What gets Hollywood's new import Heath Ledger really hot

Australian hottie Heath Ledger comes bursting into a trendy SoHo restaurant, six feet of intensity and high energy packed tightly in jeans and a New York City- logo tee shirt. None of this laid-back Hollywood life for Ledger - he and his flowy sun-kissed locks and rugged tanned skin life in downtown NYC. If you're trying to picture where you recognize Ledger from, he's the mysterious yet gentle, gorgeous guy from 10 Things I Hate About You- the one who serenaded Julia Stiles with that goofy rendition of "You're Just Too Good to Be True" with the help of a marching band. But where did he go after that? Although 10 Things brought him a slew of offers, Ledger chose not to work for over a year - he didn't want to do another teen flick ("I don't even watch teen movies"). The wait paid off. While all of young Hollywood was begging for the part of Mel Gibson's sexy son in this summer's The Patriot, the 21-year-old Aussie nabbed it. And the buzz is that after this flick, Ledger will be taking Brad Pitt's title as the big screen's sexiest flavor. Here, he dishes the secret he learned early on about women, the romantic gesture that turns him on, and the surprising thing you may find him doing in his spare time.

How did a nice Australian lad like you get to America from Perth?

I did amateur theater as a kid, and that progressed until eventually I got my first TV series when I was 15. That led to this short-lived American show on Fox called Roar.

When You first went to L.A. were you taken aback when you saw a celebrity?

Definitely. When I first got there, I'd be driving down the road, and I'd scream, "Omigod, that's Doogie Howser." And I would practically crash the car.

Were you shocked when you landed the role in The Patroit?

Shocked, delighted, thrilled. I went into the audition very conscious of the fact that I was playing a young Mel, and I guess my portrayal was pretty accurate.

You grew up with your mom and three sisters. What did all those girls teach you about dating?

I learned respect for women, and patience. You grow up with all those women around you... you learn to wait your turn.

Do you have a girlfriend?

Yeah, she's a model named Christina Cauchi-we live together.

Are you the romantic type?

Well, I'm very fortunate with Christina because she and I will do nothing and it's quite romantic-just spending time together, being together. I love when we're sitting around, just the two of us, listening to music, with the lights off and lots and lots of candles, and we're holding hands.

Before Christina, what's the craziest thing you've done to get a girl?

Nothing, because I think if you have to do something wild to attract a girl, then you'll have to keep getting wilder to keep her. If it's meant to be, it'll happen.

It doesn't hurt having a sexy accent. Has it helped or hindered you in acting?

Neither. The Patroit was the first time I had to use an American accent. It was new and exciting, and once I got the accent down, it was great.

You're really tall... did you tower over Mel?

I'm 6 feet 1, but he has such a large presence on-screen that you don't notice it. Anyway, I'm 5 inches taller than my real dad...

You just turned 21. What did you do to celebrate your birthday?

I went to see Tracy Chapman playing live. I went with my best buddies from Perth. And we had a few drinks...legally!

Are most of your friends still guys you knew in Australia?

My best mates are still the guys I grew up with. They're not actors, so they keep me sane about this business.

Do they make fun of you for all this Hollywood stuff?

Every minute.

What's the biggest difference between Australia and America?

Americans don't know what a spunk rat is. The first time I called a girl a spunk rat, I almost got punched! It means a sexy girl.

What's the most shocking thing that you've noticed about Hollywood?

That it's just like a big high school. I get a real kick out of it. It's not as big and scary as it makes itself out to be. I'm not about to fall for the pretentiousness of the hype and glam. I never let it get to me.

Now that you're on the verge of superstardom, what do you do for fun?

Recently I started playing music. I'm learning the guitar. And the rest of my time? I take my laundry down to the Laundromat like everyone else.

By Martha Frankel

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All the information on this page was possible thanks to the July 2000 issue of Cosmopolitan.