Video has surfaced on social media of
Heath Ledger responding to people who called Brokeback Mountain's
gay romance “disgusting.”
Ledger was found dead from an
accidental overdose in his New York apartment on January 22, 2008.
He was 28.
Ledger's performance as rancher Ennis
Del Mar in Ang Lee's 2005 gay drama Brokeback Mountain won him
legions of fans and numerous awards, including an Oscar best actor
nomination.
Brokeback Mountain, based on a
short story of the same name by Annie Proulx, won three Academy
Awards, though it lost the Best Picture award to Crash. The
film, which spans 20 years, stars Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as
star-crossed lovers in the American West.
“I think it's a real shame – I
think it's immature for one,” Ledger
answered when asked to respond to people who called the film's
relationship “disgusting.”
“I think it's an incredible shame
that people go out of their way to voice their disgust or negative
opinions about the way two people wish to love one another.”
“I also feel like [the film] will
surprise people. It's obviously about two men in love and it's
obviously 'gay-themed' and it's very easily labeled, but
unfortunately people are very quick in life to label something
they're uncomfortable with.”
"The pure fact of it is that it
transcends a label: it's human. It's a story about two human beings,
two souls that are in love.”
“Get over the fact it's two men –
that's the point. … We're showing that love between two men is just
as infectious and emotional and strong and pure as it is with
heterosexual love.”
"And if you can't understand it,
just don't go see the movie. It's okay. We don't care.”
"Deal with it in your own private
life. Don't voice it out. We don't want to know,” he added.
(Related: Jake
Gyllenhaal: Brokeback Mountain played a part in gay marriage ruling.)