News January 28, 2008
Stars Pay Tribute to Heath at SAG Awards
The SAG awards were Hollywood's first chance to celebrate this year's achievements, but the tragic loss of Heath Ledger was the talk on the red carpet.
Best Actor nominee Ryan Gosling wore a black ribbon in honor of Heath, whose death Tuesday in Manhattan shocked fans and devastated his family and friends.
Daniel Day-Lewis dedicated his Best Actor win to Heath and called him an inspiration. Recalling his haunting, Oscar-nominated role in "Brokeback Mountain," Daniel said, "He was perfect. And that scene in the trailer at the end of the film is as moving as anything I have ever seen."
Though Daniel admitted he had never met Heath, he decided to dedicate his award to him because of his admiration.
"I suppose that's all I've been thinking about for the last few days. I never met him. I thought he was beautiful," he said. "I just have a very strong feeling that I would have liked him very much as a man. ...I admired him very much."
Backstage, Daniel - still grief-stricken - was nearly speechless.
"I'm just reluctant to make some trite remark about it right now," he told "Extra." "I'm sorry."
Words weren't easy for Cate Blanchett, either.
Heath's "I'm Not There" co-star said, "I hope his friends and family will be allowed to mourn in private."
Said Eva Longoria, "Just to hear news like that is shocking, whether you knew him or not. And my heart goes out to his family and daughter."