Heath Ledger's family attends The Dark Knight premiere

Washington (ANI): Late actor Heath Ledger's family was spotted attending the premiere of his movie The Dark Knight in New York on July 14. Attending the show was Kim Ledger and his wife Ines, Heath's stepmother, who bypassed the red carpet and ducked into the theatre to watch his late son play The Joker in the latest Batman film.

Heath's mother Sally Bell and her husband, and Heath's older sister, Kate were also present at the premiere. At the end of the show, his father Kim was asked how it felt to attend, and he responded with the thumbs-up, and also told reporters it was "very good." Heath Ledger's co-stars, meanwhile, used the occasion to pay tribute to him.

"Working with Heath was fantastic," People magazine quoted Christian Bale, 34, as saying. "He steals the movie and I'm quite happy to say that. He's a hell of a talent and created a joker that's very iconic and one that will become a classic portrayal of the ages," he said. Michael Caine, 75, who plays butler Alfred Pennyworth in the film, which opens July 18, noted the "intensity and ferocity of the performance."

"But when we were sitting down between takes, he was completely ordinary," Caine stated. "He wasn't preparing himself or saying 'Please leave me alone, I've gotta do this.' Instead he was talking to me. "We would sit and chat and have a cup of coffee, then suddenly they''d say, 'We're ready, Heath,' and he'd go straight into The Joker," Caine said.

"His energy was astonishing, especially when it came from this kind of calm. He's certainly the best villain I've ever seen," he added. Ledger, who died of an accidental prescription-drug overdose on Jan. 22 has garnered Oscar buzz for his role as the smiley yet sinister Joker.