It has been seven years since the unexpected death of actor Heath Ledger. Despite the loss, his family in Australia still believes that life is pretty good.
The actor's mother, Sally, and sister, Kate, recently visited Los Angeles to attend a red carpet event and revealed to the press that they have just enjoyed some time with Heath's 9-year-old daughter Matilda, according to Perth Now.
The Ledgers said that they were in Brooklyn, New York the previous week with Matilda and her mother, actress Michelle Williams, Heath's ex-girlfriend, and it was such a special time. "Matilda is gorgeous and very much like her daddy in many ways," said Kate of her niece.
It is no secret that Heath and Michelle parted ways when Matilda was still a toddler, but even then, the Ledgers make the best effort to maintain a good relationship with Heath's daughter, especially with her father no longer around. "We got to tell her what her daddy was like when he was little because she is getting old enough to understand," added Kate in the Perth Now report.
The Ledgers have also maintained a good relationship with Michelle, despite the circumstances. They have nothing but good words for her and Kate even praised her almost sister-in-law for the way she's raising her niece.
"Michelle really does keep things real for her. And her existence, although different from most, is as normal as possible in an abnormal world," said Kate via Women's Day.
Sally and Kate were in California to attend the annual dinner hosted by Australians in Film Heath Ledger Scholarship organization last Monday. The family makes it a point to attend every year, as it serves as "an acknowledgment to who Heath was," said Sally.
This year, the foundation bestowed the top award to Matt Levett, who stars in "A Place To Call Home." The scholarship affords the recipient two years of acting classes at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatre, as well as mentorship from professionals in the industry. The recipient also gets $US10, 000, according to Daily Mail.
"We love the scholarship because it's Heath's story," says Kate via Women's Weekly, and related how her brother also struggled as an actor in the beginning, but became committed to helping out new actors once he was established. Most popularly known for playing the Joker in the "The Dark Knight" 2008 movie with Christian Bale, Heath won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the Oscars posthumously.
