"If you're good at something, never do it for free," said Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight in 2008. At 28, he had the world fall irrevocably in love with an anti-hero it still remembers today. For the bit odd and bit alone, his joker seemed like an elder brother advising them in life. Not only has his role lasted years, but it has also earned him a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
With movies like 'Brokeback Mountain' and '10 Things I Hate About You' the world expected much from the actor. However, on January 22, 2008, his body was found in his apartment, where he had died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. He was reportedly struggling with insomnia, sleeping just two hours a night and his relationship with his partner Michelle Williams had just ended.
His short but stellar acting career left behind a fortune of $16.3 million. However, it did not include his only daughter Matilda in his will and rather went to his family.
Heath Ledger's Will
According to a People report, Ledger's will was written in 2003, two years before Matilda was born. Thus, he left his entire estate to his parents and sisters. However, following his sudden passing, Ledger's parents Kim and Sally along with his sisters Kate, Olivia and Ashleigh insisted that Matilda and her mother Michelle Williams would be fully provided for. "Matilda is an absolute priority and Michelle is an integral part of our family. They will be taken care of and that's how Heath would want it to be," they told the publication at the time.
How Did Matilda Ledger Inherit $16.3 Million?
Subsequently, Matilda was chosen as the sole beneficiary of Heath Ledger's estate, reportedly worth $16.3 million. His father later confirmed that everything was given to Matilda and that there was "never any question" that Ledger's estate would go to her. "Never a question. We are very close to Michelle and Matilda," he said.
Not just his family, Ledger's co-stars who had worked with him on his last film: Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law also reportedly donated their entire salaries to his young daughter.
Who Is Matilda Ledger?
Matilda Ledger was born to Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams on October 28, 2005. Her father was instantly enchanted by his daughter, calling her "adorable, beautifully observant and wise," in an interview with InTouch in December 2005. "Michelle and I love her so much. Becoming a father exceeds all my expectations. It's the most remarkable experience I've ever had — it's marvellous."
Michelle and Heath amicably split in September 2007 and a few months later he died, when Matilda was only 2-years old. Currently 20-years old, Matilda has actor Jake Gyllenhaal and actress Busy Philipps as her godparents. While Gyllenhaal grew close to Ledger on the sets of Brokeback Mountain, Philipps was Michelle's close friend and co-star on Dawson's Creek.
In a 2013 interview with The New Yorker, Michelle shared that Matilda has inherited her father's love for the movies. "She knows a lot about Glinda the Good Witch, a lot about who that is, what that was. She would go up to people in the park and say, 'My mommy is Glinda the Good Witch in Oz. There are two bad ones and only one good one, and that's my mom,'" she said.
Now, as she grows up, Matilda continues to live a quiet life in New York City, despite being the daughter of Hollywood's most famous and finest actor.
