Despite
01-22-2009, 10:24 PM
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Nice to see them honoring him on the anniversary of his death by doing this...
Exactly one year to the day since his death from an accidental drug overdose, Heath Ledger was remembered Thursday with an Oscar nomination as best supporting actor for his performance as the deranged Joker in "The Dark Knight."
Ledger, who died at age 28, became the seventh actor to earn a posthumous nomination in the history of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. If he wins, he will enter even more select company: Only Peter Finch, nominated for 1976's "Network," has ever been awarded an acting Oscar after his death.
While the other actors who died before their work was nominated range from Jeanne Eagels (best actress for 1929's "The Letter") to Spencer Tracy (best actor for 1967's "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner") to Ralph Richardson (supporting actor for 1984's "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan") to Massimo Troisi (best actor for 1994's "Il Postino"), Ledger's career most closely resembles that of James Dean, another charismatic young actor whose unexpected death shocked his fans.
Dean, in fact, became a posthumous nominee not once but twice. Following his death in a car crash on Sept. 30, 1955, he was nominated in the best actor category in two subsequent years -- first for 1955's "East of Eden" and then for "Giant."
Three years ago, Ledger himself was nominated as best actor for his work as a lovelorn cowboy in "Brokeback Mountain," but it was Philip Seymour Hoffman who took home the prize for "Capote."
On the face of it, appearing in a big-budget superhero movie wouldn't be considered a sure road to Oscar glory. Even a pro like Jack Nicholson failed to win the Academy's favor when he donned the Joker's garish grin for 1989's "Batman" -- although he was nominated for BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards.
Nice to see them honoring him on the anniversary of his death by doing this...
Exactly one year to the day since his death from an accidental drug overdose, Heath Ledger was remembered Thursday with an Oscar nomination as best supporting actor for his performance as the deranged Joker in "The Dark Knight."
Ledger, who died at age 28, became the seventh actor to earn a posthumous nomination in the history of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. If he wins, he will enter even more select company: Only Peter Finch, nominated for 1976's "Network," has ever been awarded an acting Oscar after his death.
While the other actors who died before their work was nominated range from Jeanne Eagels (best actress for 1929's "The Letter") to Spencer Tracy (best actor for 1967's "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner") to Ralph Richardson (supporting actor for 1984's "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan") to Massimo Troisi (best actor for 1994's "Il Postino"), Ledger's career most closely resembles that of James Dean, another charismatic young actor whose unexpected death shocked his fans.
Dean, in fact, became a posthumous nominee not once but twice. Following his death in a car crash on Sept. 30, 1955, he was nominated in the best actor category in two subsequent years -- first for 1955's "East of Eden" and then for "Giant."
Three years ago, Ledger himself was nominated as best actor for his work as a lovelorn cowboy in "Brokeback Mountain," but it was Philip Seymour Hoffman who took home the prize for "Capote."
On the face of it, appearing in a big-budget superhero movie wouldn't be considered a sure road to Oscar glory. Even a pro like Jack Nicholson failed to win the Academy's favor when he donned the Joker's garish grin for 1989's "Batman" -- although he was nominated for BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards.