JANUARY 22 2018 marked the tenth anniversary of Heath Ledger’s untimely passing at the age of 28.
As Twitter and Instagram played host to thousands of tributes made in his memory, his former partner’s best friend added her contribution.
And she’s been getting it in the neck ever since.
Busy Philipps, who has been friends with Heath’s former partner Michelle Williams since starring in Dawson’s Creek together, posted a photo of the pair on Instagram, with the caption: “It’s OK’.
And Busy, who flew to San Francisco to be by Michelle’s side on the poignant anniversary, was on the receiving end of considerable backlash after members of the public accused her of exploiting both Heath’s death and Michelle’s grief.
Speaking to The Cut, 38-year-old Busy discussed the response she got in the aftermath of the post.
I think some people felt like I was being exploitative. I’ve never even really spoken about [Ledger's death], because I never would want to have it be misconstrued in that way, but it was the ten-year anniversary.
According to the publication, the actress struggled to maintain her composure before reflecting on the past ten years.
It’s just been a long ten years, you know? That anniversary just brought up a lot of… I can’t believe it’s been ten years. I was pregnant with Birdie. I had seen him a couple months earlier, and you know, they were broken up. I’ve never talked about it. I’ve never shared it, because I’m hyper protective of Michelle and her daughter.
In spite of the backlash she did receive, Busy’s gesture on the day amassed more 96,000 likes.
