Heath Ledger Found Dead, Possible Suicide; Batman Movie At Risk?

UPDATE: Heath Ledgers' family denies he was suicidal while friends note he was suffering from pneumonia and yet still working last weekend. Ironically, the paparazzi he had come to hate turned out in force as police removed his body from his apartment.

Heath Ledger, the charismatic young actor whose range went from the bawdy comedy of "A Knight's Tale" to the emotional and controversial "Brokeback Mountain" was found dead in his New York City apartment today.

According to an NYC police statement, Ledger was found in bed with sleeping pills around him. He recently had split with his long-time fiancee, Michelle Williams, with whom he had one child, Matilda. He and Williams had met on the set of "Brokeback Mountain."

Police are investigating the possibility that Ledger's death was either suicide or accidental overdose. Ironically, in unremittingly dark "The Monster's Ball," Ledger played the suicidal son of Billy Bob Thornton, whose character became Halle Berry's love interest.

The 28-year-old Ledger was working on the new, reportedly darker "Batman." Along with his breakup with Williams, Ledger also claimed intense harassment from paparazzi, so severe that he said he was forced to move from Sydney, Australia to New York. .