A Tribute to Heath Ledger Trivia Quiz

Answer: 4th April

Heath was born in Perth, Western Australia on 4th April 1979. His mother is a French teacher and his father is a racing car driver and mining engineer. Robert Downey Jr. also shares this birthday with Heath (and my daughter, Hannah). Sadly, it was also the day Martin Luther King Jr. was killed.

Answer: Guildford Grammar

Heath went to Guildford Grammar, which is a boys' school. While at school, Heath had to choose between taking up cookery or acting - thankfully, he chose acting, otherwise we would have missed out on his phenomenal talent. The world is a better place for having his films in it.

Answer: Sweat

'Sweat' was a programme about young athletes who were preparing for the Olympics. When Heath auditioned, he chose to go for the role of a gay cyclist, as he realised this would provide him with more of a challenge. Who could have forseen how this would stand him in good stead, when he came to play Ennis Del Mar in 'Brokeback Mountain'? 'Sweat' also featured Martin Henderson (of New Zealand soap 'Shortland Street') and was shown on ITV's kids' slot. Unfortunately it was axed after just one series.

Answer: Heathcliff Andrew Ledger

Heath and his sister, Kate, were named for Emily Bronte's characters from 'Wuthering Heights', Heathcliff and Catherine. Heath also had two younger half-sisters called Olivia and Ashleigh.

Answer: Scott Irwin

'Home and Away' was set in the fictional town of Summer Bay and premiered in January 1988. Heath's character of Scott was a guest appearance and he played a surfer. Julian McMahon ('Charmed' and 'Nip and Tuck') also appeared in 'Home and Away'.

Answer: 10 Things I Hate About You

'10 Things I Hate About You' was released in 1999. Also starring Julia Stiles, the film told the story of two sisters, the elder of whom decided not to date, and the younger, who was told she could not date until the older girl dated! As the younger girl, Bianca, was popular with the boys, and the older, Kat, was not. Patrick (Heath), the school bad boy, was hired to romance Kat, in order for the other lads to date Bianca.

It was a great film.

Answer: Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein

This film was based on 'The Canterbury Tales' and was released in 2001. Heath starred as William Thatcher, a young squire who dreamed of becoming a knight. When his knight died, he saw his chance, and calling himself Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein, he entered the jousting circuit and became a famous knight.

The film had a modern rock soundtrack which helped bring the story to life in our times.

Answer: Monster's Ball

In 'Monster's Ball' (2001), Heath portrayed Sonny, who had the unenviable job of assisting in the execution of a murderer played by Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs. Halle Berry won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in this film. Peter Boyle (Frank Barone from 'Everybody loves Raymond') played Sonny's grandfather in the film.

Answer: The Order / The Sin Eater

'The Order' was released in 2003 and starred Heath as a young priest who was tricked into becoming a Sin Eater, a person who had to get to a dying or dead sinner, in order to 'eat' their sins, allowing them to go to Heaven. Apart from Shannyn Sossamon, Heath also appeared with Mark Addy in this film. Mark also appeared with Heath in 'A Knight's Tale'.

Answer: Jacob

'The Brothers Grimm' was directed by Terry Gilliam of 'Monty Python' fame and was released in 2005. Will and Jake travelled around Germany, 'helping' villages suffering from fairy-tale curses. With their two side-kicks, they 'lifted' said curses and disposed of evil spectres and ghosts that preyed on the villagers.

When they received their fee from the grateful villagers, they went on their way, until they encountered a real curse and found they had to fight evil for real!