Heath Ledger’s Dating History: How Many Actresses Did The Dark Knight Actor Date Before His Tragic Death in 2008?
Heath Ledger was an Australian actor who rose to prominence with some classics in Hollywood, like 10 Things I Hate About You and A Knight’s Tale. He got an Academy Award nomination for his role in Brokeback Mountain, which was a breakthrough in LGBTQ representation. He won a posthumous Oscar for his role in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, as he passed away due to an accidental drug overdose, leaving behind the actress Michelle Williams and their daughter Matilda.
His untimely death gave birth to endless rumors and speculation about his mental health, his struggle with depression, and his relationships. Although there is no doubt that Michelle Williams was the love of his life, he had a plethora of relationships that affected his life very deeply.
1) Julia Stiles
It is rumored that Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger started dating while shooting the iconic rom-com 10 Things I Hate About You. While the pair never confirmed the relationship, Stiles spoke up following Heath Ledger’s death. (via. EW)
“Heath always seemed so mature. I got the sense he was averse to becoming any kind of teen idol. I think he felt like 10 Things had more substance, but he anticipated that if he did more movies like this, he’d get stuck doing teen romantic comedies.”
The exact length of their relationship is not known. However, it was speculated to have been a short-lived one.
2) Christina Cauchi
Heath Ledger dated model Christina Cauchi on and off between the years 2000 and 2002. The model rose to meteoric fame after being photographed with Ledger at various public events. However, they both managed to keep their personal lives private, despite being the center of media attention.
3) Heather Graham
Heather Graham and Heath Ledger had a very passionate relationship, notwithstanding the brief duration. Their relationship started in 2000 and went on until 2001. They met at the set of From Hell and were quickly smitten by each other. At the time, News.com.au (via. The Things) reported her as a “diversion” in Ledger’s life but Ledger’s words prove otherwise.
“She’s a beautiful, beautiful girl. We make each other laugh. She’s so funny, that’s the key. It’s fun. It’s a good relationship, and a very truthful one.”
However, a month after that, they went their separate ways in an amicable manner.
4) Naomi Watts
It is kind of evident that Heath Ledger has a tendency to date his co-stars. Naomi Watts and Heath Ledger met on the set of the Australian film Ned Kelly in 2002. Their relationship lasted two years, ending in 2004. She wrote a moving dedication on the anniversary of his death, which she posted on Instagram.
“Thinking about this beautiful soul today. “[Ten] years ago he left this world. He was a true original. Heart always on his sleeve, with the most powerful charisma, strength, humor and talent. I will never forget his gentle spirit.”
A few years after his death, she opened up and said how he was a “special soul” and had a “great impact” on her life.
5) Michelle Williams
Heath Ledger met the love of his life, Michelle Williams, on the set of one of their most critically acclaimed films, Brokeback Mountain, in 2004. When describing their romance, Michelle Williams said to GQ (via. TheThings)
“Our initial meeting, the circumstances of how we first met, were cosmic or something. Yeah, a lot of things happened at once. It’s a bit like, we had a lot of things to do because we didn’t have a lot of time, or something.”
A year later, they announced that they were expecting a baby girl. She also said that they were “engaged” and not “married,” although she likes to call him “husband,” as “boyfriend” or “partner” did not sound right.
They sadly parted ways in 2007, citing their busy schedule as the reason behind the decision. An insider close to the couple thought it was not really that they fell out of love, but mostly “tough love” that Williams had to show Ledger due to his excessive partying and drug abuse.
6) Kate Hudson
In 2002, Kate Hudson and Heath Ledger were romantically linked when they were filming for The Four Feathers. However, it was not until Michelle Williams and he had broken up that Hudson and Ledger were spotted kissing in public.
While talking about Heath Ledger on Watch What Happens Live, Hudson made the remark that he was the best on-screen kiss she ever had (via. E!)
“I would say my favorite one was Heath. That was pretty excellent. I would say that, I look back at all of the… and that was really… he was lovely.”
However, like most of Ledger’s relationships, this one was also brief and private so not much is known about it.
7) Gemma Ward
Gemma Ward and Heath Ledger reportedly started dating around November 2007, which came to a tragic end in January 2008 due to the untimely death of Heath Ledger. The youngest model to appear on the cover of American Vogue, she took a break from her career just to recover from the shock of his death. She opened up to Vogue in 2011, saying,
“There was no one like him – and no one will ever be like him,” she says. “I’m just so grateful I got to meet him and get as close as I did with him.“
She also said that they were both struggling with things that she did not want to disclose and they bonded over that.
8) Mary-Kate Olsen
The Olsen Twin was linked with Heath Ledger and it was said that her number was on his speed dial. However, many also say that the relationship was more platonic than otherwise. According to what an insider told People
“They were hooking up, but neither were particularly interested in making it exclusive.”
The source also said that the relationship was based on partying.
“They had a bond that was based on partying, and they had the same tastes in partying … like, in terms of where they liked to hang out in New York, what time they would want to go out. They just had the same sensibility.”
Diana Wolozin, Heath Ledger’s masseuse, found the actor dead from an overdose in a New York apartment and called Mary-Kate Olsen, who in turn called 911. Ever since that incident, many have speculated on Olsen’s role in Ledger’s death.
9) Lindsay Lohan
A year after Heath Ledger passed away, Dina Lohan, the mother of Lindsay Lohan, claimed that her daughter was dating Ledger at the time of his death. In 2014, In Touch Weekly published a list (allegedly made by Lohan herself) of Lohan’s famous lovers. While many names were blurred for legal reasons, Heath Ledger’s name was there. Later, Lohan admitted that the list was the fifth step of her Alcoholics Anonymous support program on Oprah Winfrey’s TV network and that it was unfortunate that someone leaked it.
According to reports, the actors bonded over a shared struggle with substance abuse. According to Lindsay Lohan’s mother, Ledger’s death “f*cked her up” (via. TheThings).
In none of the relationships Heath Ledger had, there was a bitter aftertaste. In fact, everyone spoke greatly about him and still makes positive remarks about this wonderful soul who was gone too soon.
