The young girl and her well-known mother faced an “overwhelming” and “incredibly painful” ordeal following the loss of her father. To escape the relentless media attention, they were forced to leave their home.
In January 2008, a 28-year-old actor from Australia was found dead in a Manhattan apartment, with sleeping pills close by. He left behind his only child after separating from her mother, who was also his co-star. In the wake of his passing, details surrounding his final moments emerged.
The actress and actor arrive at the premiere of “Brokeback Mountain,” 2005 | Source: Getty Images
The movie star’s body was discovered on the floor near the bed in the SoHo rental he had been staying in. Authorities found no signs of foul play but alcohol and illegal drugs were present. Chief police spokesman Paul J. Browne stated at the time:
“There was no indication of a disturbance.”
The couple attend the Los Angeles premiere of “The Brothers Grimm,” 2005 | Source: Getty Images
Those close to him saw another side.
Investigators uncovered no clear evidence of suicide, such as a note. The celebrity was discovered after a masseuse arrived for a scheduled appointment. A housekeeper let her in and knocked on the bedroom door, but there was no response.
When they entered, they found him unconscious on the floor. Efforts to wake him were unsuccessful. The housekeeper later mentioned hearing him snoring earlier that day. His death was later ruled an accidental overdose.
Neighbors described him as approachable and frequently seen around SoHo. Julie McIntosh, a hairstylist at a nearby salon at the time, recalled spotting him once or twice a week, occasionally with his then-two-year-old daughter. “He seemed happy,” she said.
The Hollywood star’s presence in the neighborhood was well known, but those close to him saw another side — one defined by fatherhood. According to longtime friend Matt Amato, he was a “natural dad.”
Amato, who co-founded the music and film company The Masses with the film actor, recalled meeting his daughter just days after she was born and described them as a “beautiful painting together.”
The celebrities pictured on the red carpet during the arrivals for the TIFF premiere screening of “Brokeback Mountain” on September 10, 2005, in Toronto, Canada. | Source: Getty Images
The father of one never approached parenting with hesitation or caution as Amato divulged:
“He wasn’t treating her in any precious way, he was just natural and just trusted the whole thing, and I was really struck by that. And that’s kind of how it always was.”
The actor and his former partner, who played his wife in “Brokeback Mountain,” welcomed their daughter in October 2005. Although their relationship ended later, he stayed deeply involved in her life.
The couple and their daughter pictured leaving Sydney International Airport on January 14, 2006, in Australia. | Source: Getty Images
Despite his unwavering presence in his daughter’s life, the intense media scrutiny that followed his passing made it nearly impossible for her mother to maintain a sense of normalcy. The unrelenting paparazzi turned their grief into public spectacle, as her friend, Daphne Javitch, described:
“To have that kind of attention, in such an aggressive way, around you and your child, when so much of it is coming from what truly is tragedy for a family. . . it’s a kind of violence.”
The actress and her daughter photographed on January 23, 2008, in Brooklyn, New York. | Source: Getty Images
Explaining her decision to relocate, the actress recalled:
“It was unmanageable to be stalked like that,” she tells me now, “every moment of the day. So I left, in a desire to create a sane home environment.”
The intrusion was inescapable — at a post office, she discovered a sign asking for information about her and her daughter. “Um, so I took that down,” she revealed in an interview.
The mother and daughter spotted leaving Sydney at Kingsford Smith Airport on February 10, 2008, in Australia. | Source: Getty Images
The relentless attention pushed her further into isolation. Naturally private, the star had always struggled with media scrutiny, but after her former partner’s passing, the intense focus on her and her child became “overwhelming” and “incredibly painful.”
Longtime friend Busy Philipps noted that the two-time Emmy-winning actress had difficulty with press obligations and deciding how much to share. Navigating single parenthood under such circumstances felt daunting, as she admitted:
“When you’re a single parent, and that element of provider and protection is missing, it’s scary.”
The actress and her child seen walking to their Boerum Hill home on October 30, 2009, in Brooklyn, New York City. | Source: Getty Images
However, the two-time Golden Award winner didn’t carry the burden alone. After the death of her child’s father, fellow actor and pal, Jeremy Strong, moved in with her, along with her sister and a friend. He became a constant source of comfort, carrying her daughter on his back like a pony. The Montana native said:
“Jeremy was serious enough to hold the weight of a child’s broken heart and sensitive enough to understand how to approach her through play and games and silliness.”
The duo seen pictured on October 30, 2009, in Brooklyn, New York City. | Source: Getty Images
With that same devotion, the adoring mother prioritized stability, ensuring her daughter had a consistent and uninterrupted routine despite the challenges.
In 2012, the duo returned to Brooklyn, where her daughter, who was 12 at the time, attended the same private school without disruption. “She hasn’t had her routine disrupted and hasn’t missed class,” the actress shared in a 2018 interview, taking pride in that continuity.
To support herself and her daughter, she…
The celebrity and her child spotted on March 6, 2013, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
Summers provided a much-needed contrast — an “undone time” free from structure, filled with slower days at their upstate home. There, life followed its own rhythm, “like animals in their natural habitat,” as they woke, ate, and explored at their own pace, embracing simple joys like swimming, gardening, and spending time with friends.
Their simple way of living reflected her outlook on money — something that had never driven her career choices. The Hollywood star admitted:
“It was never a motivating factor for me. It’s never been the thing that’s gotten me out of bed to go to work.”
The actress attends the “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” Costume Institute Gala on May 5, 2014, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
To support herself and her daughter, she lived frugally in a modest home, drove an old Prius, and skipped vacations.
Eventually, she traded the car for a minivan, which she called “a couch on four wheels.” When told she could upgrade to leather seats for an extra $4,000, she questioned, “Why?” adding, “Keeping a life sustainable, that’s really important to me.”
Her practical mindset wasn’t limited to finances — she also recognized how the world was changing for young women. Watching the confident young actors in “The Fabelmans,” the celebrity marveled at a shift she never experienced growing up.
The celebrity attends the InStyle Awards on October 26, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Self-assurance, once rare for girls, was now instilled early, something she called a “glorious miracle” when seeing it in her daughter. Reflecting on the #MeToo movement, the public figure admitted she once thought she’d have to teach her child to navigate an unfair system. Instead, she watched a generation move forward with “compassion, integrity, and righteousness.”
