Naomi Watts Remembers Ex-Boyfriend Heath Ledger On 10-Year Death Anniversary

Ten years after Heath Ledger‘s death, his ex-girlfriend Naomi Watts is remembering the actor.

10TH ANNIVERSARY OF HEATH LEDGER’S DEATH

The 49-year-old paid tribute to Ledger by posting a photo to Instagram alongside a sincere caption. “Thinking about this beautiful soul today. Ten years ago he left this world,” she wrote. “He was a true original. Heart always on his sleeve, with the most powerful charisma, strength, humor and talent. I will never forget his gentle spirit.”

Watts and Ledger dated from 2002-2004, and she opened up about their relationship in 2011 with More magazine. “We had a beautiful relationship, only a couple of years, but he was a man who was completely full of joy, and there was a lot of laughing and affection,” she remembered fondly. “He was really a very special soul and made a great impact on my life. And a great actor, but I know there was so much more to come.”

Michelle Williams and Busy Philipps also mourned the star, who died Jan. 22, 2007 of an accidental prescription drug overdose. Williams began dating Ledger in 2005 and did up to his death. The pair share a daughter, Matilda, who is now 12-years-old. Philipps is a best friend of Williams and was close with Ledger as well. She flew out to visit Williams on the tenth anniversary of Ledger’s death and posted a couple of photos with her friend.

On Monday, Philipps also posted a tearful Instagram story in her car as she listened to “Time to Pretend” by MGMT. “I was just driving and I was thinking about my friend Heath who died 10 years ago and this song came on, ‘Time to Pretend,'” she said in one of the videos. “It came out after he passed away and I remember when it came out, because [I thought] it made me think of him. I just thought he would have liked this song. And for some reason, every time I hear this song… it’s weird.”

Also on Monday, the late actor’s sister Kate Ledger shared that the family still keeps in touch with Williams and their daughter Matilda. “We keep in constant contact with Michelle and Matilda and visit frequently,” she told Who magazine in Australia. “She is an amazing girl and a source of delight to us all.” She also adds that Heath is “very much alive in our house,” and that she shares stories of her brother with her children every day.