It was expected from the beginning and when his name was read out, the moment finally happened. Heath Ledger received his posthumous Oscar as the night's winner for Best Supporting Actor. The award was received by Ledger's family.
Heath Ledger won worldwide acclaim for his psychotic portrayal as the Joker in 2008's biggest hit 'The Dark Knight'. The film rode a wave of massive hype prior to the film's release, largely build due to Ledger's shocking death in January last year. Ledger's nefarious take on the Joker was a stark contrast to the many actors who had played the villain before, namely Jack Nicholson in the very first 'Batman' film.
The other nominees for Best Supporting Actor were:
Josh Brolin ('Milk')
Robert Downey Jr. ('Tropic Thunder')
Philip Seymour Hoffman ('Doubt')
Michael Shannon ('Revolutionary Road')
Of the above, only Philip Seymour Hoffman has won an Oscar previously.
For a complete list of winners from the 81st Academy Awards, click here. For news and special features, visit our special Oscars page.
©2008 AOL Australia Pty Limited. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Heath Ledger won worldwide acclaim for his psychotic portrayal as the Joker in 2008's biggest hit 'The Dark Knight'. The film rode a wave of massive hype prior to the film's release, largely build due to Ledger's shocking death in January last year. Ledger's nefarious take on the Joker was a stark contrast to the many actors who had played the villain before, namely Jack Nicholson in the very first 'Batman' film.
The other nominees for Best Supporting Actor were:
Josh Brolin ('Milk')
Robert Downey Jr. ('Tropic Thunder')
Philip Seymour Hoffman ('Doubt')
Michael Shannon ('Revolutionary Road')
Of the above, only Philip Seymour Hoffman has won an Oscar previously.
For a complete list of winners from the 81st Academy Awards, click here. For news and special features, visit our special Oscars page.
©2008 AOL Australia Pty Limited. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
