The Clown Prince of Crime has made his biggest heist yet — Oscar gold.
At tonight’s Academy Awards, Heath Ledger received the second posthumous Oscar win for acting in history for his portrayal of the Joker. Winning Best Supporting Actor has been an event that comic fans across the globe have been anticipating — and boy, does it feel good.
His mother, father, and sister accepted the award in his stead. Presenter Kevin Kline described the late Ledger: “Menacing, mercurial, droll, and diabolical, Heath Ledger as the Joker in the Dark Knight kept us all on edge to see what act of appalling mischief he might commit next… Heath Ledger has left an original and enduring legacy.”
“First of all I have to say this is ever so humbling being amongst such wonderful people and such a wonderful industry,” his father said. “This award tonight would have humbly validated Heath’s quiet determination to be accepted by you all here, his peers in an industry he so loved.”
Why so serious? If you’re living under a rock, this is the hardest a comic book movie has ever hit — and this is for a billion dollar film. For this amazing performance, Ledger has also won awards including a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Congratulations, Heath. You earned it.
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Congrats, and godspeed.
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Congratulations to Heath and his family…his performance was truly mesmerizing, every time he was on the screen as the Joker he stole the show…he will be missed.
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Respect due, Respect received.
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Minor error: not the second posthumous Oscar win in history, but the second one in a performance category (after Peter Finch, for “Network” in 1976). Ledger’s is actually the 15th posthumous Oscar in a competitive (not honorary) category.
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:52 pm
R.I.P Heath
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:56 pm
What clip did they show for Heath?
February 22nd, 2009 at 11:12 pm
Well earned!
February 22nd, 2009 at 11:20 pm
and I missed the oscars tonight. Hurm. This’ll be up as a clip pretty soon I’m sure though
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:05 am
I liked at the end during the credits they showed upcoming 2009 films and no previews for the new Wolverine movie or Watchmen. They showed OLD DOGS and a new Eddie Murphy romp, but no comic book movies, those 2 mentioned being HIGHLY anticipated.
Sigh…
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:08 am
Well done. Far and away the most impressive of all the nominees.
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:16 am
Was this in any doubt?
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:50 am
One of the most gripping performances ever captured on film, Heath, you deserved it mate. Now, Chris Nolan, go make the next Batman film and bring home the bloody Best Picture Oscar. God know you deserved it this time.
February 23rd, 2009 at 1:06 am
I know they just slapped a bunch of make-up on him, but still…those special effects people made him really look like he was still alive. Can’t they just…keep it in a freezer for a few more years, then bring it out and dangle it around again?
So what happens when “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” turns out to be Oscar-worthy? Can he win two?
Heh heh, here’s hoping that someone on the cast of “The Watchmen” is obliging enough to…take one for the team, so to speak.
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:20 am
It’s funny, when he was announced as the actor to play The Joker there were so many people that came out and panned the decision and Heath a result. And yet he was awesome.
And he we are, so far down the track and after one of the most incredible acting achievements ever seen in film and all I can think about is to all the naysayers (and you know who you are)
‘Suck on that!’
Heath Ledger R.I.P.
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:30 am
Is this the first time a sequel has won any awards for acting? The only other one I could think of would be Godfather Part II, assuming it won for acting categories. (I’m sure it did.)
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:39 am
Well deserved. As many people have said, he would have won this alive or dead. He was, very simply, the BEST supporting actor of the year.
At no point in the movie did I feel like I was watching Heath Ledger playing the Joker. From his first glimpse to the end of the film, he WAS the Joker. Every last mannerism, the subtle body language, was a different person. The accent, the constant lip smacking, the odd shuffling gait… he was an entirely new person.
Sadly (if you believe the rumors) that’s what drove the poor bastard buggy.
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:01 am
I’m surprised this film got any nominations at all.
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:11 am
A Well deserved Honor.
I found it interesting in Hugh Jackman’s opening act he goes through all of the the Best Picture Nominees AND the Dark Knight! Specifically saying “Where’s the Dark Knight” and “Since when is a Billion Dollars NOT Respectable?”
It was also frustrating to see TDK passed up for other Oscar’s it SHOULD have won as if the academy gave Heath his and that’s it!
Benjamin Buttons winning makeup/Design over TDK? When half of it was CGI anyway and what wasn’t was established decades ago in “Little Big Man”!
IT’s great to see Heath get the win but for the Oscars as a whole to continue to be considered relevant they need to put tighter parameters on what is truly a qualifying film. When they ran through the screenplay’s my wife and I didn’t even recognize half of them…I initially thought it was a foreign category!
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:38 am
To the people who said he only won the award because he died, can eat it! Looks like they are going to be losing sleep tonight. LOL!
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:22 am
What a joke.
While its tragic that the guy “had it so rough” that he had to kill himself with prescription drugs, he still did it to himself.
If it were John Q citizen, you guys would be crying “dope head”! you deserved it, or some other ultra insensitive crap.
Funny how fickle the public is, Had it been someone who doesnt know how to act or isnt in the least some kind of worshipped celelbrity, would you dorks be pining over him this much?
I bet not.
RIP Heath.
February 23rd, 2009 at 6:16 am
This was well-deserved, but it’s a shame that TDK was snubbed as much as it was in other categories, especially Best Director and Best Screenplay. It’s sad, but I can’t help but think that if Heath Ledger had not met an untimely death, he probably would have been snubbed by the Academy as well. Their bias against comics films was obvious at the end of the show when Watchmen and Wolverine (a movie with which the host of the Oscars is heavily involved, for crying out loud) were not among the movies previewed for this coming year. I am not surprised though. I haven’t had much respect for the Academy since Chariots of Fire beat Raiders of the Lost Ark for best picture. It doesn’t matter though. Slumdog Millionaire will still come to be known as the movie that won Best Picture in the year of The Dark Knight!
February 23rd, 2009 at 6:59 am
Watching Iron Man lose best visual effects to Benjamin Button (REALLY?!) and then watching Hellboy 2 lose best Make-Up to Benjamin Button(REALLY?!) just confirmed why I have no regards for the Academy Awards. Honestly, Ledger’s Oscar win was the LEAST they could do…and it seemed to be the only thing they got right.
February 23rd, 2009 at 7:47 am
The awards are great, especially since comic book based movies are usually snubbed by the academy and critics but I have to ask, with no disrespect to the late Heath Ledger, his family or work…would he have gotten nominated never mind actually have won these awards if it hadn’t been posthumous.
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:18 am
I nvr actually saw DarkKnight, being a non-batman fan. But of wat i’ve seen of him, and his other movies. He damn sure deserved getting Oscars!
RIP heath
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:47 am
“It’s funny, when he was announced as the actor to play The Joker there were so many people that came out and panned the decision and Heath a result. And yet he was awesome.”
- If I’m not mistaken, when Ledger was announced as cast to play the Joker he was quoted as saying something to the effect that he had never read comics or wasn’t going to base his portrayal of how the character had been established, or something like that. I recall his comments had triggered a reaction by many that once again someone who looked down upon comics and comic characters was going to ruin a comics related film.
That’s probably what you remember.
“IT’s great to see Heath get the win but for the Oscars as a whole to continue to be considered relevant they need to put tighter parameters on what is truly a qualifying film. When they ran through the screenplay’s my wife and I didn’t even recognize half of them…I initially thought it was a foreign category!”
- Really? I’d seen them all. Nothing unusual there. In fact I really enjoyed all five nominated Best Picture films this year.
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:52 am
LOL I love how the Actor all went on Strike because he won they should of
February 23rd, 2009 at 9:15 am
“While its tragic that the guy “had it so rough” that he had to kill himself with prescription drugs, he still did it to himself.”
Except that it was determined to be an accidental overdose, so he never “had” to kill himself.
And calling other people ‘dorks’. Good to know 3rd grade insults still make you feel big.
February 23rd, 2009 at 9:39 am
Kanikazi even if it was accidental it still not a good reason to give him a award for a character he didn’t even play
February 23rd, 2009 at 9:45 am
Lou Pereira says, “with no disrespect to the late Heath Ledger, his family or work…would he have gotten nominated never mind actually have won these awards if it hadn’t been posthumous.”
Yes, I firmly believe that he would have won this award regardless. His performance was THAT good. Even my wife, who begrudgingly watches these types of movies with me, was in awe of his performance.
Ledger deserved this award. Period.
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:02 am
the only negative out of all of this is that obviously we’ll never get such a performance like this ever again:( maybe this award might change a few minds about comic book movies…
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:05 am
As an actor, he respected his craft by attempting to go to hell by portraying a fictional character of pure evil. Last night, his peers honored him one last time with ‘the big one’.
Bravo.
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:34 am
Hey Michael, how are you doing? Good? Well that’s good. Just wanted to tell you I cannot understand a word coming out of your mouth. As far as I can tell you are (poorly) insulting a dead man, who gave a phenomenal performance. Whether or not he would have won had he not passed away will never be known for sure, but I for one am 100% sure he deserved the Oscar.
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Mickey Rourke may have been robbed last night but Ledger won as was expected and a well deserved win. That’s the Joker I know from comic books!
February 23rd, 2009 at 1:35 pm
“It’s funny, when he was announced as the actor to play The Joker there were so many people that came out and panned the decision and Heath a result. And yet he was awesome.”
- If I’m not mistaken, when Ledger was announced as cast to play the Joker he was quoted as saying something to the effect that he had never read comics or wasn’t going to base his portrayal of how the character had been established, or something like that. I recall his comments had triggered a reaction by many that once again someone who looked down upon comics and comic characters was going to ruin a comics related film.
That’s probably what you remember.
No way man,your mistaken.Ledger was on nobodys list.It was seen as a bad acting fag pretty boy getting the part to appeal to the masses and women.People wanted Lacky Holmes,Paul Bettney,Johnny Deep and lots of silly fan boys wanted people like Mark Hamill or Crispen Glover.Ledgers comments about taking the Joker back to his origins and not basing it on nicholson or the awful comics was twisted by bitter fan boys
“IT’s great to see Heath get the win but for the Oscars as a whole to continue to be considered relevant they need to put tighter parameters on what is truly a qualifying film. When they ran through the screenplay’s my wife and I didn’t even recognize half of them…I initially thought it was a foreign category!”
- Really? I’d seen them all. Nothing unusual there. In fact I really enjoyed all five nominated Best Picture films this year.
I’ve not seen the reader yet but the Oscars are infamous for getting everything wrong with Best Pictures
For those keeping Score that’s Heath Ledger 4 bitter net people 0.THANKS FOR PLAYING!
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Seeing as The Joker was the 1st of all comic characters that I was introduced too, years and years ago I do have to say “THANKS HEATH” YOU earned it! Just wish You were stil around. That said, I stand totally aginst those fans who say that WB should never use the Joker again on film ever. Joker is legendary, and so is Heaths performence, but that isnt to say that some actor Years from now can’t come along and spin this role into something better. I’ll admit it would be a tough act to follow, but who knows 5o years from now….some actor could.
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:48 pm
So does these mean were going to give awards to ripest and Killer now
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:51 pm
His performance was brilliant, but a bit too calculated (ie: licking the lips, rolling back eyes). Anyway, he was still a great actor.
One question: Why wasn’t the film nominated for Best Screenplay?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu8L03TbLtE
-Mike-EL
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
What a waste of a award
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:50 pm
I decided to look at previous posthumous nominations and at a quick glance it appears that death historically has had little impact either way on whether a nominated actor wins or not. I honestly believe he won because he was considered this year’s best supporting actor by the Academy. I don’t always agree with the Academy but in this instance I do.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Spot on Andy,there’s been many posthumous noms,which I think makes it more likely that they gave him the award based on performance and not sympathy.This is one thing the Acadamy has been consistent on,they have always nominated people posthumous.Only 7 of those where acting noms and only 2 have won.It’s not like they give them away when somebody dies.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Heath Ledger deserved this oscar! In my honest opinion The Dark Knight is one of the best films ever made!
RIP Heath.<3
February 23rd, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Juan Iota,
He did not kill himself with the drugs on purpose, he was suffering from depression and insomnia (and possibly other things) and should never have been given the drugs he was, because they have been known to mix and kill
February 23rd, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Although he won the Oscar, I still think the award he won was a disrespect for both Ledger and “The Dark Knight.” Anthony Hopkins had LESS screen time than Heath Ledger did in “The Silence of the Lambs” yet he won for best LEADING actor. Ledger’s performance was not only better than Hopkins’, it was also more dominating.
Then again, in 1991/2, Orion Picturs was going to promote Hopkins’ performance as Best Supporting, but he insisted they go for the gold and push him for Best Actor. Perhaps if Ledger had lived, Warner Brothers would have done the same. Then again, knowing the Academy, Ledger might not have been nominated…
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:15 pm
If I ever start to feel too optimistic about humanity and intelligent thought and discourse, all I have to do is just read the comments here. It’s always a nice, brisk slap in the face to bring me back to reality.
February 24th, 2009 at 7:29 am
I’m not saying his acting wasn’t good, just that the academy would have snubbed him had he been alive. He got it because they couldn’t excuse his death like they would have excused a comic book movie from the running if he’d been alive.
February 24th, 2009 at 7:32 am
And as far as what’s happened in the past being compared to how things were run this time is ridiculous. Times change, societies and their outlook changes to appeal to the masses. Things that could have been done years before would be scrutinized and ridiculed now. So everyone becomes more PC and less honest to appease everyone.
February 24th, 2009 at 8:06 am
lastly, ledger got the Oscar for Dark Knight because the Academy had to make it up to him him when they passed on his performance in Brokeback Mountain. He should have won there and didn’t because you’d think just a few years ago it’d be okay for an actor to get nominated and win for a gay role. He didn’t so they had to make it up and since he died this was the only shot at making it up.
February 24th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
A great performance in a crappy movie!
February 26th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Well I just think it sad that thank to him doing drugs and you guys blaming the Joker we can never read about the Joker again
March 4th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Michael – Buy a dictionary…
Ledger was historic in creating the Joker, executing it well and creating the only buzz in TDK movie. An award is based on merit, nothing else. Half of America if judged in their work by the life they led would be disqualified for much recognition. Give it up naysayers! Much respect for a gifted man. Grateful he took a risk and left the security of home to venture out and become what he was. His daughter will be proud of him and hopefully humbled by the real dangers of life.