Sources claim that he and long term girlfriend Muireann McDonnell have wed in a secret location after dating since 2006. The pair met at a Christmas party in Dublin and have been inseparable since, Colin is said to be smitten with his love interest even referring to her as "the one" however recent wedding claims are still unconfirmed by either Colin or Muireann.

Interestingly, enough the sexy star was said to be hiding his hand from paparazzi. I then have to ask the question why wear the ring if you have something to hide? The problem I face is am I too willing to find fault in this recent accusation?... do I simply want it to be untrue?... am I joining the chorus of woman across the UK who are screaming noooo don't let it be true?

Should we simply accept the possibility that he and long time girlfriend have made this commitment regardless of whether they have actually tied the knot?

I don't know about you but I think I'll wait for concrete evidence before I deny myself the hope of becoming the next Mrs Colin Farrell!

 

It has been said, before this tragedy happened I must add, that he put on an absolutely fantastic performance as the Joker in the new Batman film, Dark Knight. I cannot wait to see this movie, although I've got a feeling that it might just get a bit more emotional than I think it was meant to be. Heath Ledger played some brilliant roles in his short life and my favorite of all was in a Knights Tale. It was a funny and touching movie and he played the part so well. People said he was on the up after playing the Joker so well but unfortunately, he will never get the chance to prove this statement true.

Recent reports in various news sites have also revealed that Jack Nicholson had warned the young actor about taking on a role as demanding and draining as the Joker. It had affected him when he played the part in the original Batman movie. In November Heath Ledger admitted to being exhausted and having trouble sleeping and even went so far as to tell reporters that he had started taking sleeping tablets to help him get some rest. It seems such a tragedy that work affected this bright young star so much that in the end, it took his life.

Heath Ledger will be sorely missed by many dedicated fans, admirers and even the general public who enjoyed so many of his previous movies. My thoughts go out once again to his family and friends.

I was a bit surprised to hear that he'd been cast to play the Joker in the upcoming Batman film The Dark Knight, the sequel to “Batman Begins”. I'll admit I was skeptical at first, not because of the “Broke-bat” jokes that kept coming out but because I wasn't sure if he was the right guy. Then I saw the trailers and was more than impressed by his portrayal of the character as a psycho-clown rather than just doing what Jack Nicholson did in 1989's Batman. It made me look forward to seeing the movie even more, and impressed by Ledger's acting abilities.

Then, last Tuesday night, I got the news after checking my e-mail. Heath Ledger, 28 years-old, had been found dead in a New York City apartment. My jaw dropped. I was shocked. I just couldn't believe it. This talented young man, who had a promising career and a surefire hit movie on the way, was gone, taken before his time like many other young celebrities before him. It just didn't make any sense to me.

Naturally, talk and speculation has been building about the whole thing. The cause of death, whether drugs were involved, his physical state from being, as he told the New York Times, “stressed out just a little too much” from playing the Joker... All that so-called “good” stuff that people just have to know. I'm sure his family wants to know, since it would put them at ease to know what took this member of their family.

But frankly, does it really matter in the end? We can have all the answers we want, they can make as much sense as the world being round, but it all adds up to one thing. Heath Ledger is gone, taken before his time like so many before him. As much as I hope and pray for his family that his death was accidental and/or due to health issues, I still can't help but feel this is just another senseless death in the Hollywood machine.

And then there's how this will affect The Dark Knight. The film will come out as planned, of that I'm sure. Warner Bros. and DC Comics wouldn't delay or shelve the film because of this, as that would be an insult to Ledger's memory. What concerns me is that people won't go to see the movie because they like it, but because of Ledger's death hanging over it, much in the same way as it was for The Crow when Brandon Lee died. Me, I still plan to see it, but because I've already been looking forward to it long before this tragedy and to not see it because of Ledger's death would be the same as not releasing it, an insult to his memory.

So here's to Heath Ledger, a talented young man taken before his time. Not all of us were fans of his works, but we can take them for what they are and acknowledge the mark he made on Hollywood. He will be missed.

May he rest in peace.

Heath Ledger was an amazingly talented actor who was set to be the next Johnny Depp, he has taken on an amazing range of roles proving that he has real range and talent from A Knights Tale to Brokeback Mountain and the soon to be released Dark Knight movie. It is a real loss to the world, by all reports he was a polite considerate man not effect by his success and he was respected by fellow actors and fans alike.

He did not deserve to go like this and my prayers go out to his family and friends in this terrible time, I ask God to be with them. I never met Heath like many I just know him from his films but I have so much respect for him and thank him for the joy he brought us all through his films, the world is a darker place now he is not it it.

Rest in Peace Heath Ledger

Always in our hearts.

Since the investigation is ongoing I would like to take this time to focus on Ledger's life and achievements since I think jumping to conclusions at this time would be rather premature and only detrimental.

He was 28 years old.

Heath Ledger, famous for roles in the films "10 things I Hate About You," "The Patriot" and "Brokeback Mountain" rose to fame in 1999. Other roles include "A Knight's Tale" and "Monster's Ball."

He was born in Western Australia in 1979.

Dear readers, my suggestion is leave all speculation about his demise to investigators. Keep his family in your prayers during this tumultuous time. I'll remember Heath as a talented actor, and a very driven individual. One that would not be typecasted or stereotyped,and that talent is his legacy. I pray for strength for his family.

The months of February and March of 2007 celebrity deaths due to depression scarred the news. Comedian Richard Jeni, Richard Delp of the rock group Boston and the most noted Anna Nicole Smith depression related deaths scored front page headlines. Their deaths expose many questions surrounding the events. Most of them left to the wind as open-ended quandaries. If you are like most people, you question the role of those that were supposed to care for them. The answer many times is not as you imagined. The reason behind this is the lack of true depression awareness and understanding in our society.

Fame, fortune and depression

There are sites devoted to pigeonholing the famous as either having a depression disorder or possibly having a depression disorder. The fascination does not come from knowledge or respect of the disease. It comes from the inbred disbelief that someone who has obtained a "privileged status" like this in our society would have such a problem. It is as if the public feels "you are rich and famous and that makes you immune."

A possible exception

Of the aforementioned group, Anna Nicole Smith is the one who people will generally rate an emotional bye. After all, her son died shortly after the birth of her daughter. Child bearing and the after birth especially in older woman like Anna are known to cause hormonal havoc to the body. Pile on the death of your only son on top and you have a basic overload on the person's physical, mental and emotional well being. Still, the questions return all return to the roles of the friends, family and lovers.

The question of "Where were they for them?"

First of all, it is bad enough a suicide impacts family and friends with guilt. When it comes to the famous public perceptions adds to the emotional disarray. Anna Nicole Smith's companion, Howard K. Stern, received tepid reactions when he deferred that nobody told Anna what to do. The fact is Stern's words echoes the sentiments of frustration most people who live with a loved one suffering from depression experience. This comes from the fact that society as a whole is not prepared to handle people who suffer depression. Most rely on the myths surrounding the disease and have no real awareness on the subject.

What is the right thing?

There are no real answers because depression is a case by case issue. Richard Jeni was a comedian highly respected by his peers and fans. His family knew he suffered from major depression and were the first to admit, he committed suicide. Richard Delp was preparing for marriage and the band, Boston had a new album, which for most people meant he should have been in an up mode. Yet, his fiancée who knew he suffered depression is left wondering what went wrong? The source for this grief is society's perception depression is a weakness not a disease. In society, we are taught that we have to protect the weak. Therefore, in Jeni's, Smith's and Delp's situation, we view their immediate support family and lover's failed them. The fact is most of this people did not have the knowledge or awareness and if they did it was out of their hands. You have to actually live through such a situation to truly understand.

The last line of defense in depression

It is not the family, the friends, the doctor's, or the support group that is the core to helping a depressed person. It is the person themselves. If the person who is suffering from depression does not turn to him or herself for steps needed for self care then all is lost. Depression causes a person to retreat within. Some describe depression as a form of narcissism because of this retreat. What people who don't have to deal with someone suffering from depression can not understand is in a way the sufferer is in control. Yet, society views depression sufferers as victims. Here lies the contradiction. A victim as we know it is not in control. It is no different from a person who hides in a cave and blocks the opening. No one can reach them until they are ready to remove the blocks.

Don't feel sorry for Richard Jeni, Anna Nicole and Richard Delp

Save your grief for those who tried and were left behind. Hiding behind the grief will not solve anything either. Learning to understand will give you a step in a positive direction. Depression is best dealt with in the early stages. Think of it as an open wound left untreated. The wound becomes infected which then turns gangrene. Gaining knowledge of depression will aid you into developing awareness. Awareness can help you to suspect depression in the early stages.

Knowing the stages of depression by default

In my life, I experienced many people who suffered from depression. A childhood friend whom others and I watched undergo the change, and finally gave himself a shotgun salute. A former girlfriend supposedly living life on the upswing, took her life with common over the counter pills in a moment of weakness. A casual friend who worked hard to achieve his life goals took his life in a backyard shed. The irony being the man known as a doting protective father would be found by his youngest child. I watched up close as a person I really cared for fell into a depression, resisted treatment and turned on me. Part of the problem was the person initially withheld the fact they were a chronic depression sufferer. The reason for nondisclosure was rooted in the fear of loss. That fear cost us both the relationship.

The time step toward awareness

I began the process of developing awareness in mid crisis. That was not the best way to learn anything. In high school, you get a general psychology course that can only gloss over the subject. It makes no sense given the fact that teen depression in our country is on the fast track to record numbers. Depression should be a mandatory high school class. I do not mean like the sex education health class that the kids blow off.

Where to begin?

I asked that question of myself many time. Questions are answers waiting to be found. Many times the answers are found inside yourself. I began by taking up the mantle of teaching Depression Awareness seminars. Teaching awareness is not to be confused with teaching diagnosis. It is about learning the signs and becoming aware of the possibilities early. Developing awareness is not only taking in of information but also discussing it and sharing its different aspects. That is the initiative behind the Rich Naran's Depression Awareness website and accompanying RNC Share To Become Aware forum. People can learn, share and develop a better base of knowledge in order to cope with depression. You can give into adversity or grow from it. I made my choice and this website is one place you can help make yours.

The Jeni's, the Delps and the Smiths

They are not only celebrities. They are everyday people with everyday friends and family. They are you and I. Give their friends and families what you would what for your own. For me, it would be empathy and compassion.

Angelina Jolie first broke into the public's eye as superstar world-renowned model. She transferred her body and fame to movies where her acting in "George Wallace" in 1997 and "Gia" in 1998 won Angelina acclaim and accolades. The accolades served as a precursor to an Oscar in 2000 for "Girl Interrupted. For Angelina Jolie, life has been a large screen epic played out in real life.

Not so humble beginnings

Born in 1975 to actors Marcheline Bertrand and Jon Voight family life was far from stable. Her more famous Oscar winning father would walk out and leave the following year. Her mother would step back from acting to raise Angelina and brother James Haven. As the young child grew older, she would display signs of depression. The woman has confessed to being "a cutter". Cutting is a form of self-injury more common to young girls and often linked with depression. It is considered an aberrant mechanism for coping with inner or mental anxieties. In brief, Angelina knows what is it to live through a painful childhood. Maybe, that childhood pain is responsible for her more philanthropic efforts as an adult.

Make faces of fame

Model, movie star, one of the prettiest pretty people and more wild-child than woman are words used to describe the early adulthood of Angelina Jolie. Whether based on fact or fiction, Miss Jolie became as famous for her sinful indulgence in the high-life as much as being one of the sinful indulgences of the high-life. The world-renowned heartbreaker added to her fame portfolio by ending a high-profile marriage to Billy-Bob Thornton with a broken heart of her own. This may have been part of the beginning of the end to Jolie's old perspective toward her place in this world.

Mothering Maddox

During her marriage to Billy-Bob, Angelina took on the mantle of Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations. It was on a tour of Cambodia that Angelina began the life changing process which eventually including the eventual adoption of her first child, Maddox. She credits Maddox for completing the turn of the key to change in her life. Despite all the headlines, Angelina Jolie has become more enamored with what she can do in this world, than what she has done. Though I suspect the wild child within her will always live on. As the maturing woman might tell you in her own words, "That's a good thing."

Continuing the mission in the face of her critics

Angelina has continued to tour the world adopt children and live a life in her own mold. Currently and counting the latest adoption of a third child, Jolie has four children. This includes one of her own with boyfriend, Brad Pitt and three international adoptions. Critics have claimed this is a form of sensationalism to garner news clippings and self-promotion. They protest loudly, the starlet is doing more harm than good. Others make the point, if she were that serious, why she has not she adopted a child from the U.S.

Where those charging hypocrisy are committing hypocrisy

I understand the chants of promotionalism. I understand the indignant that Angelina Jolie has taken her causes abroad instead of at home. What I do not understand is why people will not consider Angelina is doing something many people with money and the power of celebrity are not doing. Angelina Jolie is using her own fame and fortune to make a difference. Her goal is to bring to light worldwide problems. Even long after her post at the U.N. expired the woman continues trekking around the world for her cause. To all her critics I ask, can you name 25 superstars that have shown more philanthropy than opulence?

An overview

I believe there is an ideal that is being overlooked. I believe when you take into account that ideal, there should be less controversy and more action. We are united on this planet by the grace of being a member of the human race. It is the bond that ties us all. As our own history has taught us, being isolationalist only brings trouble to our front door. You may not like that Angelina Jolie with family in tow is bringing light to other nation's plights instead of our own. Yet, those nations need a spokesperson to the more secure and wealthy nations. Even on our worse days, our quality of life is better. Do you think they are different from us? Only in ideals, color, or religion do those differences exist. There is not one American who likes a person coming up to them and saying I am better than you are. Why, should anyone non-American have to tolerate it as well?

Respect, Support and Action

We begin world unity by respecting other people's way of life and opinion. Respect them and you will see the good. We should offer support when someone takes a stand in attempt to make a positive difference. Anyone can sit in an armchair and spout how it can be done better. If you can say it, then take action and do it. You do not have to like someone to see the good in them.

I learned a valuable lesson in life

In " A Holiday Legacy," I wrote about a woman an ex-addict and friend whom I lost back to her addictions. The lesson, "Even when you have nothing, you always have something to give" will be with me for the rest of my life. Just because Angelina and Brad have more money than ten of us will ever see in a lifetime doesn't mean they are the only ones who can make a difference. If you do not agree with their methods than find out how you can take part in implementing yours. Thinking goodwill acts will never replace working to make them a reality.