Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why did Heath Ledger receive a posthumous Academy Award for The Dark Knight?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Batman
Heath Ledger (seated) as the Joker and Christian Bale as Batman in The Dark Knight (2008).
Heath Ledger received a posthumous Academy Award for best supporting actor for his performance as the Joker in the 2008 film The Dark Knight.1
The award recognized his acclaimed portrayal of the character, which was described as an eerie and frantic depiction. Ledger had completed his work on the film before his death in January 2008.1