Highlights
- Matilda Ledger recently graduated from high school and plans to take a year off to spend time in Australia.
- Michelle Williams prioritizes giving Matilda Ledger consistency and passes on roles that would conflict with her daughter's life.
- Heath Ledger's will stipulated that his entire fortune would be left to his parents and sisters.
In the history of DC Comics characters on the big screen, few actors have been as successful as Heath Ledger was. Forever best known for his incredible portrayal of The Joker, which was inspired by an interview, Ledger's legacy is still alive because of that performance. Sadly for Ledger and his loved ones, however, the actor passed away far too young in life.
Before Ledger passed away, he became a father. Since fans want to know what happened to Robin Williams' kids, it makes sense that many observers would like to know who Ledger's daughter became. On top of that, fans are also curious if Ledger left his impressive fortune to his daughter.
What Happened To Heath Ledger's Daughter, Matilda Ledger?
When Heath Ledger passed away, the world mourned the loss of a talented actor who seemed to be a decent human being. On top of that, millions of Ledger's fans worried about what would happen to the actor's daughter, Matilda Ledger.
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Kevin O'Leary's children don't get any money when he dies but his fortune will still go to his family in an interesting way.According to OK Magazine, Matilda Ledger recently graduated from high school and plans to take a year off. Matilda Ledger reportedly wants to spend time in Australia, so she can be with her paternal grandparents and aunts while learning more about her father.
How long were Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams involved, according to Who's Dated Who?
When did they get involved | June 2004 |
When was Matilda Ledger born | October 28th, 2005 |
When did they break up | September 2007 |
Still only a teen as of January 2024, there is no way to know what Matilda Ledger will do with her life, but it seems clear she is deeply loved. After all, Matilda Ledger's mom has made it clear that her daughter has always been her top priority.
In 2018, Matilda Ledger's mother, Michelle Williams, spoke to People about raising Ledger's child as a single mother. During that conversation, Williams made it clear that she prioritizes giving Matilda Ledger consistency over everything else, including her career. Williams even explained that she passes on any roles that would conflict with Matilda Ledger's life.
"'She hasn’t had her routine disrupted and hasn’t missed class... [I’m] less scheduled, less regulated, less hustle, less go go go... I parent to let Matilda feel free to be herself,'"
In 2017, Heath Ledger's sister, Kate Ledger, spoke to People about how great a mother Williams is to Matilda Ledger. After praising the environment Matilda Ledger was brought up in, Kate Ledger stated that Matilda Ledger reminded her a lot of Heath Ledger.
“When [Matilda] picks up her pencil, it reminds me of Heath; when she walks, it reminds me of Heath; when she gets on her skateboard, it reminds me of Heath. 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.”
Heath Ledger's Estate Caused Family Fights After His Passing
Before Heath Ledger passed away, he enjoyed more success than most people can even dream of. As a result of his success, Ledger was able to make enough money that he left behind a sizable fortune. Sadly for Ledger's loved ones, there was drama surrounding the actor's estate which quickly found its way into the public eye.
When Ledger passed away in January 2008, The New York Times published an article revealing the sad news. As a part of that piece, the publication revealed that Ledger's only child, his daughter Matilda Ledger, was just over two years old at the time of her father's passing.
Ideally, anyone who has a child should have an up-to-date will to take care of them if anything happens. In reality, however, many parents procrastinate about that kind of thing for understandable reasons. After all, who wants to think about losing their life and leaving a child they love behind?
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Anita Pallenberg dated Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and gave birth to several of the guitarist's children.By the time Heath Ledger passed away, he had a will in place. However, Forbes published an article using Ledger's estate as an example of a kind of mistake that everyone should avoid at all costs.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Heath Ledger left behind an estate that was worth a lot of money. The website reports that the estate Ledger left behind would be worth $16 million as of January 2024.
The reason why Ledger's will is a cautionary tale is that the actor never updated his estate plans after his daughter was born. That meant that none of the actor's fortune was left to his daughter.
When Ledger passed away, his will stipulated that his entire fortune would be left to the actor's parents and three sisters. After Ledger's passing, his father released a statement about the family's plans for how to handle the actor's fortune.
"Matilda is our absolute priority, and Michelle is an integral part of our family. They will be taken care of and that's how Heath would want it to be."
In theory, that statement should have put to rest any concerns about whether Matilda Ledger would receive the fortune her father left behind. However, that was far from the end of it, as accusations would soon be made in public.
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Heath Ledger and Mel Gibson became unlikely friends until the Braveheart star was furious about Brokeback Mountain.On March 19th, 2008, People published an article that was written after speaking to Heath Ledger's uncles. According to that piece, Ledger's father, Kim Ledger, had previously been in charge of a different estate and completely mishandled it.
While speaking to People, Heath Ledger's uncle, Mike Ledger, claimed the actor's father severely mismanaged an estate. According to Mike Ledger, Kim Ledger was in charge of his father's estate and bungled it so badly that it was "plunged into enormous debt".
People's article further claimed that the actor's uncles were asking for tangible proof that Matilda Ledger would receive her father's fortune. Furthermore, the uncles stated that they wouldn't receive any money if Kim Ledger was removed or not. “Our only vested interest is to assure that Matilda is well looked after.”
Following the drama, Ledger's family got a spokesperson to speak on their behalf. That spokesperson, Adene Cassidy, asked for the public fighting to end during an appearance on Channel Seven's Sunrise program.
"It is sad at this extremely difficult time in our lives, while we are grieving the loss of our beloved son, that estranged family members publicly discuss matters they have not been privy to in the past or now. We hope for Matilda's sake they will remain dignified."
In September 2008, People published an article about what happened to Ledger's estate. According to that piece which quoted comments from Kim Ledger, the actor's entire fortune went to Matilda Ledger.
"Our family has gifted everything to Matilda. That was the plan from the moment my boy passed away. There was never any question about the fact that Heath's estate would go to Matilda. Never a question. We are very close to Michelle and Matilda."
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