Gay or Straight, Heath's Our Man
Liverpool Echo
Saturday, 11 February 2006


TALK about a contrast. One minute you're snuggling up to Jake Gyllenhaal on a Wyoming ranch, the next you're working your way through half the female population of 18th century Venice.

It's hardly surprising then that the very versatile and talented Heath Ledger has just bagged himself an Oscar nomination.

The 26-year-old Australian star is a hot contender to win the prestigious best actor gong for his portrayal of a gay cowboy in love with Jake Gyllenhaal's character in Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain.

On top of that he's also winning rave reviews for his latest role as the world's greatest lover, Casanova.

And if that's not a great start to 2006, Heath recently embarked on his favourite role of all -fatherhood.

Last October his girlfriend and Brokeback co-star Michelle Williams gave birth to their baby daughter Matilda and a beaming Heath is over the moon.

"I just fall deeper and deeper in love with her daily," he says of his little girl.

The star is equally besotted with 26-year-old Michelle, whom he met on the set of Brokeback.

It's not the first time Heath has been involved with a high-profile Hollywood actress. But though he was always reticent to discuss previous girlfriends, this time he's shouting it from the rooftops.

"Now I have these very special girls in my life I don't want them to be misrepresented," he reasons. "I'd rather explain the way it really is."

In Casanova Heath takes the lead role as the legendary seducer who finally meets his match in the beautiful and independent Francesca Bruni, played by Sienna Miller.

But though it would appear to be every red-blooded actor's dream role, Heath insists he had more innocent reasons for taking the part.

"I read the script and thought it was just fantastic fun. It made me laugh and it ended up being a four-and-a-half-month guided tour of Venice.

"Every day we ended up being taken to the most beautiful part of Venice to shoot so it was like filming a movie inside a museum which was really cool."

The star also says the film provided the perfect antidote to Brokeback Mountain.

"Brokeback was so lonely and serious and at times tortuous that when I went from that to Casanova I really wanted to not take acting seriously. I just wanted to have fun," he explains.

"I wanted to come home smiling after work. The Casanova shoot was a wonderful place to unwind."


* Casanova, starring Heath Ledger, opens on Friday February 17 at cinemas. (UK Cinemas)