Author Topic: Heath Ledger Scholarship  (Read 7485 times)

Offline chowhound

  • Brokeback Mountain Resident
  • ****
  • Posts: 172
Heath Ledger Scholarship
« on: December 09, 2012, 04:07:48 pm »
Others may be aware of this but until yesterday I didn't know that a scholarship had been established in Heath Ledger's name.

I only found out about it yesterday when reading a brief article in a movie magazine about a young Australian actress called Bella Heathcote. She has been in three movies this year - Dark Shadows, Killing them Softly and Not Fade Away - and the writer of the article expected her to "break big very soon". In 2010 she was the recipient of this Heath Ledger Scholarship which is an annual award that sends winners to the U.S. to meet with casting agents. In her case, it appears to be paying off.

Personally, I find it appealing that Heath is being honoured in this practical and helpful way.
« Last Edit: December 09, 2012, 06:47:49 pm by chowhound »

Offline Penthesilea

  • Town Administration
  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,745
Re: Heath Ledger Scholarship
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2012, 04:22:49 pm »
Personally, I find it appealing that Heath is being honoured in this practical and helpful way.


Yes, me too :) Thanks for sharing, Chowhound. :)

There's also a theater in Perth named after him. Our member Brian was in Perth last summer and posted photos:
http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,50141.msg639155.html#msg639155

Offline brianr

  • BetterMost 1000+ Posts Club
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,813
Re: Heath Ledger Scholarship
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2012, 04:55:54 pm »
« Last Edit: December 09, 2012, 08:26:07 pm by Meryl »

Offline chowhound

  • Brokeback Mountain Resident
  • ****
  • Posts: 172
Re: Heath Ledger Scholarship
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2012, 02:45:41 pm »
Here is some further information about Bella Heathcote and the award that a fellow Brokie unearthed in some 2010 news report:


Rove McManus was the master-of-ceremonies and Colin Farrell the surprise A-List guest presenter.

The beer and wine flowed freely at a rooftop ceremony in Beverly Hills where Melbourne actress Bella Heathcote was awarded the Heath Ledger Scholarship and Home and Away graduates Ryan Kwanten and Chris Hemsworth were honoured with Breakthrough Awards.

. . . . .

A panel of judges including another of Ledger's A-List friends, Jude Law, and director Gregor Jordan selected Heathcote, who had a recurring role in Neighbours in 2009 and appears in the World War I drama Beneath Hill 60. She beat 100 other contenders to the scholarship, which is designed to give a young Australian actor a shot at making it big in Hollywood.

The scholarship, which includes $10,000 cash and Qantas flights, is supported by Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams and the Ledger family, with the Perth-born Oscar winner's mother Sally and sister Kate attending the ceremony.

"The judges saw something very special in Bella Heathcote," Farrell said.

"She is very beautiful but underneath all of that hideous beauty, she has the true talent, energy and that special something that Heath had."

Ledger, who died in January 2008 from an accidental prescription drug overdose, would have approved of Heathcote as the recipient of the scholarship, Sally and Kate Ledger said.

"Bella is absolutely delightful and I think she will go a long way," Sally said.

The Ledger family remains in close contact with Ledger's daughter, four-year-old Matilda, who he had with his Brokeback Mountain co-star and fiancee Williams.

"Matilda is amazing," Sally said.

"We spent Christmas together and I lived a week with her in February. That was really quite precious."

Kate said Matilda is a mix of her brother and Williams.

"We used to joke about Matilda when Heath was alive that 'It's Heath in bikini' and 'It's Heath in a dress'," Kate said.
"She's very much like him but I'm starting to see a lot of Michelle in her."