Jake Gyllenhaal Plays An Important Role In Heath Ledger's Daughter Matilda's Life

Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams asked Jake Gyllenhaal to be their child's godfather, a role he gladly accepted. "Heath and I are best friends now, making the film was very intense for us. I'm actually godfather to Heath's daughter, Matilda, which is an amazing honor," he once said. Following Ledger's death, Gyllenhaal promptly flew to New York to help out Williams and Matilda, who was 2 at the time.

Matilda wasn't just close with Jake, but with the whole Gyllenhaal family, too. His sister, Maggie, worked with Ledger on Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" in 2008, at a time when she also had a toddler daughter. Born a year after Matilda, Ramona and Ledger's girl spent a good amount of time on-set playing together along with Nolan's children.  

Gyllenhaal shares the honor of helping Williams raise Matilda with Busy Philipps, who has been one of Williams's closest friends since they co-starred in "Dawson's Creek" in the early aughts. Philipps showed her affection for her goddaughter publicly during the final episode of her show "Busy Tonight" in 2019, which featured Williams and other of Philipps's close friends, Entertainment Tonight reported. Williams made the choice to be there to support her friend even if it meant missing part of her daughter's school play. "I love you," Philipps said while hugging Williams. "Matilda, I love you so much, my little buddy."

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