Stars Pressure TV Shows to Nix Ledger Drug Video
Natalie Portman, S.J. Parker pressure "ET" to pull drug video of late actor.
Jan. 31, 2008— -- Apparently bowing to pressure from celebrities and Hollywood publicists, "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" won't air a video of the late actor Heath Ledger discussing his drug use at a party surrounded by others using illicit drugs.
Actors Natalie Portman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Josh Brolin and Ellen Page called producers at sister TV shows owned by CBS Paramount to request the full video not be aired Thursday after a teaser was shown Wednesday night, a source close to the stars told ABC NEWS.com.
In the promo, Ledger is seen at a party in which other people appear to be using cocaine, although he does not do so in the portion aired.
"I used to smoke five joints a day for 20 years," Ledger says in the video, reportedly shot at Los Angeles hotspot Chateau Martmont following the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
In a poor quality but full-length clip of the video leaked online and viewed by ABC News, a man in silhouette who sounds like Ledger can be heard uttering the line about smoking joints. The video does not show him using drugs.
Further into the video, during a conversation with an unidentified woman about a tattoo, which was not included in the promo clip, Ledger says, "That's a reminder not to smoke weed. ... I haven't smoked weed in (inaudible)."
Ledger, 28, was found dead on Jan. 22 in his New York City apartment. His representatives have denied that he used illegal substances, and no illicit drugs were reportedly found in his home at the time of his death.
"I shouldn't be here at all," Ledger says in the promo clip that aired on both shows Wednesday. "I'm gonna get so much s*** from my girlfriend," he says, referring to Michelle Williams, his former fiancée and the mother of his daughter.
A spokesperson for the shows confirmed that the full video will not air.
"Out of respect for Heath Ledger's family, 'Entertainment Tonight' and 'The Insider' have decided not to run the Heath Ledger video which has been circulating in the world media," a show spokesperson said in a statement.
The programs, however, have shown arguably more disturbing footage in the past, including a video of an intoxicated Anna Nicole Smith in clown makeup that aired after her death, and pictures of the car crash that killed Princess Diana. This has led some observers to speculate that celebrities and their reps may have threatened to boycott the show if the footage was aired.
"We reached out to other entertainers and publicists, but at no time did anyone threaten to boycott the show," said Kelly Bush, CEO of ID, the public relations firm that represents Ledger.
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