As announced at 8:58pm EST by Demi Moore, Heath Ledger posthumously received the Golden Glode for Best Supporting Actor for The Dark Knight. The producers of the broadcast had a clip of the “interrogation scene” prepared, and it rolled after an brief explanation from Moore as director Christopher Nolan arrived on stage to accept on the late actor’s behalf.
Nolan indicated the deep “sadness” mixed with “incredible pride” that all associated with the film felt. He noted that as he gained some distance on Ledger’s passing, that he was able to see less the “hole ripped in cinema” and focus more on the tremendous history that Ledger built in his short life.
Incredibly poignant were glimpses from the audience of fellow nominee Robert Downey Jr. Nominated alongside Ledger for his comedic turn in Tropic Thunder, Downey experienced a career rejuvination this year with that film and Iron Man. Downey’s been very vocal about his troubled past in interviews, and it did not appear to be lost on the star in the face of the late Ledger’s win that he was perhaps extremely lucky to still be walking the Earth.
On the road to the Academy Awards, it would seem that Ledger’s the clear favorite. Whether the film arrives in other categories remains to be seen.
January 11th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
PHENOMENAL PER4MANCE – WELL DESERVED.
January 12th, 2009 at 6:02 am
Amen.
Now, he can win an Oscar!
January 12th, 2009 at 6:20 am
INCREDIBLE!
January 12th, 2009 at 7:17 am
Great job Heath! It seems every actor whose played the Joker has put their own spin on it. I’ve liked`’em all and I never once thought about you and your death while watching DK…because I was too caught up in watching Joker…to me, that says a lot and you deserve this award and the Oscar. Sweet dreams good prince!
January 12th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Bull**** what the Hell that not right Now the Golden Globe are worthless Good job Hollywood
January 12th, 2009 at 10:52 am
uhhhh, Michael…that statement is a tad disjointed…care to clear it up for us?
January 12th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Tom Fitzpatrick Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 6:02 am
Amen.
Now, he can win an Oscar!
Um excuse me,it was a good performance. It was not oscar worthy.
January 12th, 2009 at 11:20 am
I absolutely believe the performance was Oscar worthy. I haven’t really seen another supporting actor this year that comes close. Not that they’ve been bad, just nowhere near as good as Heath Ledger’s Joker. Of course, that’s just one biased fanboy’s opinion. I just hope the Oscar committee sees it that way as well.
January 12th, 2009 at 11:31 am
You know, I really miss Heath Ledger and thought he was a great actor but the only reason the role of Joker is getting nominated is because of his death. It’s sad but it’s true. Now, was the performance good enough to win the Golden Globe. When you compare it to the rest of the nominations, yes, I think so. Downey Jr.’s performance in Tropic Thunder would’ve been a close second, though. Is Ledger’s performance good enough to win an Oscar? We’ll have to wait and see who the other nominees are. Either way, the Ledger family must be proud and I’m very happy for them.
January 12th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Great point Ken…I too really enjoyed Downey in Tropic Thunder…”I don’t drop character until after the DVD commentary.” If Heath hadn’t a passed on it sure would’ve been a race between those two. Like you, I’m waiting for the Oscar noms on the 22nd to see whose up against Heath.
January 12th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
I know a lot of people have been saying that Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker is only winning awards because of his death, but I disagree. I think he did an amazing job in this role and I believe had he not left us he would still be getting nominated and hopefully winning these awards. Sadly we will never know.
January 12th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Man Im so sick and tired of people saying that the reason Heath is getting nominated or winning awards is because of his death, did Brandon Lee get a award or get nominated for anything when he died even though he did an excellent job playing The Crow. If Heath was still alive he still would have been getting nominated and winning awards because he did an awesome job. The only thing that Im mad at is how these so called fans loved this movie but hated Batman Begins saying things like its boring and stuff when both movies moved at the same pace and Bale should have been recognized more for his role as Bruce Wayne in that movie. I also hate how people are over looking Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhart roles in the movie.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Helth Ledger is only winning these awards because he die its true its dam true
January 12th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I personally can’t wait to see his footage in the Imaginiarium of Dr. Parnassus – if that ends up being an even better performance than the Joker, a lot of people are gonna be embarassed.
As good a performance as this was (and it was good, no argument) it has been hyper-romanticised by his passing. This is the last thing we will see by him (save for the above) so there’s a great deal of “what might have been” surrounding the role.
January 12th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I’m not saying he’s only getting nominated because of his death. Who knows? He very well could’ve still if he were alive. However, how many superhero flicks have you ever heard of getting nominations at big award shows? Zero. Ledger’s role as the Joker is highly memorable, indeed. I don’t think I’ll ever see a creepier villain in a film again. I just really think that his performance would’ve been shoved to the side by the Globes and Oscars if he were still alive. Same goes for the Dark Knight’s box office tally. There no way it would’ve made it to $500-million if not for the publicity surrounding Ledger’s death. It’s sad but it’s true and that’s the world we live in.
January 12th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
It has been said, and known that the Academy often takes into account the persons body of work and makes up for past nomination losses. Ledger did not win for Broke Back Mountain, add to that the hype The Dark Night received, and his performance and Ledger will win hands down.
January 12th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
I would like all the bitter net people for once to say who they think should be nominated a win.All they ever do is say he only got it because he died and how bad he was.If so then who was better?
January 12th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Am I being bitter? I don’t think so. Anyway, to answer your question Yawn, I’m going to probably say that Ledger WILL win the Oscar since the category is Best Supporting Actor. If it the Leading Actor category, he’d have more competition (i.e. Edward Norton for “Pride & Glory”, Sean Penn for “Milk”, Clint Eastwood for “Gran Torino”, Will Smith for “Seven Pounds”, Brad Pitt for either “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” or “Burn After Reading”, etc.).
January 13th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Yeah but you have to realize that the people who went to see the film because of heath saw it for him on the first viewing, Im pretty sure people that saw the film more than once did not go multiple times just to see him but to actually watch the film again because it was a great movie lol
January 13th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Let say Ledger win so does this mean the other actor have to kill themself too if they want to win the award what if a other actor die this year and he doesn’t any awards that be unfair and showing favoritism.
This award show better watch out because now they have to give a award to every actor that dies from now on
January 13th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Michael…man, *whew* you’re really reachin’ there pal. Folks die everyday in the Hollywood biz. Heath was still in the limelight after doing such good work in Brokeback…he pushed his characters to the edge…work like that gets some recognition. Just like Depp…guys on the edge doing solid work.
January 13th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
That where your wrong IJones he was not in the limelight and if he going to get recognition for something as stuipd as drugs as well as a award then what does that say to Young people drugs are cool
January 13th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Your wrong on so many things.
Ledgers been nominated before so it’s not some out of the blue credit being given to him,people thought highly of him already.He was in the limelight,a rising star.You do know he died by accident right?Not with crack or anything but with medicine he was taking for illness.All of the many actors/ress who died this year will not be getting an award.Brad Renfro is a young actor who died this year and he will not be getting anything.Leders death says to people,so much talent,what a shame.
By the way who are your noms for best supporting actor and who should win?
January 13th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
and look at how many of them are suing Hollywood because of it and your wrong he was using half medicine half crack everyone with a heart and a Soul know This is wrong and that Ledger should not win ANY awards in fact by him winning prove the only reason he won is because of his death
January 13th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Maybe Ken and Michael should both get a “horrible accident” and see if these guys wins an award, apart from biggest nobodies in the universe. LOL.
January 13th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
“Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine. We have concluded that the manner of death is accident, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications.” This is the opinion of a pro not a bitter net person.
How many are suing hollywood?I don’t see a flood of law suits.And why are they suing?
By the way who are your noms for best supporting actor and who should win?
January 13th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
WOW wishing death on people that low dude more low then using a death person name just to make money
January 13th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
WTF? You people think Robert Downey Jr’s performance in Tropic Thunder is anywhere near Ledger’s performance as the Joker? You guys are in love with Iron Man a bit too much. Well, it was a cool movie…
January 14th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
The reason Iron man is better is because its what a comic book movie should be
January 14th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Iron man was ok but it was the same tried stock super hero movie we always get.Nothing new,same old stuff including RDJ playing himself like he always does.
By the way who are your noms for best supporting actor and who should win?
January 14th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Yeah, Iron Man was fun but rather simplicity but fun nonetheless. It’s nice that Downey is off the juice since he’s a talented actor.
January 14th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
O it’s fun no question,it’s just nothing new,we’ve seen it before.Indeed,RDJ could of been another in the long list of self destroyed actors.Like Nicholson or SLJ,Downey can be great when he want’s to be.