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Inside Heath's sad final days

With a documentary set to be released about his life next month, friends and family have now opened up about Heath Ledger's "sad" final days.

Nine years after the 28-year-old's life was cut tragically short, the documentary's director Derik Murray says the actor's final days painted a picture of a “very sensitive man” who was suffering deep "unhappiness".

Heath was reportedly struggling in the weeks before his death. Source: Getty Images.
Heath was reportedly struggling in the weeks before his death. Source: Getty Images.

“At some point in time, it unraveled for him,” Derik told People before adding, “I think it was tough for him to keep up with who he was.”

Meanwhile close friend and dialect coach Gerry Grennell, who lived with Heath while he was filming what would be his last film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus said the star was battling illness and was “exhausted, emotionally and physically” in the final weeks of his life.

“I would hear him wandering around the apartment and I’d get up and say, ‘Come on, man, get back to bed, you have to work tomorrow.’ He said, ‘I can’t sleep, man,’” Gerry recalled to the publication, adding that Heath had been taking prescription sleeping pills to try and help him rest.

The actor died in 2008 from a prescription drug overdose. Source: Getty
The actor died in 2008 from a prescription drug overdose. Source: Getty
The couple shared daughter Matilda. Michelle with Matilda in 2009. Source: Getty Images.
The couple shared daughter Matilda. Michelle with Matilda in 2009. Source: Getty Images.

“He missed his girl, he missed his family, he missed his little girl - he desperately wanted to see her and hold her and play with her,” he added, referring to former girlfriend Michelle Williams and their then-two-year-old daughter, Matilda.

“He was desperately unhappy, desperately sad.”

RELATED: WATCH: First trailer for Heath Ledger doco

RELATED: 'I miss him': Michelle talks life without Heath

Heath died in January 2008, with a toxicology report revealing a fatal mix of prescription drugs in his system.

Last week the first trailer for I Am Heath Ledger dropped, with the Brokeback Mountain star's sister Kate saying she believes her brother was piecing together footage for his daughter.

“You can tell her about things, but with her being able to visually see his movement and his expressions, it’s almost like he had actually filmed the documentary himself and pieced it together for her,” she told People.

The new trailer for I am Heath Ledger dropped last week. Source: Spike
The new trailer for I am Heath Ledger dropped last week. Source: Spike
The doco will give fans an insight to the actor's life. Source: Spike
The doco will give fans an insight to the actor's life. Source: Spike
It features never-seen-before footage of the late star. Source: Spike
It features never-seen-before footage of the late star. Source: Spike

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