Few actors left behind a legacy quite like Heath Ledger. He was already a very gifted actor who seemed to have a lifetime of amazing roles ahead of him. Tragically, Ledger died at the beginning of 2008 while The Dark Knight was still in post-production. After the movie came out, he posthumously won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his stunning portrayal of the Joker.
Of course, Ledger’s legacy extends far beyond his great cinematic career. He met Michelle Williams (arguably still best known for her role in Dawson’s Creek) when the two played man and wife in Brokeback Mountain. Sparks were still flying after the cameras stopped rolling, and the two soon began dating.
The relationship moved pretty fast: the two began dating in 2004 and had a child, Matilda, in 2005. However, Access reports that they broke up after dating for three years due to Ledger’s drug use. And it was an accidental drug overdose that took his life in 2008.
Williams still had feelings for Ledger when he died. After Ledger died, People reports that Williams issued a statement saying “I am the mother of the most tender-hearted, high-spirited, beautiful little girl who is the spitting image of her father” before pledging that their daughter “will be brought up in the best memories of him.”
Of course, Williams knew that Matilda was the “spitting image” of Ledger many years ago. Now that she is 16, though, everyone can see the resemblance. If you don’t believe it, just check out the following pictures!
Balanced family
They say balancing a family can be hard. But here, Michelle Williams makes balancing her baby look downright easy!
Rocking mom’s colors
Matilda is still a bit young to be attending many Hollywood galas. But when the time comes, she certainly looks ready to rock her mom’s colors!
Matilda’s game face
The world can be tough, but Matilda is ready. If you have any doubt, just check out that game face that she is rocking!
Hand in hand
Sure, Matilda may be fierce and independent. But that doesn’t keep mommy Michelle from holding her hand as the two cross the street!
A chill dad
One adjective that is often applied to Heath Ledger is “cool.” And we can see why: check him out as he looks effortlessly cool while balancing a baby on his lap! Though we’d be hard-pressed to decide which one of these two has their head further in the clouds.
Keep on strolling
They say you have to take life one step at a time. And that’s a lesson the happy young couple is helping Matilda learn as they keep on strolling.
Flashing her colors
Both Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams have had very colorful careers. Is it any surprise their child is leading such a colorful life?
Return of the game face
Growing up, Matilda’s face has only gotten more serious. And the more serious she looks, the more she resembles a brooding Heath Ledger. Though her mother is a perfect match for her daughter’s serious look.
A “hairy” situation
Talk about images you can hear! We can see Michelle Williams reaching over to fix Matilda’s hair. Can’t you just hear her telling her mom to stop fussing over her?
Family on the go
With their respective careers, Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams were always on the go. But that didn’t keep the two of them from taking Matilda wherever they went! The only thing missing from Heath’s shirt is a “baby on board” sticker.
On the shoulders of a giant
Lately, Matilda has been getting taller by the day. But when she was younger, she was all too happy to get a boost from her dad! After Ledger’s tragic death, images like this have become much more bittersweet.
Strike a pose
From this image, you’d be hard-pressed to guess which one is the actor! After all, Michelle Williams is standing completely still, but Matilda can’t help but strike a pose. Better memorize that smile, though, as she becomes much more serious as she gets older.
Heath’s doppelganger?
Just look at Matilda’s face! She could really be confused for a young Heath Ledger with very long hair, and the resemblance is downright uncanny.
A resemblance to mom
Many people, including Michelle Williams herself, have commented on how much Matilda looks like Heath. But she also bears a striking resemblance to a young Michelle! We’re just going to have to keep her away from brooding young men named “Dawson” in the future.
Michelle’s Mini-Me
Maybe Matilda has a Hollywood career ahead of her after all. In this image, it looks like she is hard at work playing “Mini-Me” alongside her famous mother. Is it too much to ask for a close-up of Michelle demanding “one million dollars” from assembled world leaders?