Heath Ledger's Apartment Remains Vacant

Heath Ledger's New York City apartment has been completely sealed off by its owner - one month after he pulled it off the real estate market.

The Brokeback Mountain star died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in the SoHo loft last January (22Jan08), aged 28.

The building's owner, millionaire philanthropist Donald Burns, took the apartment off the market in December (08), after failing to attract a tenant with rent listed at $26,000 (£18,905) per month.

According to the New York Post all furniture, including the bed where Ledger's body was found, has been removed from the three-bedroom home.

A source tells the newspaper, "It's completely empty. Everything's been taken out. Nobody is allowed up there."

Heath Ledger was awarded with a posthumous Oscar nomination yesterday for his performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight that marked the one year anniversary of his death.

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Curious Oscars

'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' has been nominated for 13 Oscars.

The movie is up for an incredible haul of accolades at the 81st Academy Awards, including Best Director for David Fincher, Best Actor for lead star Brad Pitt and the coveted Best Picture prize.

The movie will go up against 'Frost/Nixon', 'Milk', 'The Reader' and 'Slumdog Millionaire' for Best Picture.

Rags-to-riches tale 'Slumdog Millionaire' received the second most nominations - which were announced at a ceremony in Beverly Hills today (22.01.09) - receiving nods in 10 different categories, including Best Director for British filmmaker Danny Boyle.

Heath Ledger - who died of an accidental prescription overdose last January - is posthumously up for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as The Joker in 'The Dark Knight'. Surprisingly, the critically-acclaimed Batman movie is not up for any of the other main accolades.

Double Golden Globe winner Kate Winslet will be hoping to take home her first Academy Award after being nominated for Best Actress for her performance in 'The Reader'.

She will go up against 'Rachel Getting Married' star Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep - who has been recognised for 'Doubt' - Melissa Leo in 'Frozen River', and Angelina Jolie, who received a nod for her performance in 'Changeling'.

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Heath Ledger’s Golden Globe to go to his daughter

Three-year-old Matilda will get dad's award

Heath Ledger’s parents want his Golden Globe to go to his three-year-old daughter Matilda.

The actor died last January after an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

His last complete film The Dark Knight won him Best Supporting Actor for his role as The Joker.

‘I should imagine that eventually it will be going to Matilda,’ Heath’s mum Sally Bell tells People.

‘At this stage she is only so young, but down the track she will have all these things. It will belong to her because she is part of him.

'It is such a fantastic and wonderful legacy for his daughter. Matilda
will have so many people who will be able to speak to her about her
father's abilities and [the] respect he had in the industry.’

Heath had Matilda with ex-fiancée Michelle Williams, 28.

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Ledger’s tot may become one of the world’s wealthiest girls

Heath ledger’s daughter Matilda may become world’s wealthiest girl if she wins 75 million court battle over the late actor’s life insurance.

Heath’s lawyer John LaViolette has sued the American ReliaStar Life Insurance company, as the firm has refused to pay out the 12.5 million dollar policy the ‘Broke Back Mountain’ star took out last June - seven months before his death.

William Shernoff, representing LaViolette, said the company was wrongfully prying into Ledger’s life to stall paying up.

“The money belongs to Matilda,” the Daily Telegraph quoted Shernoff, as saying.

LaViolette would hold the money for Matilda until she turns 18. Neither Michelle nor Heath’s family is involved in the legal action. (ANI)

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Life insurance company reinvestigates Heath Ledger's death

Lawyers launch court bid for cash on behalf of actor's daughter Matilda.

Heath Ledger's former lawyer is suing over a $10 million life insurance policy that has yet to be paid following the actor's death in January aged 28.

It was taken out just 7 months before he died after taking prescription drugs at his apartment in New York – and ReliaStar says it wants to look into the details of his death.

The overdose was ruled accidental by coroners but ReliaStar has stated it wants to interview his close friend Mary-Kate Olsen, the masseuse who found Heath and other friends, co-stars and doctors to determine if it could have been suicide – which would mean the company does not have to pay out.

The money was intended to go into a trust for his daughter Matilda, 3 next month, from his relationship with Brokeback Mountain co-star Michelle Williams.

'There's a young girl whose father died who is entitled to this money, and ReliaStar is doing everything it can to avoid paying,' attorney William Shernoff says in a statement.

'There's not a shred of evidence it was suicide.'

He accuses the company of dragging out the payment, saying a lawsuit could take years to resolve.

A hearing has been set for 1 December.

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Heath Ledger's apartment available now for $26,000 a month

Home in which The Dark Knight star died available for $26,000 a month

Estate agents have been accused of cashing in on Heath Ledger’s tragic death by hiking up the price of his New York apartment.

The Dark Knight star died in the rented Soho flat after taking an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

The three-bedroom home is being advertised for $26,000 (£13,000) a month – said to be $4,000 more than its previous price.

‘You don't wait around in a hot rental market like this,’ an estate agent tells the New York Post.

‘As ghoulish as it sounds, people will rent that place in a heartbeat.’

Heath, who was 28 when he died, left behind a daughter Matilda, 3 next month

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Heath Ledger Investigation Closed

Mary-Kate Olsen may be taking a deep breath after news the U.S. Attorney’s Office closed its investigations.

The investigation into Ledger’s accidental overdose death is over, a law-enforcement source told Peolple magazine.

No charges were filed against the actress and Olsen will not get a subpoena after all. The tiny twin was the first to be called after Ledger’s body was found in his Soho apartment.

The 22-year-old former Full House actress was subpoenaed by a grand jury on April 23, but her attorney had been in negotiations with federal authorities since then, the insider told the magazine.

Olsen requested immunity and earlier this week Olsen’s attorney released a statement saying the actress “had nothing to do” with Ledger’s drugs and had already provided “relevant information” to investigators.

Olsen was the only person who declined to be interviewed in the investigation, the source said. Model Helena Christiansen was interviewed as was Ledger’s ex-girlfriend Michelle Williams and Ledger’s family and friends.

The 28-year-old Joker star was found dead on Jan. 22, and the coroner determined the actor died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs for pain, anxiety and sleep.

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Heath Ledger's bar to open in Brooklyn

Actor put money into the venue before his death

A bar Heath Ledger invested in before he died will open as planned.

The late actor's dad Kim, the executor of his estate, has released the funds for the bar in Brooklyn, New York.

It is thought Five Leaves, which has a nautical theme, will open before the end of the year.

Heath died from a prescription drugs overdose in January, at the age of 28.

He left behind 2-year-old daughter Matilda from his relationship with ex-fiancée Michelle Williams, 28.

Heath's last complete film The Dark Knight is in cinemas now.

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Heath Ledger’s Dad Honors Son’s Wish to Buy a Bar

Cheers to Heath Ledger—he’s not finished having fun yet.

Ledger’s father, Kim, will honor his son’s wish to own a bar in New York called Five Leaves, according to Down By the Hipster website.

The late actor—who died of an accidental overdose in January at the age of 28—was a silent investor in a bar called Five Leaves, described as “a nautically-themed bar . . . at the corner of Lorimer and Bedford.”

Ledger’s “untimely death put the project in jeopardy,” the website reports, but because the late Aussie’s father, who’s the executor of his estate, “knew how much the project meant to Heath, [he] released the funds to finish construction.”

Heath Ledger currently stars in the movie The Dark Knight, which continues to break box-office records.

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Michelle Williams "Furious" with Heath Ledger's family

Heath Ledger, who passed away in January, will star in his last film, Dark Knight, out in theaters next month. The actor will be honored by his family at the premiere.

Ledger’s father and mother, along with other family members, will fly to America for the premiere on July 14.

However, ex Michelle Williams, who has daughter Matilda with Ledger, may not be in attendance.

“Michelle is furious with Heath’s family and threatening to boycott the premiere. Matilda is supposed to be the beneficiary of the will, but Michelle has seen nothing from them. Heath didn’t have much in cash, but there was a big house in LA and a back-end deal for ‘Dark Knight’ [that] could reap millions,” an insider told the paper.

Ledger wrote up his will in 2003, before Matilda was born, and left everything to his father, mother and sisters.

However, Matilda is now the beneficiary, with Ledger’s dad as the executor.

The paper reports that years ago, Ledger’s father lost millions when he managed his own father’s money.

According to the paper, Williams fears nothing will be left for Matilda by the time she reaches 18.

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Heath Ledger's Uncle Dismisses Love Child Rumours

It's all been blown out of proportion, he claims...

Rumours that Heath Ledger fathered an illegitimate child have been blown completely out of proportion, claims his uncle Mike.

As Entertainmentwise previously reported, the late actor was allegedly involved in an affair with a woman when he was aged 17 and she was 25, resulting in a daughter who is now aged 11.

The Brokeback Mountain star’s uncle spoke to Us magazine to clear up any misunderstandings. When asked how the rumours began, he explained: My brother Haydn said that anything is possible, and from there, it just went absolutely berserk.

“Haydn was asked a question that wasn't directly related to the Heath issue: 'If someone was this age, could it be possible?' and Haydn said 'Anything is possible,' and that’s it. His statement was absolutely taken out of context. Absolutely. “

He added: “At the end of the day, our thoughts are with the little girl in question, and we’re not prepared to make any more comments at all. Our grieving process is still continuing, and it’s very difficult.”

The mother of the young girl has denied reports Heath is the father.

Ledger - who was found dead from an accidental drugs overdose in January - has a two-year-old daughter, Matilda, with actress Michelle Williams.