Count Busy Philipps as one of the few celebrities comfortable with mourning in public. In the past year, Philipps has almost made a career out of being candid on Instagram, and, in a new interview with The Cut, she's being just as frank about the death of Heath Ledger. Philipps is best friends with Michelle Williams, Ledger's ex, and his 2008 death hit hard.
"It’s just been a long 10 years, you know?" she told The Cut. On the anniversary of Ledger's death this year, Philipps aired her grief on Instagram, weeping openly in one of her stories. It was one of the first emotional displays the public had seen in regards to Ledger's death, which is to this day one of Hollywood's greatest losses. Ledger even won a posthumous Oscar the same year he died. The year of his death, Philipps was pregnant with Birdie, her first child and a sometimes star of her Instagram stories.
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"That anniversary, just brought up a lot of … I can’t believe it’s been 10 years. I was pregnant with Birdie," Philipps continued. She'd seen Ledger a couple of months earlier, likely around the same time Williams and Ledger broke up. Williams and Ledger, who have one daughter together, split in September of 2007. Public mourning, especially when it comes to a beloved celebrity, is still somewhat contentious, and Philipps' vulnerable Instagram story garnered a lot of attention.
"I’ve never talked about [his death]. I’ve never shared it, because I’m hyper protective of [Michelle Williams] and her daughter," Philipps admitted, sharing that she'd previously been hesitant to share her feelings. "But I also think … I think it’s okay. Everyone’s allowed to have their own feelings about something that happens.”
Philipps flew to San Francisco, where Williams was filming a movie, to be with her best friend on the tenth anniversary of Ledger's death. As for how Williams felt about Philipps posting about Ledger on Instagram, she told The Cut she doesn't look at what her best friend posts. "I trust her judgment implicitly," Williams said.