Matilda Rose Ledger Gets a Big Gift

When Heath Ledger died recently, it was without an up to date will. The entirety of the actor’s 60 million fortune went to his family back in Australia - in accordance with a previous will. Ordinarily that would be no problem, except that since that will had been drawn up, Ledger had married Michelle Williams and fathered a daughter Matilda Rose. Failing to update his will was very careless of him.

His family back in Australia, who inherit everything, are aware of the public’s concern about the well being of daughter Matilda. In fact Heath’s dad has made a public state that “Matilda will be looked after. It’s what Heath would’ve wanted“. Now the phrase “looked after” is vague, non committal, and not very reassuring. It could mean anything, including “she’s in our prayers", or even “She’ll be looked after, but I didn’t say be us!”

Oddly that is exactly what is happening. The actors replacing Ledger in what will be his last performance in The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus - and they would be Johnny Depp, Jude Law ("I slept with Sienna Miller and lived!"), and Colin Farrell, have decided to donate their considerable fees to the late actor’s daughter. Naturally Parnassus director Terry Gilliam is ecstatic, and not just because for the great publicity for his film (don’t be too hard on Gilliam. He invested his own money in this venture, and when Ledger died, it looked like Gilliam was gonna be out of business permanently. If Parnassus does even half as well as Dark Knight, the director will be set for life, and in the Sam Raimi, Peter Jackson level of Hollywood directorial royalty! What looked like a problem is now turning into a major promotional advantage - as Ledger’s halo waxes ever brighter!). Gilliam has said “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’.” In fact Gilliam is even contemplating possibly donating a little of his own expected windfall, maybe. Let’s face it, the really reason that people get into movies is to make a load of money!!

Now it’s important not to get too cynical about this. It would be wrong to hold Hollywood to New Testament ideals of human kindness. The main thing is that everything is working out: Matilda gets her money - so that’s goo, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law are gonna get their money’s worth in publicity, every penny - and that’s good, and poor old Terry Gilliam is saved unexpectedly from the Hollywood poor house, and that’s good. Even Heath’s relatives get to slink back into the wood work, now that no one has any pressing reason to bug them about that 60 million dollars - which by the way they are legally entitled to. Besides, they have other pressing concerns, like defending Heath’s uncle against that charge of stealing farm equipment (these are the people who were gonna take Care of Matilda). So everyone’s happy, and it’s practically a Hollywood ending - except for that bit about stealing farm equipment! In fact it’s all worked out so well that I can only hope Hollywooders don’t get the idea that having an actor die prior to a film’s release is the way to ensure BO success - lest they try and revive the practice of human sacrifice!!

Remember when? - Katie Holmes passes an audtion and Tom Cruise get’s a new bride - 26:00 mins into audio file.

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