Heath Ledger's family is "overjoyed" by his Golden Globe win...

I watched Maggie Gyllenhaal being interviewed on the red carpet before the Golden Globes began on Sunday and when she was asked about her "The Dark Knight" co-star Heath Ledger, she talked about his wonderful performance as The Joker in the film then added thatit was all just "so sad."

That bittersweet feeling continued a short time later when Ledger's name was announced as the winner of the best supporting actor prize. He's now the Oscar front-runner and it is damned sad that he is not alive to be able to bask in all of this. He should have won the Oscar as the tortued gay man in "Brokeback Mountain" in a performance for the ages. But it didn't happen and now all of this comes as he is gone.

Director Christopher Nolan accepted the Globe for Ledger as he did the Critics Choice Award a few days earlier. "On behalf of all of us who worked with Heath on Dark Knight, I accept this with mix of sadness and incredible pride," said Nolan. "He will be eternally missed but he will never be forgotten."

Ledger's family was contacted by People.com and his father, Kim Ledger, had this to say: "We are overjoyed for him," his said of his son's win: "It's wonderful."

Ledger, of Perth, Western Australia, cited personal reasons for not making it to the ceremony held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

People also quotes Ledger's co-star Aaron Eckhart: "Just that we're talking about him, remembering him, we're showcasing his talent and him as a human being, is very important to me. For us - everyone in The Dark Knight - this is all for Heath."

"I get the chills every so often talking about him," added Eckhart. "I knew Heath as an actor. I felt his spirit and I admired him."

Heath Ledger, 28, was found dead in a New York apartment nearly a year ago of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.