Gone Too Soon
Heath Ledger (1979-2008) Age: 29
In January 2008, Heath Ledger was found dead in his bed, reportedly due to an accidental overdose of multiple drugs.
The 29-year-old actor had just wrapped up filming for
The Dark Knight, in which Heath played the role of The Joker.
Weeks before Heath started working on the role, the actor was said to be behaving differently and during filming, Heath revealed that he had been losing sleep and prescription drugs did not help.
This led to widespread speculations that Heath's overdose was not accidental but actually a deliberate act of suicide.
Despite that,
The Dark Knight went on to break several box office records and Heath's haunting portrayal of the sinister villain became its biggest talking point.
The actor was later presented with a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, the second in the history of the awards.
While many would lament the loss of a talent, Heath Ledger left behind an indelible memory of a true performer who was dedicated to perfecting his craft and bringing every role he plays on-screen to life.
Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) Age: 36
"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."
This was a famous quote from the sultry Marilyn Monroe, the most iconic sex symbol in Hollywood.
Despite the perception of her being a sex symbol, Marilyn was no dumb blonde as she proved her acting chops in later performances, most notably in
Bus Stop.
Marilyn's lethal combination of talent and sexiness personified Hollywood glamour, bringing a sensuality never seen before to the screen and changed the world's perceptions of sexy actresses.
Yet in 1952, she was found dead at her home, later ruled to be a 'probably suicide'.
Even after her death, many conspiracy theories circulated about the circumstances of her death; but what we know for sure is this: Marilyn will be remembered as the one broke through society's perception and showed the world there's something more to her than just a pretty face.
Brittany Murphy (1977 - 2009) Age: 32
Best remembered for her turn as a ditzy blonde in the comedy
Clueless in 1995, Brittany Murphy was no dumb blonde in real life, having started off in showbiz at a tender age of 14.
She got her next big break in the 1999 movie
Girl, Interrupted, as a suicidal mental patient.
It is only an irony that 10 years after that movie, Brittany died under circumstances that seemed like suicide.
At 32 years old, Brittany was found dead in her bathroom, apparently from a cardiac arrest. Since cardiac arrest at 32 is a rare occurrence and the coroner also found that the actress's body contained high amounts of prescriptions drug, many speculate that she might have committed suicide.
While we can never be sure of the cause of her death, her passing adds on to the annals of untimely celebrity deaths and another unfortunate loss of talent.
Alexander McQueen (1969 - 2010) Age: 41
While he may not be an actor or singer, Alexander McQueen's influence and contributions in the fashion scene was enough to propel him to a status equivalent to that of a celebrity.
The four-time British Designer of the Year title holder's bold designs broke frontiers and won numerous accolades; celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss were frequently seen wearing his designs.
Yet it was not all smooth sailing for the 40-year-old.
The openly gay fashion designer was devastated by the loss of good friend Isabella Blow in 2007 and rumours that reported a rift between him and Blow added salt to the wounds.
The death of his mother was perhaps, the final blow as the grieving son hanged himself in February, one week after his mother left the world.
Kurt Cobain (1967 - 1994) Age: 37
Lead singer and guitarist of rock band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain is remembered as the most iconic rock musicians in the history of alternate music. Rolling Stones ranked Kurt Cobain as the 12th greatest guitarist and 45th greatest singer of all time.
Kurt's music often carries a heavy tone, expressed through a dark and macabre of humour that made it special.
However, due to an undiagnosed chronic stomach condition, the rock star turned to drugs and it became a downward spiral into full-blown addiction.
In April 1994, Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home, with a shotgun wound to his head; the star was also said to have taken drugs before death.
Despite his struggles with a drug addiction and illnesses, his music is timeless and fans will forever remember Kurt Cobain not for his drug addiction, but for the music he created for all to hear.
Park Yong Ha (1977 - 2010) Age: 33
South Korean actor Park Yong-ha's demise shocked many in the Korean showbiz.
The 33-year-old
Winter Sonata star hanged himself on June 30, and was found dead in his room by his mother at 5.30am.
According to reports, accumulated stress and a drunken impulse had driven the star to suicide.
Park was reportedly under tremendous stress from juggling his own showbiz career and company, on top of being emotionally burdened from caring for his cancer-stricken father.
Prior to his death, the star was said to have called a close friend at 4am, saying that he felt "really tired" and wanted to die.
Park has had an illustrious career after his turn in
Winter Sonata in 2002 made him a household name.
He later took on a leading role in
On Air and was slated to star alongside actress Yoon Eun-hye in a high-profile drama.
Sadly, Park chose to take the path of no return.
Jang Ja Yun (1982 - 2009) Age: 27
Korean actress and model Jang Ja Yun was found dead in her home on March 7.
Jang, who was best known for her role as the dim-witted Sunny in
Boys Before Flowers, had hung herself from a railing along the stairs in her home.
Many speculated the reasons behind her suicide. Some attributed it to contractual woes with her management and depression.
However, police investigation revealed that the actress might have committed suicide due to a sexual exploitation scandal.
The handwritten notes left behind by the actress stated that she was pimped out by her management company and forced to entertain high-powered entertainment figures, and threatened with violence if she refused to perform sexual favours for them. Jang also stated she was mistreated.
In a phone call to her friend earlier that fateful day, Jang said she was very tired and wanted to die.
Things seemed to be looking up for the up-and-coming starlet. Yet, it was a pity that her light was snuffed out even before it had begun.
Ai Iijima (1972 - 2008) Age: 36
Former adult video(AV) star Ai Iijima was found dead in the living room of her condominium unit in Tokyo, less than two years after she announced her retirement from show business.
Iijima gained popularity as an AV star in her early showbiz career. However, she later turned to hosting stint in television stations, vowing never to return to the industry.
She was quoted as saying, "It had been tough for me all these years, it will still be in the future, but I have to walk on."
In 2006, she made public that her health was not good due to a kidney disease and other problems. She announced her retirement in March 2007.
Despite her past, Iijima never lost hope in finding true love.
Yet, it was ultimately the very love that she yearned for that brought heartbreak to her wounded soul, which led her to take the path of no return.
Choi Jin-sil（1968- 2008）Age: 40
South Korean actress Choi Jin-sil was found dead at her home on October 2, with an elastic band tied around her neck.
Months before her suicide, rumours had been circulating on the web that Choi had lent a large sum of money to actor Ahn Jae-hwan, causing him to kill himself due to the financial burden of owing the actress money.
It was speculated that the actress had killed herself because of the tremendous stress caused by the rumour.
Prior to her death, the actress had send two text messages to her close friend, saying, "To my most beloved XX(name of the friend), if anything happens to your sister (me), please take care of my children," and "I'm sorry".
The actress tied the knot with pro baseball player Cho Sung-min in 2000 and they have two children.
However, happiness was short-lived for the actress as her marriage ended in a divorce in 2004, following reports of family abuse.
Leslie Cheung (1956 - 2003) Age: 46
Leslie Cheung's demise was one of the most shocking news in Asian showbiz.
The 46-year-old veteran actor played a cruel joke on everyone who adored him by choosing to end his life on April Fools' Day.
When the news first broke, many thought it was a practical joke played by the scandal-hungry media. Disgust turned to shock when major news publications confirmed the news.
Speculations regarding Leslie's suicide were rife, mostly centred around relationships problems. After all, given his sexual orientation in the generally conservative Chinese society, Leslie had to endure more pressure than any other celebrity.
In his suicide note, the openly bisexual actor thanked all his friends before saying that he could no longer "stand it anymore". In the last line, the star sounded exasperated, seemingly helpless about how his life had turned out.
"In my life I did nothing bad. Why does it have to be like this?"
