That was Heath, never bound by convention or conviction, he did not follow or lead, but ju
st found his way through this world his own way and on his own terms. Heath was a free spirit, with hippy sensibilities, with shyness, a gentle heart and a sensitive soul. It was his vulnerability and sensitivity that he tapped into to create one of the most iconic images of the new modern cinema, Ennis Del Mar.
I'm not good at future planning. I don't plan at all. I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow. I don't have a day planner and I don't have a diary. I completely live in the now, not in the past, not in the future.Heath did live in the now, from the company he kept, the clothes he wore, the roles he took. He never looked back, nor
worried about the future but live in the moment. The road he traveled was not one everyone would take, it was not easy or straight or always clear, but it was his road and he traveled it his way.He was a loving son, brother and especially a father. Devoted to his family and so close so to the women in his life he kept them with him with a reminder that literally was part of him. His daughter, Matilda was the joy of his life. "Fatherhood has changed me as an artist because I feel things on a deeper level," he said. "I think my performances will grow simultaneously."
It was all about acting and not the trappings of Hollywood that were important to Heath. The performance, not the perks or paparazzi.
From his early role in "Sweat" in his homeland of Australia, to his American debut in 10 Things I Hate About You , he went on to find roles that he wanted to play, not what Hollywood felt he should play. He turned down many roles rather than be typecast, looking for the chance to do something interesting, even if it wasn't as successful as some expected him to be.
He did A Knight's Tale, Four Feathers, Ned Kelly, Cassanova, Lords of Dogtown, Brother's Grim, bringing notices to his role in The Patriot and his portrayal as Sonny Grotowski in Monster's Ball really caught many eyes to see his depth and range as an actor. But it was Brokeback when world stopped looked and truly saw the incredible actor Heath was.
Brokeback Mountain has moved beyond the love story that at it's heart is. It has touched so many in so many ways, words of one are inadequate to capture it's meaning. The universality of it message "Love is a force of nature" has touched, transformed, and forever changed the world in which we live.
Heath was on to something - it is the acting, the story, the role that rise above all.
Our hearts, thoughts and prayers to go to his parents Kim and Sally, amd his sisters, Kate, Olivia and Ashleigh, at their loss. And to those who came to love Heath during his short life, friends and more. But especially to his daughter Matilda, the love of his life, the twinkle in his eye, and the bit of immortality that lives on.
May the rest of us be comforted his spirit that will live on in his work.
