Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger had been nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in Brokeback Mountain (2005), but the honor went to Philip Seymour Hoffman. For his work in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight (2008), Ledger locked himself in a hotel room, reading comic books about the character and working on a recognizable voice The Joker would use. His effort in the film was not overlooked and in 2009 he was posthumously awarded an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Only 28 at the time of his death, Ledger became one of the youngest actors to win the award. Nolan accepted the award on Ledger's behalf.