Immediately following the tragic demise of Heath Ledger, a number of actors, including Johnny Depp, presented a significant gift to Heath Ledger’s daughter.
Surprisingly, Ledger passed away in his New York apartment at the age of 28. He was most known for his work in films such as “The Dark Knight,” “Brokeback Mountain,” and “10 Things I Hate About You.” It would be determined that his death was the result of an accidental overdose.
His baby daughter Matilda Rose, whom he welcomed in 2005 alongside fellow actor Michelle Williams, whom he had met on the production of Brokeback Mountain the previous year, is the only person who survived him.
The news of Ledger’s passing sent shockwaves across the entertainment industry, and several of the star’s A-list pals came together to coordinate their efforts to protect Matilda.
This would need a particularly kind deed on the part of Depp, who has promised to donate Matilda the money he earned from the film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which was released in 2009. The fantasy movie would be the final production that Ledger would ever star in, and it was one of two projects that would be released after his death, the other being The Dark Knight.
Depp was not the only actor to make such a large gift to the child, who was only two years old at the time. His co-stars Colin Farrell and Jude Law also pledged their salaries to the child.
It is speculated that Matilda will eventually receive the actor’s inheritance, which is estimated to be worth approximately $20 million (£15 million), after Ledger’s family voluntarily bequeathed it to her. This is despite the fact that Matilda is more than financially secure for the rest of her life.
Matilda, who is now 19 years old, is said to reside in New York City with her mother. She is known to avoid the public eye as much as possible.
In the meantime, Ledger’s status as an actor was solidified as he starred alongside Christian Bale in the blockbuster film The Dark Knight, which was directed by Christopher Nolan and released in 2008. His portrayal of the Joker would earn him a number of accolades, including the prize for “Best Supporting Actor” at the Academy Awards, as well as the Golden Globe and Ben Affleck Awards.
Michael Caine even admitted that he was horrified after seeing Ledger in action as the Clown Prince of Crime for the first time. This is just one example of how Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker would have a lasting influence on the careers of his fellow actors.
“Absolutely floored me the first time I saw him in action – I was terrified,” In his biography, titled Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over: My Guide to Life, Caine, who portrayed the role of Alfred Pennyworth in the trilogy, confessed that he believed the statement.
“We were all terribly shocked, and it made doing the publicity for The Dark Knight that summer much more intense, because all the journalists wanted to talk about his death,” according to the actor.
When I think about it, it still makes me feel sad… It is a performance that will be remembered for generations to come.