What a shame...

The art of acting is often overshadowed by the highly publicized and scandal-ridden world of celebrity that today's "stars" comprise. At every corner there is a mention of which Hollywood star has cheated on whom; which crazy drunken mishap another got into; and the ever-so entertaining adventures of the Spears family.

If we watch TV, listen to the radio, read newspapers or magazines and peruse the ol' interweb once and awhile, we've doubtless run into something along these lines. It's annoying, repetitive, addictive (to some) and downright foolish. It dominates our headlines, but that is not what this little diddy is about.

Because the world of acting (specifically in film) is so dominated by the public eye of celebrity, we often forget how truly amazing it is. There are, of course, many actors that stay out of the limelight and find themselves making tremendous films, and I imagine they will forever be remembered for their talents. But then there are those who find there way into the public eye, be it in or out of their control, whose abilities as an actor are immediately overshadowed by their status as a celebrity.

I just saw the amazing sequel to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and their is quite a bit of truth surrounding the acclaim for Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker. He was compelling, outrageous and wonderful, bringing a character to life like no one could have believed. When you see something so powerful, you're allowed to ignore the gossipy world of celebrity and you're reminded of the remarkable ability of great actors. You realize how sad it really is to lose someone who can do such a great thing like act.

We can only hope Heath won't be remembered for his tragic death, but for his ability to act; an ability that many celebrities and "actors" fail to share.