( BBC ) - Australian actor Heath Ledger is to be buried in his hometown of Perth on Saturday at a small private ceremony.
His father, Kim Ledger, told reporters in the Western Australian capital that the family wanted to grieve alone.
"We're finding it pretty difficult to cope by ourselves, let alone with everyone else around the world," he said.
The 28-year-old star of Brokeback Mountain died of an accidental drugs overdose last month in New York.
As well as the funeral, a memorial service is being held at Penrhos College in the Perth suburb of Como.
A wake is planned at the city's Cottesloe Beach, which was one of Ledger's favourite places, the West Australian newspaper reports.
A public memorial service will be held later in Los Angeles.
The New York City medical examiner's spokeswoman said on Wednesday that the actor died "as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects" of six different prescription drugs.
They include painkiller Oxycontin and anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax.
Spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said: "What you're looking at here is the cumulative effects of these medications together."
Traces of painkiller Ibuprofen and the sleeping pills Restoril and Unisom were also found in Ledger's blood.
Kim Ledger said: "While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy."