Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams’ Daughter Matilda Has 2 Famous Godparents
Heath Ledger’s death in 2008 at the age of 28 was a shock to everyone in the world, all the more with the knowledge that he left behind his two-year-old daughter, Matilda Rose Ledger, whose mother is actor Michelle Williams. These days, Matilda has managed to have a pretty normal childhood thanks to guidance from not only Williams and the extended Ledger family but also her godparents…who just so happen to be two very famous people in their own right.
Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams became an item in 2004
Williams and Ledger first got together in 2004 while playing a married couple in Brokeback Mountain and quickly fell madly in love. A bit more than a year later, they welcomed their daughter, Matilda, into the world. The two broke up in 2007, well before Heath’s passing, but remained on amicable terms because they were committed to co-parenting for Matilda.
Williams has also hinted at times that she had hoped they would eventually rekindle things, such as by once saying that she had wished to have more children with Ledger if given the opportunity. That they never had the opportunity to explore getting back together makes theirs one of the more tragic romances in Hollywood history.
Matilda Ledger has 2 famous godparents
These days, Matilda Ledger is 17 years old and giving her mother the sort of typical worries that come with adolescence. When she was born her parents were at the height of their mutual fame. Since Williams and Heath Ledger had famous friends, it only makes sense that, as BuzzFeed reports, Matilda ended up with Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain, Nightcrawler) and Busy Philipps (Cougar Town, Freaks & Geeks) as her godparents.
In both cases, her parents had chosen people they were super close to. Williams and Philipps go back to the days when they co-starred on Dawson’s Creek. As for Gyllenhaal, he and Heath Ledger (not to mention Williams) became close when working on Brokeback Mountain together.
Williams and her daughter both had to adjust to life without Heath after he died in 2008
As Matilda Ledger has grown up, she’s certainly felt the weight of her father’s absence. No doubt Philipps and Gyllenhaal have been there for her, as godparents tend to do. Still, as Williams has discussed openly, life without Heath was difficult for both her and Matilda. Williams reportedly went out of her way over the years to ensure that as Matilda grew up, she got to have as normal a childhood as possible.
Family members of the late actor have also discussed how they try to keep his memory alive for Matilda. For instance, Heath’s sister Kate Ledger once told Entertainment Tonight, “I love telling Matilda stories about her daddy and how he grew up. I think it’s so important for her to have a good sense of where she comes from in order for her to get to know herself.” We can assume that as godparents, Gyllenhaal and Philipps have kept Heath’s spirit alive for their goddaughter too.
Heath Ledger luckily had a will that looked out for Matilda’s interests
Heath’s will made sure that Matilda was covered for life, since he left his entire $16.3 million estate to her. He had also allocated funds in his will for his parents and three sisters, but they gifted everything back to Matilda. While the specifics of her access to the funds is a private matter, one can expect that as Matilda draws nearer to her 18th birthday, it’s likely she’ll able to enjoy the nest egg her father left her before his untimely death in a new way.
