The Circuit

The sudden death of Heath Ledger became a where-were-you-then moment at last year's Sundance.  No one could escape the news.  Blackberries and iPhone lit up screenings-in-progress.  People grouped around TVs, shared info from a friend who knew a friend who was a casting director, overly-ruminated on the cause-of-death. 

And seemingly within the half hour, Entertainment Weekly had their tribute issue on racks.


So there was a bit of eyebrow lifting this year as EW again put out another Heath cover, this with his friends opening up about his last days: 

Gil Junger, director, "10 Things": Heath came in to read, and he exuded a sexuality so uncommon for a man of that age. As soon as he left, I stood up and said, ''Ladies, I have never wanted to sleep with a man, but if I had to, that would be the man. Please hire him immediately.''