Heath Ledger’s lookalike daughter Matilda was seen stepping out in New York City last week – 17 years after his posthumous Oscar win.
The 20-year-old, who is the daughter of the late Australian actor and Michelle Williams, was spotted enjoying a low-key stroll through the bustling city on a coffee run.
In 2009, at the 81st Annual Academy Awards, Ledger received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Dark Knight, with his family emotionally accepting the award on stage.
It came a little over one year following his death, aged 28, from an accidental drug overdose in January 2008.
Matilda kept it casual for the recent outing in a pair of light blue jeans as well as a plain, black hoodie.
She additionally slipped into a pair of black flats and easily carried a black tote bag over her right shoulder.
Heath Ledger’s lookalike daughter Matilda, 20, was seen stepping out in New York City last week – 17 years after his posthumous Oscar win
Matilda was seen enjoying the warmer weather in the city and later picked up an iced coffee.
She was born in October 2005 – one year after Ledger and Williams began dating after meeting on the set of Brokeback Mountain.
Ledger’s posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor was for his critically acclaimed performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight, which was released after his death.
The award was accepted by his father, mother and sister as they gave moving speeches.
His father thanked Warner Bros as well as director Christopher Nolan ‘for allowing Heath the creative license to develop and explore this crazy Joker character.’
He added, ‘This award tonight would have humbly validated Heath’s quiet determination to be truly accepted by you all here, his peers, within an industry he so loved.’
His mother also expressed, ‘We have been truly overwhelmed by the honor and respect being bestowed upon him with this award.’
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Matilda kept it casual for the recent outing in a pair of light blue jeans as well as a plain, black hoodie
She was born in October 2005 – one year after Ledger and Williams began dating after meeting on the set of Brokeback Mountain
In 2009, during the 81st Annual Academy Awards, Ledger received a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor based on his performance in The Dark Knight, with his family emotionally accepting the award on stage
She added that his family is ‘choosing to celebrate’ his achievements before his sister Kate applauded his ‘extraordinarily special’ role as the Joker.
‘And had even talked about being here on this very day. We really wish you were, but we proudly accept this award on behalf of your beautiful Matilda.’
Nearly two years after Matilda was born, it was revealed that Ledger and Williams had separated.
During an episode of Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast in May 2025, the actress made rare comments about the late actor.
‘I feel obligated to say that I knew him a little bit when he was getting sober, and I don’t know that I’ve ever fallen in love with somebody so quickly,’ Williams shared.
Shepard then added, ‘This is one of the most special boys I’ve ever met, and I can feel the weight of the world on him in a very special way that kind of broke my heart.
‘I was very, very sad, and I thought he was just so special,’ the podcast host further told Williams.
The Dawson’s Creek alum emotionally said, ‘[He was] so special, so special. Thank God there’s Matilda.’
Ledger in his iconic role in The Dark Knight (2008), for which he won an Oscar
Ledger holding Matilda in 2006 in NYC
During a past conversation with Interview Magazine in 2017, Williams reflected on her life with Ledger when their daughter was born.
‘The first six weeks of our daughter Matilda’s life was this incredibly insular, protected time.’
The actress added, ‘It was just he and I and her, living in our new house in Brooklyn. No nanny, no help – not really even any family.’
Williams said that both she and Ledger ‘were really committed to forming a bond just between the three of us.
‘And then that bubble got broken with work. Brokeback Mountain was going to come out, and the press stuff started rearing up. But those six weeks were just blissful.’
The actress further expressed how ‘everything was possible’ for the late actor.
‘He was good at sports. He was good at directing. He was good at painting. He was good at taking pictures. He was good at building things.’
Williams continued, ‘It could be infuriating to a lot of his friends – I mean, he had a talent for everything he put his mind to, pretty much, so he didn’t know limits.
Williams has previously reflected on her life with Ledger when their daughter was born
Williams said, ‘It could be infuriating to a lot of his friends – I mean, he had a talent for everything he put his mind to, pretty much, so he didn’t know limits’
‘Maybe he had never been told that he couldn’t do something, so everything was possible for him.’
Other celebrities have previously reflected on working with Ledger, such as his 10 Things I Hate About You co-star Julia Stiles.
‘He was amazing. He was such a bright light. He just walked into a room and lit it up,’ she told E! News last year.
‘He was very kind and generous to me, which you know, when you’re an actress in your first leading role in a big studio movie, you need to feel comfortable with the other person.’
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