Dying young

Heath Ledger joins a long list of celebrities who died early – naturally or not. Here are eleven others:

Jimmy Hendrix, who is recognised as one of the greatest and most influential guitar players in rock music history, died on September 18, 1970, of a drug overdose in London. He was 28.

The lead-singer of American grunge rock band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, was found dead in his Seattle home from a self-inflicted shotgun wound in his home on the April 8, 1994.

The 27-year-old rock star had a single gunshot wound to the head and suicide note was found nearby.

Michael Hutchence, the front man of INXS, was found dead in a hotel room in Sydney. A post mortem examinations showed that the 37-year-old rock star died from suffocation caused by hanging.

Born Norma Jean Mortenson on June 1, 1926, Marilyn Monroe enjoyed a successful career as an actress before her untimely death on August 5, 1962. Her passing is still shrouded in mystery and controversy.

Tupac Shakur was considered rap's genius lyricist when he was gunned down in 1996.

Shakur, 25, was shot four times. His murderer has never been named.

River Phoenix, known for his roles in movies such as Stand By Me and My Own Private Idaho, was 23 when he died on October 31, 1993, of a drug overdose in West Hollywood.

Phoenix, a health nut and vegetarian, apparently died of a lethal combination of heroin and cocaine.

At the time of his death in a fatal car crash on September 30, 1955, James Dean was emerging as one of the best actors of his generation. While he starred in only three major movies, years later Premiere magazine would call him one of the best actors of all time. He was only 24.

Martial arts expert and film star Bruce Lee died aged 32 of a cerebral oedema in 1973.

His son Brandon Lee, who starred in The Crow, was shot dead at the age of 28 in an accident while filming on a movie set.

Actress and model Anna Nicole Smith was found unconscious in a hotel room on February 8, 2007 in Florida, US. Smith died shortly after. The 40-year-old was embroiled in a paternity case and was fighting with the family of her late husband, J. Howard Marshall, for her inheritance at the time.

Actor Christopher Reeve, whose most famous role was as the Man of Steel, proved to be all too human and frail after a 1995 horseback riding accident left him paralysed at age 33. He spent the rest of his life advocating for research into spinal injuries.

Reeve ultimately succumbed on October 10, 2004.

R ‘n'b singer Aaliyah was killed in a plane crash in Bahamas on August 8, 2001. She was just 22.

Your reaction

We asked Dubai residents what they felt about Heath Ledger dying so tragically. Here's what they said:

Jonny Manning, 32, said: "Heath Ledger was an actor with the world at his feet. He could afford to be picky in the roles he took and he always seemed so focused. You have to wonder what happened in that room just three days ago — it couldn't have been pretty."

Rolando Bulahan, 28, He said: "He was so young and very talented. It is a sad loss when things like this happen. I believe he will be missed. I also feel the American film industry should do more to help people in any kind of situation. It is their responsibility."

Marie-Ann Solarte, 28, said she thought it happens all too often in the world of celebrities. She added: "He was a good actor and he had his whole life ahead of him. I know we are not sure exactly what happened but people always assume the worst. What a waste of a life."

Amy Garrar, 38, has lived in the UAE for 13 years. Originally from Lebanon, she said: "These actors and actresses are under an awful lot of pressure and sometimes we don't appreciate that. I think it is the responsibility of the film industry to support them and offer more advice and services to prevent more deaths. They owe it to the actors. These are high-profile people and they are not setting a good example for young people who look up to them around the world."

- Kelly Crane, Staff Reporter