HOLLYWOOD - Tragic actor Heath Ledger was tired and "a little depressed" the day before he died, according to acclaimed author Deepak Chopra.
Chopra spoke to Ledger on Jan. 21 and recalls the Australian movie star was upset that he hadn't seen his 2-year-old daughter, Matilda, for awhile.
The writer tells People.com, "He was a little depressed about not having seen his daughter. It was like, 'I'm missing my girl...' He hadn't seen her (Matilda) over the holidays, he mentioned that."
Chopra also remembers Ledger was shattered after shooting scenes in new movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus in London.
He adds, "Heath's a very, very ambitious actor and hard-working guy. He was still high from the experience (of filming in London) and he hadn't come down. He was exhausted."
Chopra was due to meet up with Ledger and their mutual friend, director Shekhar Kapur, in New York on the day the Brokeback Mountain star passed away--and had to break the news of the actor's death to the filmmaker.
He adds, "I had to sit him down and say, 'I'm sorry to tell you this, but we're not going to be having dinner with Heath. He's dead.' Shekhar is totally devastated."
Ledger was found dead in his New York apartment on Jan. 22.
COPYRIGHT 2008 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All Global Rights Reserved.
Photo(s) by Adriana M. Barraza- © 2006- Hollywood Media Corp.- All Rights Reserved