In the 2nd posthumous Oscar ever given, Heath Ledger won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his now iconic role as The Joker in Christopher Nolan’s Batman epic “The Dark Knight”. His now legendary performance remade the role last made famous by Jack Nicholson and became one of the strongest and most memorable performances in recent history.
Heath tragically died last year after accidentally mixing prescription pills. He rose to stardom in the mid 90’s in teen films, before gaining a huge critical win with Brokeback Mountain.
His father, sister, and mother accepted the award for him. His father, Kim Ledger, said, “I have to say this is ever so humbling, just being amongst such wonderful people in such a wonderful industry. We’d like to thank the academy for recognizing our son’s amazing work, Warner Bros., and Christopher Nolan in particular for allowing Heath the creative license to develop and explore this crazy Joker character.”
His award will be given to his 3 year old daughter, Mathilda.
Comments
Wiglet
February 22nd, 2009 - 11:06:13 PM
Why so serious? Why so sympathetic? Everyone seems to over look the fact that Heath Ledger left his wife and kid to sit in an apartment in SOHO snorting cocain with the olsen twins and gemma ward, who are so skinny they have been likened to a starving reindeer! Why does our whole country look up to him as an idol, genius and creative mastermind? He may have been good at what he did, but hardly deserved an award for playing the Joker in a comic book movie? Just another example of how the Oscars is a complete joke. Backed up by the fact that Robert Downey Jnr was nominated for best supporting actor in Tropic Thunder, a movie where Jack Black claims that he will "drink all the gravey and swallow the sauce" if someone unties him so he can continue his drug binge!!! I mean seriously? how does that film display any kind of credibility to acting or the movie industry? it wasn't even funny? I mean what is this? award the druggies year combined with reward the gays aka MILK? I fail to see how anything relating to Tropic Thunder can be nominated but American Pie, one of the funniest and most original movies ever, which spawned a whole load of teen comedy movies, went completely unnoticed. Lets call a spade a spade and Heath Ledger what he actually appeared to be, a self indulgent drug addict, yes he was a good actor and a great artist but his role as the joker was hardly award worthy. Just because he is australian shouldn't make him a hero to us. Why doesn't Ben Cousins get awarded the same kind of appreciation? perhaps when he dies all of australia will come out in support of him and his "genius on the ground, and creativity with the ball" but currently they are shunning him and no doubt opposing fans will be booing him at every touch. How is he different to Heath Ledger?"
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