And I thought I admired him before...

"I hope you don't mind if I speak about this. I feel very unsettled at the moment... and I suppose it's because I only just saw the news about Heath Ledger's death. . .It seems somehow strange to be talking about anything else. Not that there's anything to say really except to express one's regret and to say from the bottom of one's heart to his family and to his friends that I'm sorry for their trouble. I didn't know him, I have a strong impression I would have liked him very much." -Daniel Day-Lewis to Oprah 1/24/08



“For as long as I can remember, the thing that gave me a sense of wonderment, of renewal, the thing that teased me with the question ’How is such a thing possible’ and then dared you go back into the arena one more time has always been the work of other actors. . .There are many actors in this room tonight including my fellow nominees who’ve given me that sense of regeneration. Heath Ledger gave it to me. . .In ’Monster’s Ball’ that character that he created seemed to be almost like an unformed being, retreating from themselves, retreating from his father, from his life, even retreating from us. . .And yet we wanted to follow him, and we were scared to. It was unique. . .In ’Brokeback Mountain’ he was unique, he was perfect. That scene in the trailer at the end of the film is as moving as anything I’ve ever seen. I’d like to dedicate this to him.” –Daniel Day-Lewis accepting his best leading actor SAG award 1/27/08

I think (especially in this business), it takes a truly genuine, truly honorable person to pay tribute to another artist in a way that no one could ever mistake as anything other than a heartfelt outpouring of respect and grief. Thank you Mr. Day-Lewis for expressing what the rest of us who are saddened and moved by Ledger’s passing could not articulate.