'He was desperately unhappy': Friends share sad final days of Heath Ledger's life as his family say daughter Matilda is a constant reminder of her late father

• e-mail

Friends have told how Heath Ledger was 'desperately unhappy' in the final days of his life.

Ahead of the new documentary I Am Heath, the late actor's friends and family have talked about the private life of the famed actor.

Heath was just 28 when he passed away from an accidental overdose in 2008 leaving behind a then two-year-old daughter, Matilda.

Loving Legacy: Heath Ledger's sister Kate has revealed her family calls the late actor's daughter 'Heath in pigtails'

Towards the end, the star was struggling physically and emotionally, especially after his split with Matilda's mother Michelle Williams, those close to him said.

Heath's sister Kate told People she one of the last people to speak to her brother before he died. She told People, Heath had a chest infection and she warned him to be careful with mixing medications. 

'He said, ''Katie hello, Come on, of course.'' 'The night before he passed we were joking and laughing because he was threatening to take out little sister [Ashleigh] to get her nose pierced and then he said, ''I've got to go. I'll call you at 8.30 in the morning.'' I told him ''I love you'', and that was it.' 

Daddy's girl: Heath's sister said, 'Now everything she does, the way she rides a skateboard, reminds me of Heath' about the now 11-year-old (seen here with mom Michelle in October)

Singer Mia Doi Todd said he threw himself into his last two roles and being away from his daughter was hurting him.

'I could sense the break up with Michelle was driving him toward the edge. Not being the perfect father and the perfect partner to the mother of your child was really getting to him.'

The actor had confided in his friend and vocal coach, Gerry Grennell, that he knew he had to stop relying on medications. 

Tough times: Their similarities, at first, were a source of sadness, Kate said, 'I think the first five years after Heath passed, every time I'd see Matilda [I] would be in tears. Now, I am really happy that I am at a stage that I can see Matilda and be happy and feel her daddy's energy through her'

'He was a natural': While he was not able to be a father for long, and he struggled with his own demons towards the end of his life, he was the best father he could be, longtime friend Matt Amato said

Gerry told People: 'He missed his girl, he missed his family. He was desperately unhappy...

'He wasn't sleeping well and he was taking sleep medications, but they weren't working. He said ''I've got to stop.'''

Sadly Heath did not stop and January 22, 2008, he was found dead in his New York apartment. He had suffered an accidental overdose. 

Meanwhile, Matilda, according to Heath's sister Kate, is the actor's greatest achievement and legacy - she is also a daily reminder of her late father. 

'It's it's almost like he had actually filmed the documentary himself': While Kate sees Heath in Matilda, she said she hopes the new documentary, I Am Heath which is set to premiere on Spike TV on May 17, will help Matilda see herself in her father too

His own story: Due to Health's passion for directing, most of I Am Heath is told from his own home videos

Kate told People: 'I still feel very connected to Heath. I feel connected to him through his beautiful daughter Matilda.

'When Heath was around, she looked so much like him, we used to say ''It's Heath in pig tails''. Now everything she does, the way she rides a skateboard, reminds me of Heath.'

Their similarities, at first, were a source of sadness, Kate said: 'I think the first five years after Heath passed, every time I'd see Matilda [I] would be in tears.

'Now, I am really happy that I am at a stage that I can see Matilda and be happy and feel her daddy's energy through her.'

While Kate sees Heath in Matilda, she said she hopes the new documentary - set to premiere on Spike TV on May 17 - will help Matilda see herself in her father too. 

Predicted his end: Heath knew he would not live a long life, one friend revealed to the magazine, saying, 'I don't feel like I have much time. I just don't think I'm going to be around that long. I don't know why. Just gotta get things done now.'

She told People: 'You can tell her about things, but with her being able to visually see his movement and his expressions, it's almost like he had actually filmed the documentary himself and pieced it together for her.'

While he was not able to be a father for long, and he struggled with his own demons towards the end of his life, he was the best father he could be, longtime friend Matt Amato told the magazine.

'He was a natural, he knew what to do with a baby right away. I said, ''How come you are so comfortable with this?'' He said, ''Well, I look at her and try and be her and try to understand what she needs.'' 

Look who it is:In a trailer for the film shown on Good Morning America on Wednesday a never-seen-before video of Nicole Kidman flashed up

Private side: The late star tried to capture his celebrity friends being themselves and not being stars as he struggled to ratify his private self with his public self

'I hope she remembers the way he would spin her around and call her darling and her excitement seeing him. They really did have something wonderful.' 

Heath knew he would not live a long life, one friend revealed to the magazine, saying: 'I don't feel like I have much time. I just don't think I'm going to be around that long. I don't know why. Just gotta get things done now.'

This pushed him to live his life to the full, something the new documentary seeks to show. 

Breaking point: Towards the end, the star was struggling physically and emotionally, especially after his split with Matilda's mother Michelle (pictured 2006), those close to him said

Was worried: Kate was one of the last people to speak to her brother before he died. She told People, Heath had a chest infection and she warned him to be careful with mixing medications

Due to Health's passion for directing, most of I Am Heath is told from his own home videos.

In a trailer for the film shown on Good Morning America on Wednesday a never-seen-before video of Nicole Kidman flashed up.

Nicole was one of dozens of stars who Heath filmed in an attempt to capture their real lives and not just the ones they lived in the public eye. 

Perhaps Heath sought to do that as he struggled to ratify his private self with his public self. 

'Not being the perfect father and the perfect partner to the mother of your child was really getting to him': Singer Mia Doi Todd said he threw himself into his last two roles and being away from his daughter was hurting him