New York Breaking News

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Heath Ledger, who was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the critically-acclaimed movie "Brokeback Mountain," was found dead -- possibly from a drug overdose -- Tuesday afternoon in a New York City apartment.

The Australian-born actor was just 28.

He was pronounced dead at 3:26 p.m. in an apartment on 421 Broome St. in SoHo. Police say he was scheduled to have a massage in the apartment, and when the masseuse arrived, a housekeeper went to alert him, but instead found him in cardiac arrest and immediately called 911.

Ledger was said to be found face down on his bed and naked at the time of his death.

"We are all deeply saddened and shocked by this accident," Ledger's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said in a statement Tuesday night. "This is an extremely difficult time for his loved ones and we are asking the media to please respect the family's privacy and avoid speculation until the facts are known."

Fans were floored by the news, with many of them showing up outside Ledger's place in SoHo.

"The whole office, it was a complete buzz," fan Renee Henderson said. "Like no way. No way."

Added fan Rafael Veloz: "I was just amazed. I'm a great fan of his. And. I was surprised to hear what happened."

"He's a great actor. I'm just a little stunned. This a crazy time," said Khairi Mdnor of Manhattan.

Sources initially told CBS 2 HD's Scott Weinberger the actor's death may have been drug-related, and that there were pills, possibly a strong sleeping medication, found near his body. However, there was no obvious indication of suicide, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said.
 
"There were prescription medications taken from the apartment, including sleeping pills," Browne said. "They were not scattered about. They were his prescription medications."

In Ledger's last interview on Nov. 4 he told the New York Times he was having trouble sleeping while filming his role as the "Joker" in an upcoming Batman film, "The Dark Knight." He said he had to take the prescription sleep aid Ambian and, "Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night. I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going."

News of the actor's death spread quickly. Police barricades went up as the tragedy turned spectacle with hundreds of the people, gathering outside the apartment in disbelief.

Police do not suspect foul play. An autopsy was scheduled by the medical examiner for Wednesday.

Early reports said the apartment was owned by actress Mary-Kate Olsen, but a publicist for Olsen later refuted those reports.

Ledger had recently separated from actress Michelle Williams, who he met while filming "Brokeback Mountain" and became engaged to last year. The couple had an apartment in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn and had one daughter, Matilda, who was born in 2005.

Before marrying Williams, Ledger had also dated actress Naomi Watts and Heather Graham.

Most recently, Ledger was featured in the Bob Dylan biography film "I'm Not There."

Of the most well-known 15 films Ledger appeared in: "The Patriot," "A Knight's Tale," and "Monster's Ball." He was also nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in "Brokeback Mountain."

"I had such great hope for him," said Mel Gibson, who played Ledger's vengeful father in "The Patriot," in a statement. "He was just taking off and to lose his life at such a young age is a tragic loss."

In 2001, People magazine named Ledger as one of its "50 Most Beautiful People."

According to a quote from Ledger listed on his profile on the Internet Movie Database, the star enjoyed living life one day at a time.

"I'm not good at future planning. I don't plan at all," he said. "I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow. I don't have a day planner and I don't have a diary. I completely live in the now, not in the past, not in the future."

Ledger grew up in Perth, and began doing amateur theater at age 10. At 16, he moved to Sydney to pursue an acting career, quickly landing TV movie roles and guest spots on Australian television.

After several independent films and a starring role in the short-lived Fox TV series "Roar," Ledger moved to Los Angeles and co-starred in "10 Things I Hate About You," a teen comedy reworking of "The Taming of the Shrew."

Offers for other teen flicks came his way, but Ledger turned them down, preferring to remain idle than sign on for projects he didn't like.

Ledger used to shop at a neighborhood home store and children's store owned by a company called Calypso. Michelle Vella, a buyer there, said she had frequently seen Ledger with his daughter -- carrying the toddler on his shoulders, or having ice cream with her.

"It's so sad. They were really close," said Vella. "He's a very down to earth guy and an amazing father."

She said Ledger once bought a bookcase at the home store, and purchased stuffed animals and dresses for his daughter at the children's store.

He would have turned 29 on April 4.

WCBSTV.com's Steve Fink and Jeff Capellini, and CBS 2 HD's Scott Weinberger and Hazel Sanchez contributed to this report.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)