Heath Ledger Wins Best Supporting Actor Oscar

Access Hollywood - February 22, 2009 7:34 PM PST
Story photo: Heath Ledger Wins Best Supporting Actor OscarHeath Ledger at the 2006 Academy AwardsGetty ImagesAccess Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Heath Ledger will now forever be known as an Oscar winner.

Ledger won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as The Joker in "The Dark Knight."

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Oscars 2009: Red Carpet

It is the first Oscar for the late actor. He was previously nominated for Best Actor for 2006's "Brokeback Mountain."

Heath's father Kim Ledger, his mother Sally Ledger Bell and sister Kate Ledger accepted the award on the actor's behalf.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: A Look Back At The Life Of Heath Ledger

"I'd like to thank the Academy for recognizing our son's amazing work," Kim Ledger said on stage, as the first family member to speak. "This award tonight would have humbly validated Heath's quiet determination to be truly accepted by you all here - his peers - within an industry he so loved."

"Heath was such a compassionate and generous soul who added so much excitement and inspiration to our lives," his mother Sally Leger Bell added. "We have been truly overwhelmed by the honor and respect being bestowed upon him with this award."

And, his mother said, Heath's win was much more celebratory than somber for the family.

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"Tonight, we are choosing to celebrate and be happy for what he has achieved," Bell concluded.

When his sister took the podium, she revealed that she and her brother had even talked about the idea of an Oscar win for his iconic role.

"Heath, we both knew what you had created in the The Joker was extraordinarily special and we had even talked about being here on this very day," Kate Ledger noted.

"We really wish you were here, but we proudly accept this award on behalf of your beautiful Matilda."

As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Ledger's 3-year-old daughter, Matilda, will be the recipient of the award. However, her mother, Michelle Williams , will technically be the legal custodian of the award until Matilda turns 18.

Past winners of the award Alan Arkin, Joel Grey, Cuba Gooding Jr., Christopher Walken , Kevin Kline presented the award, each taking time to honor an individual nominee.

" Heath Ledger has left us an original and enduring legacy," Kline said of Ledger prior to his win.

The Oscar caps off an amazing award show run for the late actor, who died on January 22, 2008, from an accidental drug overdose in his New York apartment.

His turn as the maniacal Joker also earned him Best Supporting Actor awards at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, as well as LA, Boston, Toronto and San Francisco Critics Awards.

Ledger's win at the Oscars marks the first posthumous Oscar since Peter Finch was awarded Best Actor in 1977 for "Network." Finch, 60, died a few weeks before the awards ceremony.

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PLAY IT NOW: Access Archives: Heath Ledger
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MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Oscars - Heath Ledger - Memorable Moments - Michelle Williams - Movies

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comments 1-10 of 14  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • Patti C
    Hey Brown Sugar....He didn't do illegal drugs at the time of his death. Take your life stresses and multiple them by 1000 and tell everyone what kind of pressures both physically and mentally you would have. Not that I am a big fan of medicating but sometimes people need to relax. It is not like he intentionally want to leave his daughter behind.
    report abuseposted April 18, 2009 8:19 AM PDT
  • Jean
    I love Heath Ledger, and I believe that award was well earned. I've watched so many of his movies, and I, as an actress, give him my deepest respect. I hope that one day, if I do become a professional actress, I might meet his daughter. God bless you, Heath, and please rest in peace.
    report abuseposted April 14, 2009 12:52 PM PDT
  • brown sugar
    IF HE CARED ABOUT HIS DAUGHTER HE WOULDN'T HAVE DONE DRUGS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
    report abuseposted April 11, 2009 12:25 PM PDT
  • E C
    This was a great moment with his family getting this award for him... congrats to Heath on a well desserved award.
    report abuseposted February 23, 2009 6:55 AM PST
  • connie
    His family has shown such grace.It is so sad that he lost his life and his beautiful daughter has to go on without him.GOD BLESS THEM ALL
    report abuseposted February 23, 2009 5:09 AM PST
  • I'm his big fan. I have invited over 5.000 fans to a celebrity&millionaire romance site called' " R i c h S i n g l e . N e t " ' we built a big fan club for him at the forum, it is very hot, guys, let`s join if you are his fan too.
    report abuseposted February 22, 2009 9:44 PM PST
  • Kara
    wow prrt1, you got some problems. to bad you didn't die instead of him.
    report abuseposted February 22, 2009 8:03 PM PST
  • andrea
    i'm soo happy that he won! he totally deserved it!
    report abuseposted February 22, 2009 7:55 PM PST
  • Trice W
    Total Awesome and Well Deserved Oscar for the great aussie Heath Ledger. He played and owned that role as Joker in The Dark Knight. He is truely worth of every award he has won for that role since his death.
    report abuseposted February 22, 2009 7:45 PM PST
  • Eleana
    He did an amazing performance he surely deserved it.
    report abuseposted February 22, 2009 7:43 PM PST
comments 1-10 of 14  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

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