Sad News Shadows Oscar Noms

After a certain amount of time, the memory of a celebrity who dies too young acquires a certain amount of romance and mystery. Just think of those nostalgic oil paintings you see in “art gallery” stores in the mall. It’s usually an image of James Dean lighting Marilyn Monroe’s cigarette while Elvis plays guitar in the background. I suppose we all wish that such a scene may have actually taken place: it so neatly wraps up an era. The premature loss of such stars helps make them icons and increases the public’s thirst for their continued presence in pop culture.

Sadly, the loss of young talents is not confined to the past.

Australian actor Heath Ledger, 28, died today. (At posting time, the cause of death had not been specified.) When I heard this news, I immediately tuned into the major news networks and was not surprised to see that coverage of the actor’s death was prominent on every major news network. Movie studios and the actor’s co-stars had released official statements. On imdb.com, the message boards for each of Ledger’s films were packed with posts about his untimely death.

I can understand the argument that this is not “real” news; it’s simply a case of another celebrity who couldn’t handle the pressures of fame. I understand that argument - but I couldn’t disagree more.

I remember the media frenzy that flooded the airwaves when Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. died, and I recall vividly candlelight vigils held for Kurt Cobain and Aaliyah. Within my own particular generation, River Phoenix is considered one of the great talents whose candle was snuffed too early. The loss of these luminaries caused sincere heartache to millions of fans worldwide.

And why shouldn’t we mourn the passing of movie actors, pro athletes and rock stars?

We don’t have a monarchy in this country. Our celebrities are our royalty, and I think that’s both important and defensible. Call me shallow, but what we like and who we admire helps define who we are. I’m not talking about “celebutantes” like Paris Hilton and Lauren Conrad; I am addressing the artists who produce innovative work that serves to enlighten, inform, or even just entertain us. John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, and Chris Farley were famous, sure, but they were also contributors to the grand artistic pantheon that we all enjoy and share. To grieve for their loss is to grieve for the loss of the creative contributions they will never be able to give us.

I don’t know if Heath Ledger’s performances will stand the test of time. He clearly made a mark in Hollywood with Brokeback Mountain, and early previews of The Dark Knight indicate something very special in his portrayal of The Joker. At the most basic level, it’s interminably sad to hear of anyone dying so young. On a grander scale, it is devastating to think what impact Ledger could have had in the industry and to imagine what roles we will never get to see him play.