Heath Ledger's family accepted the "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar at the 81st Annual Academy Awards for Ledger's performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Ledger's father, Kim Ledger, his mother, Sally Bell, and older sister, Kate Ledger, took to the stage to collect the posthumous award.

Ledger died at the age of 28 on January 22, 2008, after accidentally overdosing on prescription painkillers while The Dark Knight was in the final stages of production. Since the film's release, the commitment and execution that Ledger put towards his interpretation of the Joker revealed his dedication to "method acting." He had famously locked himself away in a hotel room and kept a diary to prepare for the role. Ledger also received the "Golden Globe" Award for "Best…