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Memorial Service

About 400 mourners gathered in Perth, Australia, today for actor Heath Ledger’s memorial service.

The West Australian newspaper reports that the mourners included Cate Blanchett, Thorn Birds star Bryan Brown, model Gemma Ward (who was most recently linked to Heath), and Heath’s ex-fiancee, Michelle Williams, dressed in a black-and-white dress, who walked into the chapel of Penhros College clutching the hand of Heath’s older sister, Kate. Heath and Michelle’s 2-year-old daughter, Matilda, was not seen at the memorial service, which began at about 1 p.m. local time with the playing of a traditional Aboriginal mourning song on the didgeridoo.

Attendees of the two-hour tribute received a memorial program featuring a photograph of Ledger. At the start of the ceremony, a select group of songs were played, including “These Days” by Australian band Powderfinger; “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd; “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder; “The Times They Are A-Changin’” by Bob Dylan, “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes, and a song by The Shins.

One of the first speakers was sister Kate Ledger, who addressed the attendants with a montage set to the tune of the Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun” playing in the background.
The service also included video montages, and one, featuring Matilda, included “very moving little bits,” Scott said. The Matilda video presentation was accompanied by musician Ben Harper’s “Happily Everafter In Your Eyes,” which Harper had written just for her. (Harper and Ledger had teamed up last year to start their own record label called Masses Music Co.)

Afterward, footage from Ledger’s film work was shown. Oscar winner Blanchett spoke to the audience afterward; Scott said Blanchett was “wonderful.”

A friend montage followed with its soundtrack being “1979” (the year Ledger was born) by the Smashing Pumpkins. A family montage was set to “Old Man” by Neil Young. Of these montages, Scott said, “they were very tastefully done,” adding of the overall tone of the service, “It was a wonderful memorial. Typically so soon after the sudden death of a young person, there were many people who were very emotionally moved as you’d expect.”

The private funeral

A private funeral was held today with 10 members of Heath’s immediate family.  Heath Ledger’s remains were cremated Saturday afternoon, local time.

Following a memorial at Penrhos College for hundreds of mourners, Michelle Williams, escorted by police, arrived with a small entourage of Ledger’s closest family for a more intimate service at Fremantle Cemetery, just outside Perth, Australia. The chapel at Fremantle, which was blacked out with sheets and scaffolding, has only eight wooden pews and a lectern.

There, Williams read William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”).

Afterward, they headed to the Indiana Tea House on Cottesloe Beach, where attendees from the earlier memorial could be seen smoking and drinking beer and red and white wine on the patio of the establishment, which has a spectacular view of the ocean.

As the sun began to set, Michelle joined Heath’s closest friends and family in an emotionally cathartic tribute to their fallen friend. While Michelle and Heath’s sister sat huddled under a towel, they were inspired to join hands with Heath’s other loved ones and run into the breaking waves in the actor’s memory. As they splashed about on Heath’s favorite beach, his father Kim cheered “Hip, hip Hurrah!” according to the Sunday Telegraph.

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