Hollywood in shock as tributes pour in for actor Ledger

Hollywood paid tribute Wednesday to Heath Ledger as fans gathered to mourn the 28-year-old actor outside the New York apartment where he died. Ledger was found dead Tuesday afternoon in a Manhattan apartment. Pills were found near the body, and reports speculated he was disconsolate and had been battling a heroin addiction. Ledger's publicist said the death was an accident. Police said that a rolled up bill found in Ledger's apartment was being sent to the police crime lab for testing. They noted that such bills sometimes indicate drug use but said that no illegal drugs were found in the apartment. However, a mix of both prescription and over-the-counter pills, including sleeping aids and anti-anxiety medication, were found in his bedroom and bathroom. The initial autopsy Wednesday to determine how Ledger died was inconclusive, and additional tests were required to determine the cause of death. "The autopsy was inconclusive," New York City medical examiner spokeswoman Ellen Borakove told People Magazine. "We have to do further testing including toxicology and tissue testing. Neither cause of death or manner of death has been concluded. We expect additional results in 10 days to two weeks." There was no obvious indication of suicide or foul play, said New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne, who added that police are "investigating the possibility of an overdose." The Australian actor's ex-fiancée, actress Michelle Williams, was flying to New York from Sweden with their two-year-old daughter, Matilda, Williams' father said. Meanwhile Ledger's publicist insisted that the actor's death was an accident and asked for privacy for his family. "We are deeply saddened and shocked by this accident," said publicist Mara Buxbaum in a statement. "This is an extremely difficult time for his loved ones. We're asking the media to please respect the family's privacy and avoid speculation until the facts are known." The death of the edgy actor, hailed as one of the great young practitioners of his generation, sent a shockwave through his Hollywood colleagues. "He was just taking off, and to lose his life at such a young age is a tragic loss," Mel Gibson, who co-starred with Ledger in The Patriot, told E! News. "My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family." Ledger had recently wrapped the Batman sequel, The Dark Knight, for the Warner Brothers studio and was already winning raves for his reincarnation of the Joker. "The studio is stunned and devastated by this tragic news," Warner Brothers executives Alan Horn and Jeffery Robinov said in a statement. Ledger's most famous role was as a conflicted cowboy in a homosexual relationship in the movie Brokeback Mountain, for which he was nominated for an Oscar. "Heath Ledger will forever be remembered for his groundbreaking role as Ennis del Mar," said Neil G. Giuliano, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. "His powerful portrayal changed hearts and minds in immeasurable ways. He will be greatly missed." "I am just shocked," said director Lasse Hallstrom, who worked with Ledger on the 2005 film "Casanova". "He was a wonderful talent and smart." That sentiment was echoed by James Schamus, chief executive of Focus Features, which produced Brokeback Mountain: "He gave us the gift of sharing his fearless and beautiful love - of his craft and of all who worked with him - for which all of us will be eternally grateful."