It is truly amazing to see how much Heath Ledger touched people’s lives. Most of the time after a celebrity dies, people stop mentioning them after a month or two. But five months after Ledger’s untimely death, he is still very much in the news – especially with the release of The Dark Knight, for which Ledger has earned a good deal of Oscar buzz.

Heath was honored by his hometown of Perth, Australia today. The city chose to name their new $87 million theater after Ledger.

The Australian hometown of the late actor Heath Ledger named a theater in his honor Tuesday for his commitment to acting.

The $87 million, 575-seat Heath Ledger Theater in Perth is a fitting tribute because Ledger was always supportive of other young actors, Western Australia state Premier Alan Carpenter said at a naming ceremony.

“Heath Ledger was totally dedicated to the craft of being an actor and that’s what made him successful,” Carpenter said. “I think what we’re doing is continuing that support for young people who want to make a career in the arts and acting, stage and in film, whatever it happens to be.”

Kim Ledger, the actor’s father, called the tribute a pleasant surprise. “He was such a giver to the arts right across the board. I really feel that there’s not a lot of things he’d put his name to, but he’d put his name to that,” said Kim Ledger, who attended Tuesday’s ceremony.

[From the Huffington Post]

I think that’s a truly beautiful tribute to Ledger’s memory. And very fitting. There was so much inappropriate speculation after he died, and it is nice to know that he will ultimately be remembered and honored in a decent way.