Heath Ledger is known to be one of the best Australian actors, primarily famous for his role in the movie The Dark Knight as a Joker. He started acting from a very young age, gained huge stardom and financial success as he grew up, and continued working as an actor. However, unfortunately the great actor is not between us anymore as he died in 2008 due to the overdose of medication. Heath Ledger net worth was over $20 million when he died, according to Wikipedia.
So, if you have been a fan of Heath’s work and want to know about his overall life, look no further! Here, we will discuss his finances, career, real estate, love life, and much more.
Real Name | Heath Andrew Ledger |
Date Of Birth | 4 April 1979 |
Age | 28 Years |
Gender | Male |
Height | 1.85 m (6’1”) |
Weight | 169 lbs (77 kg) |
Networth | Over $20 Million |
Profession | Actor and Music Video Director |
Relationship Status | – |
Parents | Father, Kim Ledger
Mother, Sally Ledger Bell |
Children | 1 |
Nationality | Australian |
Net Worth
What's in this article...
Heath Ledger net worth was more than $20 million in 2008, at the time of his death. He made this huge amount of money mainly from his work as an actor. Besides that, he also had some investments which helped him generate a steady cash flow and increase his overall net worth.
Early Life and Education
Heath Ledger was born in Perth, Western Australia on April 4, 1979. His father is Kim Ledger, who was a mining engineer and a racing car driver. His mother, Sally Ledger, was a French teacher.
At a very young age, Heath had to see the separation of his parents as they divorced when he was around eleven years old. He also had a sister named Kate, with whom he was very close. Besides that, he also had two half-sisters named Oliva and Ashleigh.
Coming to his education, firstly, he attended the Mount Primary School and then Guildford Grammar School (the place where started to get into acting).
Career
When Heath was in the initial stages of his career, he did many small roles, which gave a kickstart to his career. For example, he got a chance to play a role in the TV series Ship to Sore and a small role in the family film Clowning Around, a short-lived 1977 Fox series named Roar.
After some time, he also appeared on an Australian soap opera, Home and Away. He also made his movie debut in Blackrock, a thriller teenage film.
As he started to get regular work as an actor, he decided to drop out from the school after he was done with the early graduation exam for getting his diploma. After that, he was featured in numerous movies, which proved to be a breakthrough in his career. For instance, in 1999, he was featured in an American Teen Comedy film, 10 Things I Hate About You. He also starred in Two Hands, an Australian crime movie.
Later on, he continued to receive numerous opportunities, which brought him a lot of material success. Some of the biggest roles of his acting career was in the movies like The Patriot, Monster’s Ball, and A Knight’s Tale.
He also did phenomenal work in a romantic drama film named Brokeback Mountain. For this, he was praised by audience a lot and received many awards and nominations.
After that, he appeared in another romantic drama film, Candy. In the movie, he played the role of a heroin addict, and due to his outstanding performance, he was nominated for various “Best Actor” awards. Further, he did a film named I’m Not There, a musical drama biopic.
The Dark Knight
In 2008, Heath had the most iconic role of his career as he was offered to play the role of Joker in a movie, The Dark Knight. The film was released on July 18, 2008, almost six months after his death and it was a massive success. The overall earning of the movie was more than $1 billion dollars worldwide.
Because of his tremendous performance, he was awarded posthumously with Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
It is also worth knowing that when Heath died, he was working on his next movie, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. He was playing the character of Tony but could not finish due to his sudden death.
Besides acting, Heath Ledger also worked as a director and helped many artists like Ben Harper and N’fa in directing their music videos. He also created and acted in a music video to show great respect and honor to Nick Drake, a singer, and songwriter who died at the age of 26 in 1974 due to the overuse of an antidepressant.
Source of Income
It is not clear exactly how many income sources contributed to Heath Ledger net worth. However, his acting career was known to be his main income source, which helped him make millions of dollars.
Real Estate
The main property that Heath owned was his triplex penthouse in Soho, the place where he lived before his death. It is currently not known for how much he bought this penthouse. However, recently, in 2021, the penthouse was sold for $49 million.
He also owned a Tree House located in Los Angeles. He bought the house for $2.3 million, and after his demise, it was sold for $2.5 million.
Car Collection
Here are the cars that Heath used to own when he was alive.
Car Name | Estimated Price |
Porsche 911 | $116,050 |
Mercedes BenZ-S Class | $118,450 |
Range Rover | $107,400 |
1966 Ford Mustang GT 350 | $286,285 |
1969 Dodge Charger | $153,995 |
Heath’s whole car collection was sold at the auction after his death. The money generated from selling the cars was donated to the Heath Ledger Scholarship Fund, which mainly focuses on assisting young Australian filmmakers and actors.
Investments
There’s not much information available on where Heath Ledger invested his money. However, according to the sources, it is known that Heath invested his money in various stocks and numerous properties, which are known to be his main investments.
Philanthropic Activities
Heath Ledger was involved in numerous philanthropic activities. For example, he had a charitable organization named the Heath Ledger Scholarship Fund, which helped many struggling actors find their place in the industry.
Besides that, it is also known that Heath had so much love for children and helped the kids struggling with serious health issues like Cancer.
Appearance
Height | 6 feet 1 inches |
Weight | 169 lbs (77 kg) |
Hair Color | Light Brown |
Eye Color | Hazel |
Zodiac Sign | Aries |
Personal Life
Heath Ledger dated numerous women throughout his life, which includes the following:
- Heather Graham
- Christina Cauchi
- Naomi Watts
- Lisa Zane
One of his main relationships was with Michelle Williams. The couple began dating in 2004 and had a daughter the following year, Matilda Rose, on October 28, 2005. Soon, Heath returned to the US and lived with Williams in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, for the next few years. However, in 2007, the couple separated, which Williams’ father confirmed as well.
After breaking up with Williams, Heath was found romantically involved with many other supermodels like Gemma Ward and Helena Christensen, according to the sources. Ward even stated that the couple started dating in 2007, and their families celebrate Christmas together in the same year.
Controversies
One of Heath’s main controversies was with the Australian press during the time when his movie, Brokeback Mountain, was being premiered in the theater.
Numerous publications displayed him as aggressive and rude. Some also said that Heath spat at a journalist. However, he denied all of these claims. But, the matter reached so far that he had to separate himself from his family and live in Sydney part-time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How Much was Heath Ledger Estate Worth When He Died?
Heath Ledger estate was worth more than $20 million at the time of his death.
2. Who Found Heath Ledger Dead?
Heath Ledger was found dead by his massage therapist, Diana Wolozin, and also his housekeeper, Teresa Solomon, on January 3, 2008.
3. Who Got Heath Ledger’s Estate?
Heath’s parents and siblings agreed to hand over all of his fortune to his daughter, Matilda.
Conclusion
Heath was a fantastic actor who did some amazing movies like The Dark Knight, Candy, I’m Not There, Brokeback Mountain, and many more. His outstanding work helped him gain a worldwide following, especially after the release of The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger net worth was over $20 million during the time of his death.
It’s a sad fact that he died at such a young age as he was one of the best actors alive. However, it can definitely be said that he left a great legacy behind and will always be remembered.
Ansh Sharma is a content writer who possesses the skill of describing different topics in a simple and creative manner. He has a vast interest in crypto and finances, but is also well-versed with many other niches like pets, health, technology, gaming, etc. Apart from writing, he loves to read non-fiction books to continually learn and grow.