Heath Andrew Ledger (April 4, 1979 -- January 22, 2008) was an Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and SAG Award-nominated Australian-born film actor who lived in New York City. After appearing in television roles during the 1990s, Ledger developed a movie career, appearing in nearly 20 films. He starred in both critical and box-office successes, including 10 Things I Hate About You, The Patriot, ...