Heath Ledger was famously awarded a posthumous Oscar for his performance as the Joker.

Ledger, who died of an accidental overdose at the age of 28 in 2008, received Best Supporting Actor for his part in The Dark Knight at the 81st Academy Awards.

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of Truman Capote won the Best Actor award in 2006, despite his nomination.

Looking back on footage of celebrities’ reactions to his receiving the Oscar is painful, especially because some in the room were Ledger’s former coworkers.

Ledger’s family embraced the prize he received posthumously.

The star’s father, Kim Ledger; mother, Sally Bell; and older sister, Kate Ledger, collected the honor.

Ledger died on January 22, 2008, from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

The Joker actor is one of only two performers to have received an award posthumously, the first being Peter Finch, who won Best Actor for his portrayal in 1976’s Network.

Though many expected Ledger to win, he had competition from other classic roles.

Robert Downey Jr. was also nominated for Tropic Thunder, Philip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt, Josh Brolin for Milk, and Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road.

Ledger’s family delivered an impassioned tribute, stating that they believed the Oscar would have validated Ledger. Kim stated, “I must say that being among such lovely people and in such a fantastic field is quite humbling.

“This award tonight would have humbly validated Heath’s quiet determination to be accepted by you all here, his peers, within an industry he so loved.”

Kate went on to remark, “Heath was a kind and loving soul who brought so much excitement and inspiration into our lives.

“We have been completely thrilled by the honor and respect showered upon him by this award.

“Tonight we are choosing to celebrate and be happy for what he achieved.”

While his mother stated that they would use the occasion to be “happy for what he has achieved,” the audience full of Hollywood’s greatest lights was visibly struck by sadness for having lost one of their own.

The reactions of famous actors such as Brad Pitt, Anne Hathaway, Ben Kingsley, and Kate Winslet to a well-deserved prize that Ledger did not live to accept were absolutely painful.

Kate talked with her brother the night before he died and stated they were ‘laughing and joking,’ while also dispelling any rumors that his portrayal as the Joker in The Dark Knight or his preparation for the role contributed to his death.

There were rumors that Ledger’s commitment to the job, which included shutting himself in a hotel room for weeks and maintaining a diary of his character’s thoughts, led to his death, but his sister denied these assertions.

Kate stated that he was so pleased with what he’d done in the film and was excited to star in another since he’d ‘had the finest time ever’ working on it.

She said, “He enjoyed working with Chris Nolan, Christian Bale, and Gary Oldman.

“When he returned home for Christmas, he couldn’t wait to tell us all about it, and he was performing the voice and giggling while showing me all the rushes. We had a wonderful experience.

For many fans, he is the best actor to ever play the Joker, and his performance in The Dark Knight will be remembered forever.

Joaquin Phoenix, who won an Oscar for the same role in 2019’s Joker, paid homage to Ledger, saying, “I’m standing here on the shoulders of my favorite actor, Heath Ledger, so, thank you.”

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