Ironically, the honours come exactly a year after his tragic death which cut short his promising acting career in Hollywood.

The golden statue will go to his 3-year-old daughter Mathilda Rose.

Ledger, who died in January last year at the age of 28, is also the second Australian after Peter Finch to win the Academy trophy. Finch won a posthumous Oscar for his 1976 classic "Network".

Ironic but true the tragic star never got the kind of recognition in his lifetime that he is getting after his death for his villainous act in "The Dark Knight".

In his lifetime, Ledger desperately tried to break away from his chocolate boy image by accepting unusual roles.

The Aussie hunk has already won a posthumous Golden Globe and BAFTA for his role as 'The Joker'.