Heath Ledger HLedgerHonored200.jpgHeath Ledger's final performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" has been honored by the Australian Film Institute.

Ledger's family accepted the posthumous best actor award in a ceremony on Saturday in Melbourne, according to the Associated Press.

The Australian Film Institute said: "It was this swaggering, psychopathic clown that turned his career into a legacy and the name Heath Ledger into an ongoing inspiration for actors everywhere."

Many critics believe Ledger's performance has a solid chance to garner a posthumous Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor.