Heath Ledger was an Australian actor who died on January 22, 2008, at the age of 28. His cause of death was attributed to an accidental overdose of prescription medications, including painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs, and sleeping pills. Ledger had been renting an apartment in New York City at the time of his death, and his housekeeper and masseuse found him unresponsive in his bedroom.

Ledgers path to self-medication was complicated, dark, and misunderstood in the mainstream press. He had a history of substance abuse and was known to have struggled with insomnia and anxiety. His family was concerned about him, and his sister had warned him not to take prescription medications with sleeping tablets the night before his death.

Ledger had been at the pinnacle of his career when he died, having just finished filming his Oscar-worthy performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight". He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in "Brokeback Mountain" and was set for another nod for "The Dark Knight".

Ledgers death due to an accidental overdose forever cast a shadow on the film "The Dark Knight," in which he played the Joker. He famously locked himself away in a hotel room and maintained a diary to prepare for the role, which included experimenting with voices and trying to find an iconic voice and laugh. A documentary featuring Ledgers father shed some light on the notes the actor made in his diary, which included images of hyenas, pictures of the character Alex DeLarge from the film "A Clockwork Orange," and handwritten dialogue.