Heath Ledger's Daughter Matilda Is Taking a Year Off Before College to Spend Time With Late Father's Family in Australia

Matilda Ledger grew up away from the spotlight for a majority of her life. She was only 2-years-old when her father, Heath Ledger, tragically passed away from an accidental prescription drug overdose in January 2008, and her mother, Michelle Williams, whisked her away to live a quieter life in New York.

Now that the Dark Knight actor's only daughter is nearing adulthood, a source spilled she hopes to get to know her late father better through spending time with his side of the family.

"Matilda just graduated high school and plans to take a year off before going to college," the source explained. "She’s heading to Australia to spend time with her grandparents and Heath’s three sisters to really immerse herself in her father’s history and how he grew up."

This reportedly came as a relief to Michelle, who's been "dedicated to making Heath feel alive to Matilda" throughout her life.

"Michelle shares stories about his life and their time together," the source added. "Matilda is wrapped in a lot of love from Heath’s friends and family. It’s been making the best of a tragic situation."

Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!

Despite the fact that she never got the chance to have a relationship with her father after his heartbreaking death, Heath's father, Kim, gushed that Matilda shares an "enormous number" of the Brokeback Mountain star's mannerisms.

"She’s very inquisitive, she’s got his energy… 'cause Heath never slept from when he was two and Matilda’s like that," Kim said in a 2015 chat for Channel Ten’s The Project. "I mean, she’s just got this ball of energy and she radiates this little aura, Heath was kind of like that. So it’s fabulous really."