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SYDNEY (AFP) — Heath Ledger’s two-year-old daughter Matilda Rose will inherit the late Australian actor’s entire estate, estimated to be worth 20 million dollars (16.6 million US), a report said Sunday.

The 28-year-old actor, who died in New York in January from an accidential overdose of prescription drugs, had named his parents and sisters as the beneficiaries in his will, Perth’s Sunday Times reported.

The will, which has been probated behind closed doors at the Supreme Court in Perth, was made before Matilda was born, and there had been speculation that the child’s mother, actress Michelle Williams, would lodge a claim.

But Ledger’s father Kim has put an end to such speculation, revealing that Matilda will inherit the lot.

“There is no claim. Our family has gifted everything to Matilda,” he told the News Ltd paper.

Ledger’s will listed just 145,000 Australian dollars in assets and cash when it was drawn up in 2003, but the Hollywood star’s estate is now believed to be worth more than 20 million dollars, the Sunday Times said.

The Perth-born actor gained international stardom and was nominated for an Oscar for his role as a gay cowboy in the 2005 film “Brokeback Mountain”.

Critics have hailed his performance as the deranged Joker in the recent Batman film sequel, “The Dark Knight”.

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Heath Ledger’s daughter, Matilda, will likely not have to worry about money matters ever again, thanks to the three stars who stepped in to finish her father’s final film.

Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell, who play different versions of Heath’s character in The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, were worried about Matilda’s future as Heath left only an old will which did not include the little girl. So what did they do? They donated their entire paychecks to her!!!

Says director Terry Gilliam: “They didn’t take money — it goes to Heath’s daughter. That’s extraordinary! And wonderful . . . and when you’re part of that, you think, ‘Ah, this is maybe why I went into the movies in the beginning. I thought it would be full of wonderful people.’ “

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OK, now that legions of moviegoers are shrieking “Oscar! Oscar! Oscar!” after seeing Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight,” which category should he enter: lead or supporting?

That’s a tricky Oscar question. On one hand you might think Heath Ledger should go supporting because, technically speaking, “The Dark Knight” is a film about Batman. But come on, Heath Ledger has the big, flashy role — he’s the chief force bearing down on all of the terrifying action — and it’s his spooktacular performance that moviegoers are storming theaters to see.

A good analogy might be Forest Whitaker, who recently won best actor in “Last King of Scotland.” James McAvoy actually had the main role, as measured by the most dialogue and screen time, but his performance as a good doctor was dwarfed, crushed and left trembling in the shadow of his monstrous patient.

The same was true for Denzel Washington, who won best actor for “Training Day.” He had less screen time than costar Ethan Hawke, but Hawke was so overwhelmed by Washington’s performance as a ferocious, corrupt cop that he dutifully ducked into the supporting race and let Washington go lead.

Sometimes it’s the size of the role, emotionally speaking, that determines whether it should be defined as lead or supporting. Sure, Anthony Hopkins only appeared in 22 minutes of “The Silence of the Lambs,” but he won best actor because he gobbled up the scenery, the screen and everything else as Hannibal the Cannibal. Academy members didn’t dare to deny him an Oscar statuette for dessert.

Heath Ledger’s role in “The Dark Knight” is very similar to Hopkins’ in “Lambs,” come to think of it — so creepy that it continues to haunt moviegoers long after they flee theaters, terrified.

However, in terms of traditional category placement, Heath Ledger may have the best shot to win in supporting. When Jack Nicholson played the Joker in “Batman” in 1989, he was nominated in supporting at the Golden Globes (then was snubbed by Oscar voters, strangely).

And traditionally, that’s where the cartoonishly crazy roles are put — Ben Kingsley in “Sexy Beast,” James Coburn in “Affliction.” And speaking of Coburn, that reminds us of another aspect of the supporting race that may apply to Heath Ledger: If he wins an Oscar in February for “The Dark Knight,” it will largely be because Academy voters want to salute an impressive, if brief, career that included a past Oscar nomination (”Brokeback Mountain”).

That qualifies Ledger as a perfect candidate for a veteran achievement award, which is the unofficial nickname of the supporting-actor category when it goes to the likes of Alan Arkin in “Little Miss Sunshine,” Martin Landau in “Ed Wood” or Jack Palance in “City Slickers.”

But, wait! Maybe it doesn’t matter what category Heath Ledger lands in, since some Oscarologists believe he’s doomed at the Academy Awards where only one star has ever won from the grave.

Photo: Warner Bros.

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Australian lawyers have claimed Heath Ledger’s daughter Matilda Rose is entitled to the majority of his $20m fortune, according to reports.

The two-year-old, who lives in New York with her mother actress Michelle Williams, was not born when Ledger drew up the document and does not appear on his will. The document currently divides the star’s wealth between his parents and three sisters.

However, the Australian Daily Telegraph has reported that after the will’s executors applied for probate in the West Australian Supreme Court they were advised that under state law the bulk of the late actor’s money would be awarded to Matilda.

If Ms Williams decided to claim the money on behalf of her daughter, she would have to submit an official affidavit, which could be made public, the newspaper said.

Last week, the executors of Ledger’s estate, Robert Collins and Mark Dyson, advertised in a Perth newspaper for “creditors and other persons” with claims on the estate to come forward and lodge them by August 11. This will ensure that any debts are cleared before the estate is divided.

Documents filed after Ledger’s death show he had $145,000 worth of assets in the United States, however his total fortune, mostly held in Australia, has been estimated at $20million.

Ledger’s father and stepmother were sighted last night attending the New York premiere of the actor’s penultimate film, The Dark Knight.

Kim Ledger, actor’s father, and his wife Ines, bypassed the red carpet which was black in his honour.

Leaving the cinema, Mr Ledger - who had already seen the film - simply gave a thumbs-up, reported People magazine.

Ledger is tipped to receive a posthumous Oscar for his role as the Joker in the Batman Returns sequel.

Ledger, 28, died in January after an accidental prescription drug overdose.

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Heath Ledger’s performance in the upcoming Batman film is winning him rave reviews, with many critics pushing for the late Australian actor to be awarded a posthumous Oscar.

Five months after his death, the first critics to see The Dark Knight - due in Australian cinemas in two weeks - are giving the actor plenty of praise.

Rolling Stone magazine critic Peter Travers says Heath’s portrayal as the Joker was brilliant.

“It’s typical of Ledger’s total commitment to films as diverse as Brokeback Mountain and I’m Not There that he does nothing out of vanity or the need to be liked,” he wrote.

“I can only speak superlatives of Ledger, who is mad-crazy-blazing brilliant as the Joker.

“If there’s a movement to get him the first posthumous [acting] Oscar since Peter Finch won for 1976’s Network, sign me up.”

Sam Rubin, a respected entertainment correspondent for Los Angeles KTLA network, said Ledger would “absolutely be nominated for an Oscar, and at this point in the year is a hands-down favourite to win it posthumously”.

“Ledger offers perfect pitch, perfect tone, his Joker hits all the right notes,” he added.

Meanwhile an Associated Press review described the Joker as possibly Ledger’s finest performance - even better than his Brokeback Mountain role for which he was nominated for an Oscar.

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