Heath Ledger Net Worth: Career, Legacy & Death

“Why so serious…? Let’s put a smile on that face.”

An Australian actor most famous and critically acclaimed for the role of Joker in “The Dark Night,” Heath Ledger’s net worth was a massive $16 million at the time of his death.

In addition to being a terrific actor, Heath was also a music video director and aspired to be a film director.

Ledger was famously devoted to the method and used method techniques for each role he undertook.

For his infamous role as Joker, Ledger received numerous posthumous accolades, including Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

A few months prior to his death, he had just finished filming The Dark Knight, and the film was in post-production.

Heath left quite a mark in the industry throughout his brief presence and gained what some would define as a lifetime of work.

Heath Ledger | Quick Facts

To understand more about Heath Ledger, let’s look at his quick facts.

Birth Name	Heath Andrew Ledger
Professional Name	Heath Ledger
Nick Name	Heath, Heathy, Joker
Birth Date	4 April 1979
Death Date	22 January 2008
Age at Death	28 Years Old
Birth Place	Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Weight	77 kg/169.5 lbs.
Height	6 ft. 1 in/185 cm/185 m
Religion	Tool
Gender	Male
Nationality	Australian
Feet/Shoe Size	US 12
Distinctive Features	Often wore a pair of small earrings, Squared jawline
Eye Color	Hazel
Hair Color	Light Brown
Profession	Actor, Director
Father’s Name	Kim Ledger
Mother’s Name	Sally Bell, née Ramshaw
Horoscope	Aries
Ethnicity	Mixed (English, Scottish, Irish, and Welsh descent)
Sibling	Kate Ledger (Older Sister)
Education	Guildford Grammar School Guildford Grammar School, Mary’s Mount Primary School
Awards/Nominations	Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor, Australian Film Institute, Brisbane International Film Festival Award
Sexual Orientation	Straight
Marital Status	Unmarried
Girlfriends/Affairs	Michelle Williams (2004–2007) Lindsay Lohan, Kate Hudson, Gemma Ward, Mary-Kate Olsen
Children	Matilda Ledger
Active Since	1992–2008
First Film	Clowning Around (1992)
First TV Show	Ship to Shore (1993)
Broadway Debut	Of mice and men (2014)
Favorite Brands	Silverchair, Spiderbait, Powderfinger
Favorite Actors	Jack Nicholson, Gene Kelly, Bob Fosse, Mel Gibson
Favorite Actress	Judy Garland, Katharine Hepburn, Meryl Streep
Favorite Role in his Career	The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008)
Merch	Joker Reprint Signed Photo, Joker Signed Picture, Joker Funko Pop
Last Update	December 2024

Heath Ledger | Net Worth & Income

Net Worth

An Australian Academy Award-winning actor Heath Ledger’s net worth was an astonishing $16 million at the time of his death in 2008.

If adjusted for inflation, that is the same as $20 million today.

However, the figure does not include the tens of millions of royalties received posthumously from the film The Dark Knight.

The exceptionally talented actor had garnered such a massive wealth from his super successful acting career.

In addition to that, he also appeared in a slew of TV shows which earned him a decent amount of money.

For an actor who performed for a brief time in the industry, Ledger’s numbers at the box office are quite significant.

In total, his films have grossed over $1,424,140,306 at the global box office, all thanks to The Dark Knight, which solely grossed $1 billion worldwide.

Income

In 1999, Ledger starred in Gil Junger’s romantic comedy film 10 Things I Hate About You as Patrick Verona. The role earned him a cool $100,000.

Similarly, for his role as William Thatcher in 2001, the adventure action film A Knight’s Tale, Ledger was paid $3 million.

In 2002, he starred in the war adventure film The Four Feathers, which earned him $2 million.

Likewise, for the 2003 western drama film Ned Kelly, Heath accepted $50,000.

Nonetheless, his career-defining role came in 2008 when he was cast as Joker in Christopher Nolan’s action-adventure film The Dark Knight opposite Christian Bale.

For his iconic role in the film, Ledger was paid $5 million upfront and an additional $15 million after the film’s success.

In total, Ledger bagged $20 million from the The Dark Knight alone.

Net Worth of Heath Ledger in Different Currencies

Let’s look into Heath Ledger’s net worth in different currencies, including the eminent cryptocurrency BitCoin.

Currency	Net Worth
Euro	€ 14.83 Million
Pound Sterling	£ 12.46 Million
Australian Dollar	A$ 22.09 Million
Canadian Dollar	C$ 20.34 Million
Indian Rupee	₹ 1,224,336,000
BitCoin	฿ 406.62

Heath Ledger | Houses & Cars

Houses

Tremendous actor Heath Ledger had several real estates in different parts of the world.

He owned houses in his native Australia as well as the States.

Ledger owned a home dubbed The Treehouse in Los Angeles, California, up until he died in 2008.

He had reportedly purchased the property back in August of 2005 from comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres for $2.3 million.

The 1,861 square feet, two beds, two baths house was sold in July 2008 for $2.5 million.

Similarly, Ledger owned a mansion in Bronte Beach, New South Wales, Australia, which he had purchased in 2005 for $4.45 million.

He sold the mansion in 2006 for $7 million.

Cars

Heath loved cars and had a few lovely beasts in his collection.

He was mostly seen driving a black Aston Martin V8. Similarly, he had a Cadillac and a classic pick-up truck.

Read About Spike Lee Net Worth: Career & Lifestyle

Heath Ledger | Life & Death

Life

Heath Ledger’s net worth was $16 million at the tie of his death.

Actor Heath Ledger’s life was full of ups and downs.

He came from humble beginnings, became a star, and died a legend.

However, he suffered from multiple health-related issues and struggled with drugs which ultimately took his life.

Out of his several health issues was insomnia which he suffered while filming The Dark Knight.

As a matter of fact, he had to take prescription pills to cope with the condition.

During the shooting of The Dark Knight, he slept just two hours a night, which became an eternity of “Dark Knight” for him in the end.

Who knew, on the verge of entertaining people, he was pushing himself to the point of no return.

Ledger began relying heavily on Ambien pills for his sleep troubles.

Furthermore, Heath dated actress Heather Graham, Naomi Watts, and Lisa Zane, among others.

He began seeing his Brokeback Mountain co-star Michelle Williams in 2004

The couple shared a daughter named Matilda born in 2005.

Ledger even sold his property in NSW, Australia, to live with Michelle in the Brooklyn Boerum Hill neighborhood.

Nonetheless, the couple split in 2007.

Following that, he dated Gemma Ward and Helena Christensen.

Furthermore, Ledger was a passionate chess player and also played in some tournaments when he was young.

As an adult, he played chess with other players at Washington Square Park.

Likewise, he was a fan of an Australian Rules football team West Coast Eagles which competes in the Australian Football League.

Aside from that, Ledger was an avid photographer.

Death

Actor Heath Ledger was found still in his bed in his loft at Broome Street in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, New York, United States.

He was found by his massage therapist Diana Wolizin and housekeeper, Teresa Solomon, on 22 January 2008.

Upon finding Ledger still, Wolizin dialed 911, and at the urging of the 911 operator, she delivered CPR, which was unsuccessful in reviving him.

Ledger was pronounced dead at 3:36 p.m., and his body was removed from the penthouse apartment.

He was just 28 at the time of his death.

Heath Ledger | Charity

Heath Ledger always sought happiness in helping others.

He supported several charities and causes, including ALAFA, Lifebeat, and Variety- The Children’s Charity.

The shirt Heath and Jake Gyllenhaal wore in Brokeback Mountain raised $101,000 on an auction on eBay, which benefited Variety – The Children’s Charity.

Similarly, he was set for a charity trip to Africa along with Elissa Sursara in May 2008. He was supposed to speak on behalf of anti-poaching campaigners. Unfortunately, he died months before the trip.

Moreover, Heath’s father established a foundation named Heath Ledger Foundation in honor of his late son, who lost his life due to a prescription drug overdose.

Heath Ledger | Movies & Legacy

Movies

Over the course of his career, Heath Ledger appeared in a total of 19 films.

The 1999 romance comedy film 10 Things I Hate About You was one of his earliest works.

Similarly, his performance in Monster’s Ball and A Knight’s Tale was well received by a global audience.

Nonetheless, he will always be remembered as the Joker from The Dark Knight.

Ledger was posthumously awarded an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Joker.

For his role in Brokeback Mountain, Ledger received a range of awards and nominations.

Interestingly, Ledger won MTV Movie Award for “Best Kiss” with his co-star Jake Gyllenhaal.

Legacy

As soon as the death of Ledger was announced to the public, media crews, fans, and mourners began gathering outside his apartment building.

He had profoundly influenced his fans all around the world with his acting.

And within the next few days of his passing, several memorial tributes were communicated by his family members, Kevin Rudd, the Prime Minister of Australia, Warner Bros, and thousands of Heath’s fans.

The State Theatre Center of Western Australia, Perth, named a 575-seat theatre the Heath Ledger Theatre after him in January 2011.

On the opening day of the theatre, Heath’s Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor was displayed in the foyer of the theater along with his Joker costume.

Read About Michael Jai White Net Worth: Career & Lifestyle

Heath Ledger | Career

Heath Ledger was born to a French teacher, Sally, and a race car driver Kim on 4 April 1979 in Perth, Western Australia.

He attended Guildford Grammar School and Mary’s Mount Primary School.

His first experience with acting was in a school production.

Ledger’s parents separated when he was ten. He dropped out of school in the mid-90s to embark upon his career in acting.

He had small parts in the family film “Clowning Around,” which subsequently landed him on the children’s television series “Ship to Shore.”

Likewise, he also appeared in the Sweat and 1997 Sox series Roar.

The same year he appeared on the soap opera Home and Away. He made his feature film debut in the teen thriller Blackrock.

At the time of his death, Heath Ledger’s net worth was $16 million.

Unknown Facts About Heath Ledger

• As a matter of fact, Ledger was one of the first actors considered for the part of Bruce Wayne, the Batman.
• Heath was the youngest actor ever to portray the Joker when he took the role. At first, people thought he was miscast, but that was until the film was released.
• To prepare for his role as Joker, Ledger locked himself in a cheap motel room for more than 43 days for Joker’s fantasy-driven and insane worldview- one that is also completely isolated from the real world.

FAQs

Was Heath Ledger filming when he died?

He was busy shooting for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus after he had finished filming for The Dark Knight when he died.

Who took Heath Ledger’s Oscar?

His parents, Kim and Sally, and his sister Kate Ledger took Ledger’s Oscars on his behalf.

Was Heath Ledger a method actor?

Ledger took the method acting to the extreme. He always completely immersed in the character he portrayed.

Read About Raven Symoné’s Net Worth: Career & Lifestyle