Heath Ledger's Co-stars Gave His 2-Year-Old Daughter Their Salaries As He Did Not Include Her In His Will

In the blockbuster movie "The Dark Knight," Heath Ledger played The Joker, a psychotic criminal mastermind with a twisted sense of humor.

The actor also appeared in numerous other films, such as "Lords of Dogtown" and "I'm Not There," among others. The actor met Michelle Williams in 2004 while filming "Brokeback Mountain" and fell in love with her. Matilda Rose Ledger, their daughter, was born a year later.

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Sadly, the couple split up in 2007, but Ledger's devotion to his daughter never faltered. According to director Terry Gilliam, the actor would load his daughter into his backpack, board the subway, and travel to his house to discuss a film they were doing.

Sadly, Ledger accidentally died in 2008, when Matilda was just two, at his New York apartment. Little Matilda was puzzled by her father's sudden departure and kept asking her mother questions about him, which Michelle struggled to respond to. She repeatedly questioned: "Where's my daddy?"

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Ledger was filming "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" when he tragically met his demise. In the movie, a traveling theatre company's leader offers his audience the option of choosing between self-fulfilling enlightenment or satisfying ignorance after placing a bet on the Devil.

Terry Gilliam, the film's director, was unsure whether to continue shooting or find a replacement for Ledger after his passing. His daughter helped him make up his mind, so he ultimately chose the latter. Jude Law, Johnny Depp, and Colin Farrell were chosen by him to take Heath Ledger's position in the movie and portray the remaining roles. Added Gilliam: "Nobody asked how much they would be paid or if the part was right for them. They were all Heath's friends, and they wanted to make sure the film was finished in his memory."

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Tom Cruise and other high-profile actors expressed interest in replacing Ledger, but Gilliam declined since they didn't know Ledger well enough.

The three actors were anxious about Ledger's daughter, while Gilliam was concerned about whether it made economical sense to replace Ledger with three other actors.

The three performers acted for little compensation and gave all of their pay to Matilda instead of keeping any of it for themselves in an act of exceptional generosity. It would find out that Ledger's daughter, who was two years old, was not mentioned in his will.

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Long before the birth of his daughter, the award-winning actor made a will in which he left his estimated $118,000 wealth to his parents and three sisters. After the birth of his daughter, he never revised his will.

That would normally imply that his daughter was not entitled to any inheritance from her father. A year after the actor's passing, though, everything changed drastically.

Ledger's father, Kim Ledger, told The Sunday Times that his family would give all of the actor's riches to the actor's daughter rather than claiming any of it. As Fox News reported, he stated: "There is no claim. Our family has gifted everything to Matilda."

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The choice caused a dispute between Kim and his brothers, two of whom asserted that Ledger's father was not qualified to handle the actor's inheritance because he had previously handled their grandfather's estate poorly.

Kim was rescued by Robert John Collins, Australian acting as Ledger's executor, who disputed the allegations made against him by his siblings. The claims caused the brothers to argue, and they have been distant ever since.

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When Matilda's father passed away, she was only two years old, yet 14 years later, she is an adult. From the few images of the 17-year-old that are online, it is clear how much she resembles her father. Her family members have noted the similarities, including her grandfather Kim, who stated: "She's got an enormous number of his mannerisms. She's very inquisitive. She's got his energy 'cause Heath never slept from when he was two, and Matilda's like that."

Kim raved over his granddaughter, describing her as a ball of energy who gave off an aura similar to that of Heath Ledger. Matilda not only acquired characteristics from her father but also from her mother, who works incredibly hard to preserve Ledger's memories in his daughter.

The young girl never stops asking questions in an effort to learn more about and get to know the man her father used to be.

The actor's sister Kate Ledger would tell People that Ledger's family is proud of Michelle for the admirable job she has done raising Matilda on her own since her father's passing: "I think that she provides such a wonderful environment for Matilda to grow up in, especially in the sort of industry that she's in."

Matilda reminded Kate of her late brother, and Kate described Michelle as grounded. She said that she sees her brother in everything Matilda does.

Simple activities like picking up a pencil and getting on the skateboard were simple chores that Matilda carried out instinctively in a manner that was close to how Ledger would have done them.

She tells People that she works hard to preserve her brother's memories in his daughter: "I tell her about her daddy every time we see each other. I tell her little stories of him growing up and how he used to chase me with the cricket bat."

Despite having famous parents, Matilda maintains a low profile. Any images that exist of her are with her mother and were taken in various public places.