Heath Ledger He's gone but not forgotten...

That was the message conveyed about Heath Ledger at the 2009 Golden Globe awards.

The actor was awarded a posthumous gong for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight.

It's almost a year to the day since Heath was found dead on the 22nd January in his New York apartment, following an accidental overdose.

Last night was a time to remember, as the 28-year-old actor, who many felt was at the peak of his career at the time of his death, was honoured with the title of best supporting actor for the Batman blockbuster.

It was clearly an emotional moment at the Los Angeles auditorium as the announcement was made.Christopher Nolan accepting the gong on Heath's behalf

Collecting the award on Heath's behalf, Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan said:

"He will be eternally missed, but he will never be forgotten."

He said the triumph came with "an awful mixture of sadness but incredible pride", adding that Heath's death represented "a hole ripped in the history of cinema".

As well as being an important tribute, Heath's win at the Golden Globes also increases the likelihood of him being nominated for an Oscar, the balloting process for which closes today.

To get more Golden Globes news see our movies website.