You can now grab some tissues and watch the trailer for Heath Ledger’s documentary

The Heath Ledger documentary from Spike will be here before you know it. And in honor of the late actor’s birthday, the trailer for I Am Heath Ledger was released on April 4th. Although we have known about the Heath Ledger documentary since March 15th, that doesn’t make it any easier to watch this trailer, but it feels slightly right to do so on what would have been Ledger’s 38th birthday.

This isn’t Spike’s first foray into documentaries, but Ledger’s death still feels fresh even though he passed away from an accidental overdose, at the age 28, on January 22nd, 2008.

Now, through never-before-seen footage and interviews with those who were closest to him, Spike will be reminding the world of what could have been if Ledger were still alive today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PPTDsTnaPk?feature=oembed

Beyond showing exclusive home videos, the trailer highlights interviews with Ledger’s sister, Kate; Ang Lee, who directed Ledger in Brokeback Mountain; model Christina Cauchi, who dated Ledger in the early 2000s; and musician Ben Harper, who wrote the song “Happily Ever After In Your Eyes” for Ledger’s daughter at the actor’s request. Along with writing a song for Ledger and Michelle Williams’ daughter, Harper had formed a record label with Ledger.

Although he was mostly known for his acting, Ledger had also directed Harper’s music video for “Morning Yearning,” and directing appears to be a passion of his in the documentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlNGEpief3Q?feature=oembed

While Williams does not appear to be in the documentary, People magazine reported that another one of Ledger’s exes — Naomi Watts — is interviewed in I Am Heath Ledger. Actors Emile Hirsch and Djimon Hounsou will also be featured.

The documentary premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 23rd and will be released in select theaters on May 3rd. But you can sob while watching from the comfort of your own home when I Am Heath Ledger has its world television premiere on May 17th on Spike.