Stars united for Ledger magazine tribute

Mel Gibson, Julia Stiles and 'Monster’s Ball' director Marc Forster have taken part in a new 10-page US magazine tribute to tragic movie star Heath Ledger.

The trio are joined by actors, actresses, screenwriters and filmmakers who worked with the late Aussie, who died from an accidental drug overdose last year.

The Entertainment Weekly tribute, marking the first anniversary of Ledger's death, also features heartfelt words from British director Terry Gilliam, who was working with the actor on 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus' when he died.

Gilliam told the magazine: "He was a very old soul. When we were in Prague doing 'The Brothers Grimm', there was one night we went to see this gypsy band. Somehow his age came up in conversation."

"At that time, (co-star) Matt Damon was 32, and I always felt Heath was the same age, if not older. He said: 'I'm 24'. I said: 'What? That's not possible'."

"He had a kind of wisdom you only get from centuries of former life. Maybe he was part Aborigine somewhere down the line."

Gibson, who worked with his fellow Aussie on 'The Patriot', paid tribute to Ledger's parenting skills - to daughter Matilda: "Fatherhood changes you. Some guys, it doesn't. But, with Heath, it was going to."