Which actor or actress has won an Oscar after their death?

Answer 1

Heath Ledger won the Best Supoorting Actor Award for his portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight (2008).

Peter Finch is the only posthumous winner of the Best Actor award, though he was alive when his nomination was announced (the only other posthumous winner in any acting category was another Australian, Heath Ledger, who won the Best Supporting Actor award in 2009). The only posthumously nominated performers in this category were James Dean, Spencer Tracy, and Massimo Troisi. Dean was posthumously nominated twice.

Answer 2

James Dean is the only actor nominated for 2 Oscars after his death. He was nominated two years in a row, but did not win, for Best Actor in East of Eden (1955) and Giant(1956).

Answer 3

Heath Ledger won the Oscar for "Best supporting actor" at the 2009 Academy Awards for his portrayal of "The Joker" in "The Dark Knight".

Another View:

Heath Ledger won Best Supporting Actor for The Dark Knight at the 2009 Academy Awards. The award was won posthumously and his family accepted on his behalf. This was his second Oscar nomination and first win. His first nomination was for his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain. He also won the Best Supporting Actor Award at 19 more awards ceremonies for his roll as the Joker Including The Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Jack Nicholson was cast in the role of the Joker in the original Batman in 1989. He was nominated for awards from various award ceremonies including the Golden Globes but none from the Academy Awards.

Answer 4

Peter Finch (Network, 1976) and Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight, 2008)