Australians were left heartbroken when the news of Heath Ledger’s death broke in January 2008.
The world went into mourning when the Hollywood icon was tragically found dead in his New York apartment from an accidental overdose.
His legacy still lives on in his timeless portfolio of movies, as well as in his daughter Matilda, 19.
Matilda has kept a low profile over the years, choosing not to enter the world of showbiz like her famous parents, Heath and Michelle Williams.
After Heath’s death, Dawson’s Creek star Michelle, 44, chose to raise Matilda away from Hollywood on a farmhouse near New York.
Matilda has remained in the Big Apple ever since and made a rare public appearance in the city on August 28th.
In photographs from the outing, Matilda bore a striking resemblance to her actor father as she looked every inch his mini-me.
She looked trendy in a black vest top and a denim skirt, adding a flash of colour to her outing with vibrant red pumps.
Matilda is believed to be studying at a private liberal arts college in Connecticut, where she also sings in an indie band called Interim.
She recently caught up with Robert Irwin while he visited New York, with reports swirling about their meet-ups earlier this year.
The pair were introduced through Matilda’s cousin, Robert’s ex-girlfriend, Rorie Buckey. Rorie’s mother is Heath’s sister Kate.
“Robert and Matilda first bonded over the fact they both lost their very famous Australian fathers when they were just little kids,” a source told New Idea.
“It really is an incredible twist of fate that they ended up having such a strong link through Rorie.”
Robert was just two years old when his father, Steve, was killed by a stingray in 2006.
Matilda was the same age when The Dark Knight star died following an accidental overdose.
Matilda grew up away from the spotlight, with her mother, Michelle, taking a hiatus from Hollywood to raise her.
They lived at a rural farmhouse for six years so Michelle could provide a “sane home environment” for Matilda.
“We moved – we left Brooklyn and lived in the country for six years because it was an intolerable state of existence,” Michelle told the New York Post in 2016.
The mother and daughter returned to Brooklyn years later, and Matilda still lives in New York City now.
Read more about Matilda’s quiet life away from the spotlight here.
