Joaquin Phoenix Honors Late Heath Ledger With SAG Awards Win: ‘I’m Standing Here On [His] Shoulders’

Joaquin Phoenix used his big moment at the SAG Awards to shine a spotlight on a legendary former Joker portrayer. The “Joker” actor took home the trophy for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and honored Heath Ledger in his acceptance speech. “Really, I’m standing here on the shoulders of my favorite actor, Heath Ledger,” he told the crowd. Heath famously portrayed the comic book villain in one of his final roles before his death and won many posthumous awards for his performance, including the 2009 SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role.