What are Heath Ledger's Oscar chances?

Even before Heath Ledger’s tragic death on Jan. 22 at age 28, early footage of his iconic portrayal of The Joker in “The Dark Knight” was all anyone interested in the latest Batman installment could talk about. Now that he’s gone, Ledger’s last complete performance reminds audiences everywhere of an amazing talent lost too soon.

The critical and fan response to “The Dark Knight” has been overwhelming, and almost everyone has been blown away by Ledger’s performance. He shines in the kind of big-budget summer event film in which most actors have a difficult time standing out. He delves into The Joker and brings out a deeply psychopathic character who laughs at chaos and enjoys playing deadly mind games with everyone he meets.

Every time Ledger is onscreen the audience can’t take their eyes off him, and every time he’s not they can’t wait to see more of him. With a knockout performance like this one, there is only one thing left to speculate: Does Ledger’s Joker have what it takes to earn him a posthumous Oscar nomination?

Only six actors have been nominated for Oscars after their deaths: Jeanne Eagels for 1929’s “The Letter,” James Dean for 1955’s “East of Eden” and 1956’s “Giant,” Spencer Tracy for 1967’s “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” Peter Finch for 1976’s “Network,” Ralph Richardson for 1984’s “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes” and Massimo Troisi for 1995’s “The Postman.” Finch was the only one to actually win the Oscar posthumously.

The general consensus among critics seems to be that Ledger will likely earn a nomination for best supporting actor, but his chances of winning are less certain. Since only one actor has ever won the award after his death, it’s clear that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is reluctant to award deceased performers. Combine that with the Academy’s history of rarely honoring portrayals of villains, much less action villains, and Ledger’s chances of winning might be slim.

Then there are those who say the recent Oscar talk is because Ledger’s death is still fresh in everyone’s minds and that people just want to honor his life in any way they can. But when watching Ledger’s mesmerizing performance, one completely forgets that Ledger is dead. In fact, one completely disconnects the idea that it is Ledger onscreen. He is so completely immersed in his role that he simply is The Joker.

Will Ledger actually win the Oscar? Probably not. Will he get a nomination? Most likely. Does he deserve it? Absolutely.

All this talk about Ledger’s Oscar potential isn’t about honoring the dead. It’s about honoring a man who puts such outstanding effort into his role, who has the uncanny ability to be both comical and utterly chilling with every word he speaks and every movement he makes, that he gives one of the most incredible performances to ever grace the screen.