HOLLYWOOD - Actress Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger's parents paid tribute to the late actor with moving eulogies at a memorial service in his hometown of Perth, Australia, on Saturday.
More than 600 family members, friends and fans gathered to bid farewell to the Brokeback Mountain star, and his I'm Not There co-star Blanchett gave a funny and touching eulogy about their time spent together.
Mourners watched a photo montage dedicated to Ledger's family and daughter Matilda, his 2-year-old with former fiancée Michelle Williams. The actress was in attendance but did not bring Matilda to the service at Penrhos College, a private girls' school.
Ledger's father, Kim, addressed the media earlier in the day to ask for privacy as the family attended a private funeral service at Fremantle Cemetery, where the body was cremated.
He told reporters, "It's a pretty sad time and we're finding it difficult to cope by ourselves, let alone cope with everybody around the world.
"Having said that, we do really appreciate the outpouring and the emotional support from all over the world, which, suffice to say, we're luckier than most families, most families that are in our position, our grieving position, don't have that kind of support. So thank you all very much. That's all I've got to say."
Ledger was found dead at his New York apartment on Jan. 22, at age 28. Toxicology results released on Wednesday revealed he was killed by an accidental overdose of prescribed medication.
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