:: Heath Ledger RIP ::

Academy Award nominee Heath Ledger, 28, has died of a possible drug overdose involving sleeping pills in New York, police have confirmed.

The actor was sick with pneumonia when he died, the TMZ.com website reports, saying it had been contacted by representatives of Ledger's family, who said they'd been told by police that the actor's death was accidental.

The representatives said the family was particularly distraught over media speculation that he may have taken his own life.

New York police said they could not confirm Ledger was suffering from pneumonia.

"This is the first I'm hearing that,'' Lieutenant John Grimpal, from the New York Police Department, told Macquarie Radio.

"The medical examiner, once he or she conducts an autopsy, will determine exactly the cause of death.''

He said police were continuing to treat the New York apartment, where Ledger was found dead, as a crime scene, but had initially ruled out foul play.

"Anytime someone dies, especially when they're so young, the detectives from the precinct conduct a thorough investigation just to rule out that criminality is not involved,'' Grimpal said. "Early on in the investigation it appears criminality is not involved.''

Found by housekeeper

Ledger was found naked and unconscious in his bed at his $US23,000 a month apartment on Broome Street, SoHo, in Manhattan, by his housekeeper and a masseuse about 3.35pm local time, when they knocked on his bedroom door and got no reply.

He had an appointment for a massage, said New York Police spokesman Paul Browne.

Ledger's body was removed and wheeled into the back of a medical examiner's van in front of a huge crowd, including media.

He was pronounced dead at 3.45pm (7.45am AEDT) by a medical examiner who went to the apartment.

He has a new Batman movie (The Dark Knight) coming out where he plays the Joker... the sickest looking Joker to date hands down. Heres a clip..