Heath Ledger (†)
Grown up! Daughter Matilda begins a new phase of life
Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams
© SGranitz/WireImage / Getty Images
Matilda Ledger was just a little kid when her famous father died. 15 years later, the daughter of the former Hollywood couple Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams now wants to know more about her roots and dares a new chapter in her life.
News of Heath Ledger’s death in January 2008 shocked fans around the world. The actor died at the age of 28 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. His daughter with fellow actress and ex-partner Michelle Williams, 42, was only two years old at the time. Recent photos published by the “Daily Mail”., show Matilda, 17, as a teenager in New York. She’s almost grown up and ready to start a new chapter in her life.
Heath Ledger’s daughter Matilda wants to know more about her origins
Because the 17-year-old would like to know more about her roots and her father, with whom she had far too little time. As a result, she is reportedly planning an extended stay in Australia, where the actor is from and where his family is from, before going to college. She herself grew up with her mother in the USA and is therefore affectionately called “our little New Yorker” by her grandparents Down Under, as Heath’s parents once revealed.
Michelle Williams and daughter Matilda in October 2009 in New York
© Arnaldo Magnani / Getty Images
According to the Australian portal “New Idea”, Matilda will go to Australia for a year after graduating from high school in order to “understand the other side of her origins”. “She’s dying to take a year off and go to Australia,” a source said. “She wants to see and spend time with Heath’s family before she gets down to serious university work in America.”
Michelle Williams has concerns
Her mother Michelle, it is said, still has reservations because “it’s just so far away”. While Matilda understands her mother’s concerns, she has “a great need to understand the other side of her heritage,” the insider said. Heath’s family, on the other hand, is said to be enthusiastic about the 17-year-old’s plans.
Heath Ledger’s parents Sally Bell and Kim and sister Kate Ledger
© Steve Granitz/WireImage / Getty Images
His parents Sally and Kim Ledger still have a close relationship with her to this day. They reportedly gave Matilda his entire fortune, valued at $16.3 million, after Heath’s death in 2008.
“We will [Matilda] see next week in New York. So we’ll be there for a few days and see how she’s grown,” Heath’s mother, Sally, told Us Weekly in 2018. “We keep in touch with Michelle and Matilda and visit them frequently.”
Sources used: newidea.com.au, dailymail.co.uk