Heath Ledger's hometown farewell today was a moving service attended by some of Hollywood's biggest stars. The young actor's heartbroken former fiancee actor Michelle Williams, Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett, supermodel Gemma Ward and Australian actors Bryan Brown, Michael Caton, Rose Byrne, Shane "Kenny" Jacobsen and Joel Edgerton attended amid tight security in Perth today. Directors Phillip Noyce and Neil Armfield, footballers Ben Cousins and David Wirrpanda plus band members from Eskimo Joe also attended the memorial which began with a didgeridoo performance by local musician Levi Islam. Other celebrities joined family, school friends, athletes and politicians at a private celebration before 600 people of the life of the 28-year-old actor, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role as a conflicted gay cowboy in Brokeback Mountain. The 90-minute memorial service at Penrhos College came before a small private funeral for the family and a sunset wake overlooking Ledger's favourite beach. His father Kim Ledger told reporters today the funeral would be "very, very private". "There will only be 10 people there, immediate family and nobody else," Mr Ledger said. "It's a pretty sad time and we're finding it difficult to cope by ourselves, let alone cope with everybody around the world. "Having said that we do really appreciate the outpouring and the emotional support from all over the world, which, suffice to say, we're luckier than most families, most families that are in our position, our grieving position, don't have that kind of support." Ledger's parents, sister and Williams, 27, travelled in a convoy to the memorial service at Penrhos College, a private girls' school in the south Perth suburb of Como. Williams fell in love with Ledger in 2004 on the set of their career-changing film, Brokeback Mountain. They had a daughter, Matilda, in October 2005, but called off their engagement last September. Matilda was not with her emotional mother today, who, clad in a cream dress, was supported by Ledger's older sister Kate into the school for the celebration of the actor's life. The service program told mourners: "This room is filled with the love we all felt for a great friend who will be missed by all of us. "We want to thank those of you who took care of him and participated in his beautiful life." Barbara Scott, a WA MP, said the emotional, moving and at times funny service was a "wonderful tribute" to an outstanding actor. Michelle Williams Attending Heath Ledger Memorial Funeral in Perth















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