Ledger wins Oscar for Joker role

Reuters

HONOURED: Heath Ledger has won the Oscar Award for best supporting actor for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight.

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Late Australian actor Heath Ledger has won the best supporting actor Oscar award for his role in The Dark Knight.

Ledger died last year of an accidental prescription drug overdose, and became only the second actor after Peter Finch to win posthumously.

His win brought the crowd to its feet, and the award was accepted by his father, Kim Ledger, sister Kate and mother Sally Bell.

It will belong to Ledger's daughter Matilda when she turns 18.

"This award tonight would have humbly validated his quiet determination to be truly accepted by you all here, his peers, in an industry he truly loved," Kim Ledger said.

"We would like to thank the Academy and Warner Bros for allowing Heath the creative license to create and explore this crazy Joker character."

His family's acceptance speeches bought tears to the eyes of many in the crowd.

Bookmakers had Ledger at the slimmest of odds to claim the award while every reputable film critic and Oscar pundit had Ledger pencilled in as the winner.

Time magazine declared Ledger a "sure thing".

The New York Times simply told its readers: "No contest, no debate, Heath Ledger".

- © Fairfax NZ News