There's no doubt that Heath Ledger left us way too early. By the very young age of 28, Ledger had already shown us what he was capable of and where he was going to go in the future. He was on his way to greatness, but it was all tragically cut short. But Ledger left behind an incredibly supportive family unit, including ex-partner, Michelle Williams, who he had a daughter with, Matilda. This family unit is responsible for keeping his legacy alive, but now years after Ledger's death, they've moved on.
After Ledger's death in 2008, there was a lot for the actor's family to consider, and arrangements had to be made, which like any family, can cause some disputes. First, it was revealed that Ledger signed a will in 2003 that left his estate to his parents and sisters, but at the time his daughter Matlida was not yet born. There was some speculation on whether Williams would file a claim for Matilda to be the sole beneficiary, but it didn't happen, and instead, Ledger's family gifted the entire estate to Matilda anyway. There was a lawsuit between Ledger's attorney and the company that held his life insurance but it was settled and the total amount Matilda inherited is $16.3 million.
Feuds in the Ledger family started way before the actor's death though. Throughout the years different family members, like Ledger's father Kim's siblings, have said that Kim is not very good at handling estates. This has been the cause of Kim and his brother's arrangement. But at least the full amount of the inheritance will go to Matilda.
Disputes and inheritances aside, the Ledger family has gone on to be supportive of their son and brother's legacy, while living their own lives, throughout the years, including accepting his posthumous Oscar for Supporting Actor for the Joker in The Dark Knight in 2009 and being a part of Matilda's life. The family also started the Heath Ledger Scholarship through Australians in Film, which helps Ledger's fellow Aussie actors make it to Hollywood.
Ledger's sister Kate, who is the director of a design and media production company, said that Ledger is still as present a family figure as he was in life, and she constantly talks about him with her children, and sees him in Matilda all the time.
"I still feel very connected to Heath," Kate told People. "I feel connected to him through his beautiful daughter Matilda. When Heath was around, she looked so much like him, we used to say, 'It's Heath in pigtails.' Now everything she does, the way she rides a skateboard, reminds me of Heath. For the first five years every time I saw her I'd be in tears, but now I can be happy and feel her daddy's energy through her."
Even after all these years, Ledger's family still keeps in touch with Williams as well. In 2018, Kim and Ledger's mother, Sally, even met Williams's new husband at the time, Phil Elverum, reported Us Weekly. "We’re going to see [Matilda] in New York next week. So we’ll be there a few days and see how she’s grown," Ledger senior said.
"We keep in constant contact with Michelle and Matilda and visit frequently," Kate, told WHO. "She is an amazing girl and a source of delight to us all." The Ledger's were reportedly very happy for Williams and gave their blessing.
Williams, who broke up with Ledger months before he died, has since moved on after her ex-boyfriend's death. She married Elverum secretly in 2018, but they divorced just a year later. "I never gave up on love," Williams told Vanity Fair. "I always say to Matilda, 'Your dad loved me before anybody thought I was talented, or pretty, or had nice clothes.'" Williams has dated over the years and has said that finding love, after Ledger, is hard. Right before marrying Elverum, Williams was rumored to be engaged to Andrew Youmans.
Just a year later, Williams was engaged, again, to Thomas Kail, director of Hamilton, and also pregnant with their first child, her second child. They met on Fosse/Verdon, which Williams starred in and Kali directed. The pair is rumored to have tied the knot in March last year, and Us Weekly reported that Williams gave birth in June.
Other than that, Williams keeps her and Matilda's lives very private, living in New York City with Kail. Now, 14-year-old Matilda has a sibling and her mother seems to be finally happy. Last year Williams did share some information about her and Ledger's daughter on what would have been Ledger's 40th birthday. According to Williams, who told Live with Kelly and Ryan, Matilda hasn't yet hit those terrible teenage years and seems to have skipped them altogether. "Every morning we wake up and I wait to see if the transformation has happened and if it’s turned into the next level I keep hearing about, but we’re not there yet," Williams joked.
Both fans around the world and Matilda's family can both agree that Matilda is the spitting image of her father, even now that she's older. As far as we know she's becoming a fine young lady that we know would make Ledger very proud. Who knows, maybe she'll grow up to be an actress just like her parents.