul.
amen jenny….very direspectful perez
I was watching the news this morning when i found out.It was a shock but most of all my heart goes out for his parents, Michelle and little Matilda.I have a son the same age as Matilda and my heart would break if i had to tell him daddy wasn't coming home.
People have some respect for the dead.
Gorgeous brilliant actor, RIP Heath, you be sorely missed…loved your work. Thoughts and prayers with your family.
this is sad, i know it is your job to report this, but you all need to think about his daughter i am sure michelle found out about this by the tabloids how do you think she feels having to tell her child that she will never see her daddy again…
He was not on drugs, thats just his character/behaviour. He has always been uncomfortable when doing interviews, hes not like other celebrities who are plastering their image everywhere.
I think its disgusting that the media portrayed him in such a bad light, especially after his death. Its just SICK, they make all those assumptions about his personal life and who he was dating, and how his movie role as the joker had some "connection" to his death.
SICK SICK SICK.
this is fucked up. bye.
as the wife of a recovering addict i can say this CLEARLY shows his drug use. I lived with it for years and can see every sign in this interview. and to the person who stated he wasnt spacing out, did you not see him looking all over and forgetting the things he was saying? I feel for him dearly and his family, esp his daughter, but obviously he had his own set of demons. rip
this is sad, i know it is your job to report this, but you all need to think about his daughter i am sure michelle found out about this by the tabloids how do you think she feels having to tell her child that she will never see her daddy again…
i miss you heath…
perez, heath was fidgety in all of his interviews. even when he was with michelle. this video doesn't prove anything. do your research. dont say something when you don't know if its true. very disrespectful to heath.
Disagree - doesn't seem under the influence at all. He is attentive. Probably just antsy from sitting answering stupid interview questions all day.
Re: lyn – We are talking about the tragic death of a human being, a father, a son and all you can do is write "first"? Who fucking cares!! Show some respect.
Oh…and about this vid clip, it looks like he's fidgeting due to the simple fact that he does not like to be put on the spot. Poor baby, he was just a chill person who didn't deal with the limelight aspect of being famous.
I totally disagree about him "clearly being on drugs". He looks completely normal, articulate, albeit a bit nervous or anxious. I like your site but this is unfair and uncalled for.
I feel very very very sorry for his little daughter and the rest of his family
:-) RIP Heaf!
He obviously was a tortured soul and we have NO RIGHT to judge him. This is a sad day and YOU SHOULD ALL BE THINKING OF HOW SAD THIS IS FOR HIS FAMILY.
i think out of respect for the dead you should simply remove this video and not make any statements using the word "clearly" unless you can 100% verify your statements.
Stop making up shit…you don't know that he was on drugs during this interview….he's freaking dead don't start rumors ass!! He's got a 2 year old! have some respect for the dead!
Hey Perez u motherfucker, there is nothing about this vid that shows he suffered substance abuse. ur a fucking bastard and i am sorry he had to die, instead of you. stop trying to malign a dead mans name, you might as well just piss on his grave you shameless gay bastard.
i thought even u had limits but obviously i wrong
The scary thing about this video posted here and the lack of sensitivity towards his daughter and family, and the sick posts by some of you people is that you dumb ass, heartless moraless young people will one day run this country. The good thing is at the rate you are all going you will kill each other before it happens! Have a nice life!
this is so sad. Yes, definitely drugs. My brother is a recovering addict and he had the exact same nervous hands, arm, fidgety thing going on when talking. So sad to see this. I hate it that such talented,wonderful people think they are worthless.
I used to touch my arms and hug up on myself when I was peaking cause i couldnt sit still…long time ago though..well…long for me anyway, but i still remember what its like to be high and all that stuff where he is squeezing his arms and jus feelin on his skin….thats somethin u kind of do when your high……………..just sayin.
Oh Yeah, and FUCK YOU TO ALL YOU "first" FUCKERS….YOU INSENSITIVE PRICKS!!!!!!! I HOPE YOU ALL FUCKING ROT IN FUCKING HELL WHICH I'M SURE YOU WILL FOR HAVING NO FUCKING SOUL.
Re: lyn – YOU ASSHOLE!!! SHOW SOME RESPECT, ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RIP Heath! You were a great talent !
So….where's the "tragedy" here? Some guy gets a big break and makes a few pix but then concludes he's being "packaged" as a "product" etc. etc., rejects scripts galore, loses his significant other and child due to his not caring enough to settle the hell down, etc., ad nauseum, gets involved in narcotics, and either kills himself or OD's. Boo-hoo-fucking-hoo.
HOW does he appear to be under the influence of drugs?
This is pathetic. Multiple times it has been reported that he is SHY and NERVOUS which is exactly what we can see in this video!
Regarding the top post re: Sleeping pills etc - LOTS of people require sleeping pills, People go through hard and stressful times therefore they require assistance sleeping. Jesus, the famous are human too. Why does everything need to be exagerated. He has just DIED. Lets not speculate. It's pathetic!
That's crap that he was "clearly under the influence of drugs" - he hates interviews and that's always been evident, he's a brilliant actor, a genius.
Take it down. I think everyone is feeling such shock because he was very private and you didn't hear things about drug use. To put this up now and play this game is just wrong.
People who say he doesnt look like he is on drugs CLEARLY have NOT touched any hard drugs in their lives…which is good, because they are bad. BUT you are all wrong i think…the way he is hugging his arms and and rubbing them and touching his skin…he cant sit still…he APPEARS to be on drugs. Trust me.
Re: Steffie –
Exactly! I watched an Ellen interview with him just now (interview was like 2 years old) and he seemed the exact same way. If anything he was more wiggly in the old interview than he was in the more recent interview posted on here. He just seems like a nervous, fidgety type. By looking at his manner I would guess he would have anxiety issues - being recently divorced can throw some major depression into the mix. How sad!
Very irresponsible reporting Perez, this clip does now show him to be clearly under the influence of anything. He hated doing interviews. All this clip shows is that he's nervous and uncomfortable - hardly "battling drugs"
maybe he is just extremely nervous or shy. But I didn't think actors were usually such nervous/shy people. Thought they would have the stage fright/social anxiety thing conquered at this point in the game. Hmmmm. I don't want to judge, but it is indeed strange and very sad.
im sorry but theres clearly summin up with him, he was never shy or like that in interviews, and he just stops mid sentence and forgetting where he was?! i dnt think its to do with him being " shy or nervous"
He doesn't seem to be under the influence of anything; just tired. He looks and sounds tired to me. He is moving to and stretching like someone who is exhausted does to stay awake.
well, if he was addicted to downers, most likely he's not on the drugs in this video. he seems agitated and fidgety, so it seems more like he is anxious and if he really did have a drug problem he could be needing a fix. but like most people have said, it doesn't matter at this time. what matters is that he was one of the best and most talented young actors out there and he is leaving behind a young daughter.
Looks more like ADD to me then drugs. He looks fidgety, like a kid, not a druggie.
oh my gosh, this is just depressing to watch. he looks like he is on e. RIP
He has always seemed to be uncomfortable doing interviews on camera, and this interview to me seems to portray this. I don't think he was on drugs for a second, I think he just found the whole interview process uncomfortable. He passed away only a few hours ago perez show some respect, the world has lost a fantastic talent, be respectful, and at the right time, celebrate his life, not try and speculate that he's a drug addict. Think about his poor family and little girl for a moment, they don't need to hear this shit, the news are already doing a good job of trying to say he was using illicit substances when no one will actually know what happened until an autopsy is done. Let him be at peace.
how is he CLEARLY under the influence of drugs? youre not a drug expert…youre just a food expert because you are clearly an obese pig.
so fricken what…he looks nervous and uncomfortable being interviewed, maybe even cold which explains his constant movement…but he's coherent, attentive and legible. shut the fuck up perez…sick of your fat ass.
Re: Steffie –
Well, theres a lot of him losing his train of thought, talking somewhat incoherently, rubbing his arms….. he's not exactly behaving in a normal way! You maybe loved Heath, but you gotta admit that there's a lot of signs pointing to his possible drug abuse. If you went on a date with a guy and he behaved like that, you'd probably wonder what was going on!
[B][I] HA HAS A LITTLE GIRL TO THINK ABOUT. WHAT IS WITH ALL OF YOU HEARTLESS 15 YR OLDS???? HE HAS FAMILY AND A DAUGHTER WHO WILL NEVER KNOW HIM!
YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED.[/B] [/I]
Re: Ayanna – Shut up, bitch. Show some freakin' respect
So friggin what ?? So what if he was on something. It has NOTHING to do with you Perez… or anyone else for that matter !!
The man is dead, a child has lost her father and a family has lost their son and brother. Show some respect you bastard !!!
I hope this is the end of you Perez. It has been a long time coming, but I really hope someone ruins you, just like you try to ruin others AND their memory. Hopefully, this time next year… you are teaching other little fat
guys how to do the Salsa or something !!! Please god… and RIP Heath. One bad thing about slandering the dead is that they might just come back to haunt you Perez…. all of them !!!
I don't really think he is under the influence…Heath was never shy about letting people know that he was uncomfortable with interviews…if you look at any interview he's ever done, he fidgets uncontrollably…
EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO SAYS HE WAS NOT ON DRUGS HAS NEVERRRR BEEN ON AN UPPER. I GUARANTEE IT. HEATH WAS DEFINITELY ON AN UPPER MY GUESS IS EXTACY. BUT YEA, PEOPLE WHO SAY HE'S NOT AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THESE EFFECTS ARE COMPLETELY IGNORANT!!
Before you speculate, as usual, about Heath Ledger doing drugs or being a drug addict, you should understand that the combination of stress, a racing mind that you can not shut off, and not sleeping, can definitely take it's toll on a person and further induce depression. Try not sleeping for weeks at a time, you will feel like you are losing it and taking those crappy sleeping pills does nothing to shut off the mind so that you can get sleep. Not everyone is a freakin drug addict.
People…if you are trying to say he didn't look like he was on drugs during this interview then you have clearly not done enough drugs to know! Very very sad..too young…too soon.
I find it interesting that ppl ask "why do celebrities take drugs? They have everything going for them, blah bla blah" Why does ANYONE take drugs?? Escapism. From reality from their reality from themselves. & I dont mean the parties & the money reality I mean WHO they are. The crux of WHO you are doesnt just change because youve made a break through movie or album - ppl can still carry the person they have always been, the sum of their life experience, with them & when you dont like or dont understand WHO you are then sometimes drugs/escapism/numbing is a way to get through each day. There is SOOO much more to the drug user than weakness & selfishness. To understand this takes compassion, sometimes it is compassionate to just say you DONT understand.
You guys are clueless…he's so clearly high as a kite in this video. You don't slurr your speech when you're srtung out like that…you fidget and you clench your teeth…and you stop to collect your thoughts..you talk a lot and fast….I could go on but what's the use?
screw you Justin how dare you commit on how"fast" the news in. have some manners you tool
Typical sensationalism from the 'raving queen' of all media!
He just looks really uncomfortable being there, and who knows whether it was his first or last interview for the day.
Stop leeching on to every single news story as though you know every little detail & give some respect.
this doesn't necessarily indicate ledger was under the influence of drugs. his nervous behavior would suggest he was experiencing very high levels of anxiety at the time of the interview. A byproduct of depression.
He is NOT clearly under the influence of drugs here. This is just how heath acts all the time: shy and with occasional nervous twitches. He seems very focused on what he is saying and is making direct eye contact with the interviewer!
To me it doesnt seem like he is under the influence of drugs…looks like he has a serious case of anxiety…ppl with bad anxiety always seem to keep their hands busy like that while talking face to face with someone. So sad. Seemed like he was a great guy! RIP
So young/talented and to see him in this video tweaking is so disturbing he has been battling addiction for sometime and it has now got him…RIP Heath God bless his family/friends and that precious baby he loved so much…
Re: Seen it Before –
Antidepressant/antianxieties can be useful, but they are prescribed in too high doses too often. I had an anxiety/depression problem and the drugs made me worse than the problem-I didn't know which end was up. Sometimes they're a necessary evil to PREVENT suicide, but they can lead to mood swings that mimic bipolar disorder, which can lead to more wrong medication. That's how it often goes… but if it goes as far as self-medicating/suicide in an adult, it's usually more about a lack of therapy than just the medication.
But the fidgeting is classic of something like Effexor.
Re: sp19 – i totally agree with julie. read my comment
Perez,i think you're absolutely hilarious but this is just fucking stupid. The video is in no way "shocking" nor does he appear "to be clearly under the influence of drugs." The man can't move an inch without him being high? It's ridiculous and foolish of you to be twisting and tarnishing his image. Let the God damn man rest!
In all fairness he had done like 12 interviews in a couple of days so he was worn out…
Re: Julie – i totally agree with you. he is anxious as a motherfu**er
Ah the life and death of a celebrity… he can't even escape this bullshit now. Shame on you Perez Hilton.
"clearly under the influence of drugs"
Who's the judgemental moron? This website is a big shithole run by a asshole.
Youdickhead - get a life.
What a sad day
r.i.p. Heath
he is not high idiot. i have seen him act that way before. he is an actor who is thinking what he wants to say. maybe he was tried. not everything these folks do are drug related - only half the time
He is not on drugs in this video. He speaks clearly and intelligently. Just acts a bit fidgety. Sounds from other stuff I read that he was tortured by insomnia and overmedicating, accidental overdose. What a tragic, tragic waste of a beautiful, talented man.
RIP
It's time to end this ridiculous nasty obsession you and your hanger ons have with regard to celebrities. The man was a talent and he has died, its a sad loss to the film industry but more importantly to his daughter, his other family members and his friends, of no doubt he had many. You should show some respect. This really is a low blow. I hope you feel suitably ashamed about this and remove it out of respect for his family. But no doubt you wont.
PEREZ - you are a low life!!!
Why cant you show some respect. You get off on hurting people, and when it comes around back to you i hope you get it ten fold!!
If you read anything other artical by somone who has a heart, it says that he had trouble with playing the joker cause it was such a twister character. Any coulnd sleep cause of it.
I wish Perez would kill himself…so we could all get on with our lives.
This video doesn't clearly show he is on drugs. Yeah he's fidgeting ALOT, but my son did that and it was due to ADD, and especially when he was nervous. Perez, don't write things unless you know for sure they are true.
Aside from looking a little jittery and scratching his arm, I would hardly say this constitutes "clearly under the influence of drugs".
Rest in peace, Mr. Ledger.
heath was not on drugs in this video? how do i know this? i was there…i worked with heath for 3 years. yeah, there are a few stories to tell, but they wont be told, at least by us australians who actually have respect. heath was a chilled out aussie who didnt give a fuck about pretenious hollywood. i was his PA/PR assistant in sydney for nine months, and then a nanny to his daughter whilst he was in bronte. so everyone should shut the fuck up about this video and give the man the respect he deserves. oi oi oi heath! x
EXACTLY. And don't be so quit to just make some dramatic assumption that he's strung out on drugs in this video. Obviously you didn't put any effort into thinking of additional reasons for his behavior.
Damn Perez. I love you, but I have to say - this is a little cold. Maybe he did have a drug problem, maybe he didn't. That really seems irrelevant at this point, show a little respect for the poor guy. He was a talented actor who didn't deserve to end this way and he also doesn't deserve to have some random YouTube video posted criticizing him for being "clearly under the influence of drugs." He has been gone for less than 24 hours - certainly report his death and the facts of it but I could do without the speculation. At least he didn't flaunt his problems or try to cash in on them like other celebrities, he clearly had some respect for himself and his family. I think the least you could do is give that respect to him in return.
I'm not seeing the "clearly under the influence of drugs". He's fidgety but it is also well known that he has never been comfortable giving interviews. I think he's just reacting to that aspect rather than being under the influence.
Sleeping pills??? In combination with a little coke. In any case very tragic. R.I.P Heath
He clearly appears to be someone who is uncomfortable/shy and maybe has ADD. I don't see the influence of drugs.
HE IS SO NOT UNDER THE INFLUENCE IN THIS VIDEO!!!!!! TAKE THIS DOWN PEREZ!!!!
am i missing something? he seems like a regular guy giving a regular interview.
You've lost a reader over this one perez. Who's to say what was going on with him that day, but "clearly on drugs" doesn't cut it. He could have been anxious, tired or yes, on drugs, but it not clear to this poster and making statements like that for the sake of web hits is pretty low.
I don't understand how he's "clearly under the influence".He's moving his arms a lot, that doesn't necessarily mean he's on drugs.He was never completely comfortable in the media spotlight, it's possible he was just nervous.I don't think it's right to post this video with such a brash (and unproven) statement so soon after his death.
heypeoplelareignorant…when referring to us people, im sure youre including yourself! because yes, ive taken an upper before. but i also tend to fidget a lot due to anxiety. so stfu you ignorant fuck. there is no way for any of us to know what happened until the toxicology report…so everyone should just quit speculating.
the news of his death surprisingly made me cry. and i've never cried for the death of any celebrity before. -heath was not under the influence of drugs during this interview. totally normal, sweet and hot.
he doesn't look to be on drugs, he just looks like a shy person feeling awkward about doing an interview.
i think saying he is on drugs is a far cry from the truth.
get your head out of your ass.
RE: Hal R Hosfeld
You need to kick this guy off. He's a total racist who knows not one iota of what he speaks..
perez, stretching it a bit dont you think…looks more like its an early morning interview.
perez, stretching it a bit dont you think…looks more like its an early morning interview.
Saying that Ledger was "clearly" under the influence is complete speculation. Claiming that he battled substance abuse problems with absolutely NO proof is downright ignorant. The fact that he appears fidgety in this video could be attributed to a number of other things. Maybe he had his mind on other things. Maybe he was in a rush to get the interview done. Hell, maybe he suffered from ADHD. The man just lost his life. Have some fucking respect. Don't damage his name with assumptions, please. Thanks.
The only thing that comes to mind is shocking and very sad! A great young actor, with a tragic end. I feel very sorry for his little girl.
Uhhh…. its not very clear to me in this video that he's on drugs. That's a pretty far-fetched statement.
dudes on drugs. trust me, defiantly on drugs. I only know because If that was me…I'd be doing the same thing if I was high and on drugs giving an interview trying to look normal. That's right, I said TRYING to look normal.
Perez you are a totaly loser! This video is not Shocking AT all! He does not look like he is under the influence of anything! He looks like a guy who has been sitting in a chair for hours giving the same interview and is figgity. You are a jerk. Have a little respect.
Re: LA Girl – You are so ignorant. I have done plenty of drugs in my time, I'm not proud of it, but I have. I do not think for a second that he was on drugs during this interview, it is well known heath was uncomfortable doing interviews. It was well publicised that on an Austalian morning show a couple of years ago, he sat throughout the entire interview peeling an orange. Maybe he had anxiety problems and needed to keep his hands doing something. Maybe he got nervous during interviews and needed to do something with his hands to stop them from shaking. Who knows. All I know is that the an amazingly talented man has passed away and we need to respect it not sit there saying "You haven't done enough drugs to know". Grow up and Show some respect.
As a habitual drug user I am recognizing the scratching, the manners, the speach patterns. Unlike me he was sucessful and had a child to live for.
Perez however, should have waited at least one day.
You fuckin' prick Perez. You initially jumped to the conclusion that Heath Ledger was some drugged fucked junkie and now it appears that it may be an accidental overdoes. Hang back on the character assasination Perez and wait for the facts. The guy's kid has just lost her Dad - Show some respect!!!
Don't jump to conclusions, you fuckwit.
"clearly under the influence of drugs"?? What the fuck Perez? He's rubbing his arms, so he MUST be under the influence.
He does not appear to "clearly" be under the influence of drugs. It could be from his sleep deprivation. When you don't get enough sleep after a while you can act like you're drunk or on drugs. I know I act fidgety, look spacey and forget stuff, like he's doing when I don't get enough sleep. Or as others have said, it could just be anxiety/nerves/shyness. Stop jumping to conclusions Perez! This is so sad!! RIP Heath.
Actually, it looks like he's having a panic attack more than being on drugs.