Daughter of Heath Ledger
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$16.3 Million
"It's exhausting, but it's a pleasure waking up to your daughter." - Heath Ledger on parenting.
Despite being in her early teens, Matilda Ledger is already set for life. The daughter of legendary actor Heath Ledger and star Michelle Williams, Matilda was able to inherit her father's estate after his untimely passing. Despite her high-profile name and her massive fortune, Matilda Ledger has been almost completely absent from the tabloids, likely by design.
Due to her father's passing, Matilda has been raised exclusively by her mother. Michelle has gone out of her way in order to keep her daughter far from the public and all of the pressures that come with it. As such, precious little is known about her famous daughter. With that being said, we've still managed to get glimpses of Matilda's life as she has grown up alongside Michelle, occasionally appearing in paparazzi photos.
Matilda Ledger's Famous Parents
Matilda Ledger was born on October 28, 2005, in New York City. Her father was Heath Ledger, a rising star in Hollywood. Her mother, Michelle Williams, is currently a famous actress and entertainer.
When she was born, her father was on a meteoric rise that would have him become one of the most coveted names in Hollywood. From his star-making performance in Brokeback Mountain (2005) to his chilling turn as the iconic Joker in The Dark Knight (2008), the future was in the palm of his hands. Unfortunately, his future would be cut short due to an incident with his prescribed medication.
Michelle Williams is a Golden Globe-winning performer from Montana. She has starred in a number of award-winning films including Manchester by the Sea (2016) and Brokeback Mountain. Williams and Ledger would work together on Brokeback Mountain and it was there that they would begin seeing one another. Matilda would be born a year later and her godparents would be fellow Brokeback star, Jake Gyllenhaal and actress Busy Phillips.
Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger would end their romantic relationship in 2007. However, both performers would retain an amicable relationship in order to provide support for their young daughter. After Heath's passing, family friends and fellow actors Jude Law, Colin Farrell, and Johnny Depp would all donate their pay from The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus toward Matilda's savings.
Growing Up A Secret Celebrity
While Heath and Michelle were unquestionable A-List performers, Matilda Ledger has been anything but. The young daughter of Heath and Michelle has kept out of the public spotlight while living in Brooklyn. According to reports, Matilda is happy with Michelle and her stepdad, Phil Elverum. Michelle and Phil had performed a secret wedding ceremony in 2018, thus bringing in a stepdaughter to the fold by way of young Agathe Elverum.
Growing up as a celebrity child is rarely easy, especially when you have tragically lost one of your parents. Despite her age, Matilda's family had to work hard in order to keep her out of the eyes of the paparazzi. Matilda would make irregular public appearances outside of promotional events with her family. By Michelle's request, the media has tried to leave Matilda out of any pictures or videos as a sign of respect.
As Matilda has grown up, she has increasingly begun to take on her late father's appearance. As a result, slimier tabloids have been willing to take photos of the young girl in order to cash in on her father's name. Matilda has been seen skateboarding and walking around town in Brooklyn. Kate Ledger, Heath's sister, says of Matilda, "Everything she does, the way she rides a skateboard, she reminds me of Heath." With just a glance at Matilda's picture, it is easy to see the resemblance.
Matilda Ledger briefly found herself amidst a public controversy at the age of two, though she'd never have known. At the time of her father's death, there were circumstances of his will that would have an impact on her life. What followed was a legal battle as Kim Ledger and Michelle Williams fought to make sure that Heath's generous estate ended up in his daughter's possession. Fortunately, Matilda would end up the beneficiary of nearly $16.3 million as a result of the court case.
Heath Ledger left behind more than just money for his young daughter. Ledger had been fascinated by music and that would lead him to establish a record label by the name of Masses Music. Ledger would collaborate with Ben Harper, a famous musician. A month prior to Matilda's birth, Heath and Ben would put together a song on the grand piano in dedication to Matilda. The song was a gentle lullaby titled, "Happy Ever After In Your Eyes". The song was told from the perspective of a glowing father as he discussed the love that he had for his daughter.
In 2017, a documentary titled I Am Heath Ledger was announced. The film was to be executive produced by Matt Amato. Matilda would be featured in the documentary under the condition that Michelle Williams had final approval of the project. The film would be released in October 2017 to mostly positive reviews. The documentary featured friends and family members detailing their thoughts on Heath. Notable names to have been included in the documentary were Kate Ledger, Ben Harper, Ben Mendelsohn, Naomi Watts, and even archival footage of Heath himself. Matilda did not end up appearing in the film.
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