Michelle Williams opens up about Heath Ledger's tragic death

Back in 2008, we were all left devastated when it was reported that Australian actor, Heath Ledger, has passed away following an accidental overdose in his New York apartment.

The 28-year-old star had just finished filming his role as the Joker in the newest Batman instalment, ‘The Dark Knight’ – a role that won Heath a posthumous Oscar for ‘Best Supporting Actor’.

Heath’s daughter, Matilda, was just three years old at the time of his death, and now her mother, Michelle Williams, has opened up about Matilda growing up without a father and the impact that Heath’s death has had on them.

Speaking to Porter magazine, Michelle explained: “In all honesty, for pretty much everything else, I feel like I’m a believer in not fighting circumstances, accepting where you are and where you’ve been.

“In pretty much all senses but one, I would be able to go totally down that line of thinking were it not for Matilda not having her dad.

“You know that’s just something that doesn’t… I mean, it just won’t ever be right.”

She went on to add that Matilda’s happiness will always be her number one priority, sharing: “I watched [Matilda] warm in the sun, in her swimsuit, get on her bicycle and smile and wave as she rode off to go meet her friends.

“I went back into the house and sobbed because of this incredibly simple moment ― common everyday happiness. I really felt like in that moment, like wow, we’ve done it.

“Not only are we OK, she’s happy. Life has brought us to a place that’s not just surviving, but thriving.”

Michelle previously admitted that she attempted to keep life “as normal as possible” for her and Heath’s daughter, with Heath’s sister, Kate Ledger, praising Michelle for the way that she has raised the little girl.

Kate said at the time: “[Matilda is an] expressive, creative, beautiful girl who is fortunate enough to have great grounding from her mum.

“Michelle really does keep things real for her, and her existence, although different from most, is as normal as possible in an abnormal world.”