Heath Ledger Scholarship Backed by Star-Studded Group

The Heath Ledger Scholarship, which is run by the L.A. based non-profit Australians in Film, has received support from notable Australian talent like Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, and Hugh Jackman, reports People. (Yes, the sexiest man also has a heart. Squeeee!)

The $10,000 scholarship will allow one emerging Australian actor to pursue a career in the United States. Australians in Film board vice president Paula Paizes stated that “[AIF] received a staggering number of applications, and the caliber of applicants is extremely high. My fellow judges and I have our work cut out for us over the coming month.”

Michelle Williams is also a benefactor of the fund, which was conceived to honor the memory of Heath Ledger. In addition to this notable dedication supported by colleagues and friends, Christian Bale honored Ledger while on the podium of the People’s Choice Awards just yesterday, saying “On behalf of all of the cast from the movie, thank you very much to the fans. Here’s to Heath.” The Dark Knight scooped up all five awards for which it was nominated, including Favorite Superhero, Favorite Onscreen Match-Up (Bale and Ledger), Favorite Cast, Favorite Movie, and Favorite Action Movie.