Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an highly acclaimed Australian actor known for his intense method acting style. Known for his versatility, Ledger brought a level of depth to a variety of characters across different genres. He played roles in several Australian television and film productions during the 1990s before moving to the United States in 1998 to further his career. Ledger acted in 20 films in total, among them are notable works like "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999), "Monster's Ball" (2001), "Brokeback Mountain" (2005) and especially "The Dark Knight" (2008) where he was posthumously awarded for his portrayal of The Joker. He also pursued work as a music video director. Ledger died from accidental prescription medication poisoning in 2008.

For his performance in Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" he received nominations for several prestigious awards and he received a posthumous Academy Award for his role in "The Dark Knight". Ledger was also a deeply committed, method actor who put an extraordinary amount of thought into crafting the characters he portrayed. In addition to his acting career, Ledger was passionate about directing and had stated that he had aspirations to direct a film. Throughout his life, Ledger was plagued with insomnia and this often affected his health and well-being.