06-05-2025
Magda Szubanski sets the record straight after viral Heath Ledger moment causes controversy online
Magda Szubanski has opened up over a decades-old viral red carpet moment with Heath Ledger.
The comedian, 64, took to X this week to reflect on an impromptu red carpet meeting with The Dark Knight actor.
Heath, who died in 2008, was being interviewed on the red carpet at the 2006 AFI Awards.
Magda, who was in character as Sharon Strzelecki from the hit ABC comedy Kath & Kim, approached Heath mid-interview, before he spontaneously planted a long smooch on her lips.
The impromptu moment, which went viral at the time, left Sharon red-faced and screaming on the red carpet.
Magda reshared a post that featured the now-iconic clip, with the comment: 'Never forget the time Heath Ledger made a fan's day unforgettable.'
The Babe actor was quick to set the record straight that it was no mere 'fan' that secured some rare lip time with the Oscar winner.
'I don't know how many times I have to correct the record and tell people it's not some rando fan!!'she wrote
'It's me as my character Sharon Strzelecki from Aussie sitcom Kath and Kim!! That said, Heath had no idea 'Sharon' was gonna scream like that and he responded like a true Sharon fan. He pashed her!
Magda's fans were quick to share there thoughts on the incident, with one offering: 'That will go down in history as one of the funniest moments on tv.'
Another summed up the sentiment of many with: 'It's a testament to how good a performance you gave as a fan that people believe it.'
It comes after Madga gave some more insight into the incident back in 2023, answering a fan on X who asked if the meeting was staged.
'Nup! Heath had NO idea! But he was such a brilliant actor he improvised spectacularly!!' she replied.
The interaction between the two inspired Heath to pitch a Kath & Kim storyline that sadly never came to pass.
The actress told TV Week that Heath nearly played a stalker in pursuit of her iconic Sharon Strzelecki character on the ABC comedy series.
The guest role was first discussed in 2006, just two years before the Oscar winning actor's tragic death.
The day after their red carpet smooch, the Two Hands star rang Magda with a proposal.
'He'd had so much fun that he wanted to discuss a storyline for Kath & Kim, where he would become Sharon's stalker,' said the three-time Logie winner.
Just two years later in 2008, the Perth-born star tragically died following a drug overdose.
'It would have been so great if he'd been in the show,' lamented Magda.
Heath died in a New York City apartment on January 22, 2008, after accidentally overdosing following months of physical and mental exhaustion.
The Dark Knight actor died aged 28 after taking a fatal cocktail of drugs, leaving behind his daughter, who was two years old at the time.
Michelle Williams, who was in a relationship with Heath from 2004 to 2007 after meeting on set of Brokeback Mountain, decided to raise Matilda away from the spotlight.
Magda starred as the unlucky in love Sharon in the ABC hit comedy Kath & Kim from 2002to 2005 and subsequently on Channel 7 in 2007 and 2022.
The sitcom, which also starred Jane Turner, Gina Riley, Glenn Robbins and Peter Rowsthorn, went on to become one of Australia's most beloved comedies.
The hit comedy also boasted a litany of high-profile guest stars including Kylie Minogue, Little Britain's Matt Lucas, Eric Bana, and cricket icon Shane Warne.
