According to a recent survey by obituary database Tributes.com, Paul Newman is the No. 1 most significant national death of 2008. Read the full post.
Dec 24
2008
04:09 PM ET
Which celebrity death affected you most in 2008?
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Heath Ledger died the same day my first child, a girl, was born. We happened to flick on the TV while sitting in room after we got moved from delivery to the recovery room. And there it was. And I felt nauseous. Such a waste.
Heath Ledger. The thought of someone so close to my own age dying like that really bothered me, as did the thought that his daughter won’t have any of her own memories of him. I’d known of him since A Knight’s Tale but I wasn’t really a fan until Brokeback Mountain. He was just so wonderful in that movie that it pissed me off that the world was being deprived of all the great performances I’m sure he had in him.
Brad Renfro dying bothered me too, we’re almost the exact same age. He had wasted all of the potential he’d shown as a child and it was just so sad.
Well, you’re damn right it sounded insensitive. Matter of fact, it WAS insensitive to say that. Like you never make mistakes in your life? Everytime you speed in your car death is a risk you take as well. Jerk.
I was referring to PJ’s comment below by the way.
George Carlin
Paul Newman is after Heath Ledger. may they & everyone else we lost this yr.
Heath Ledger, hands down. He was THE actor of his generation, and as someone who grew up along with his career (I was only a kid when he broke out in The Patriot, and he became my first actor crush) I eventually moved onto other actors to sigh over, but my respect and admiration for his work remains profound.
Having grown up watching him on the big screen (even through the lows of his career), hating him, loving him, he remained in a weird way, a part of my life. So I was truly shocked and a little devastated when he died. It was incredibly tragic, not just because of the circumstances in which he died in, but also because of all that wasted potential, that wonderful character. I am sure that he would have become a legendary actor had he lived. Even at 28, he left behind a legacy of two of the finest film performances ever. RIP.
Completely agree, Jean, on the “shock factor”. Though I was greatly saddened by Paul Newman’s death, it was not surprising. The rumors about his illness had been circulating for months, and pictures I saw of him online highlighted his deteriorating health. He died at a good old age, and lived a full, wonderful life.
Heath Ledger, Bernie Mac? Just shocking. I don’t think any of us were prepared to see them go.
perhaps not so big a celebrity, but david foster wallace.
while i was truly shocked about heath ledger, i’m more peeved about the fact that everyone is glorifying him. he was a drug addict, talent does NOT forgive that. he loved drugs more than he loved his life, and his DAUGHTER!!! i’m not a bleeding heart and i cant stand to see someone so STUPID he died young get idolized. yes, he was a good actor, yes he was the only good thing in the dark knight, but he does NOT belong on a bloody pedestal already.
Roi!!!!
I still can’t believe I’ll never see George Carlin again.
I will never get over the fact that I had started to appreciate Heath Ledger after his death. Oh well. Rest in peace, along with Bernie Mac and George Carlin.
Even though I will miss Bernie Mac terribly, I took Heath Ledger’s death the hardest. I’ve never cried for the death of a celebrity but I came really close this time. I’ve followed Heath’s career since 10 Things I Hate About You and have loved everything he’s been in since. I think the way he died was really crappy and he shouldn’t be glorified and put on a pedestal. But he was a damn fine actor and will be missed. I miss my baby Heath.
Bettie Page. I just really…wanted to meet her.