Sydney - Friends of Hollywood actor Heath Ledger arrived in his Perth hometown Thursday to attend a private funeral service planned for Saturday in the west coast Australian city. Ledger, 28, was found dead in a Manhattan apartment on January 22.
New York's Medical Examiner confirmed the family's belief that the Brokeback Mountain star died of an accidental overdose caused by six different prescription drugs. A post-mortem had failed to determine the cause of his death, which his family always insisted had been an "accidental passing."
There were reports that Michelle Williams, whom Ledger met on the set of Brokeback Mountain and who is the mother of his 2-year-old daughter Matilda, had arrived in Perth.
Ledger separated from Williams late last year. West Australian Premier Alan Carpenter called on reporters to respect the privacy of the mourners.
"The family have been thrust into the spotlight, obviously in the worst of all circumstances," Carpenter said. "One of the great things that Heath Ledger was able to reflect upon was that when he came back to Western Australia it was a haven where he could just walk around like a normal citizen."
Jake Gyllenhaal, who co-starred with Ledger in the Brokeback Mountain, was also expected to attend the funeral. Gyllenhaal is the godfather of Matilda. Ledger is expected to be buried in the family plot at Perth's Karrakatta cemetery.
