Serious contender?

Not the sunniest subject, but an interesting one nonetheless.

Could Heath Ledger be nominated posthumously for an Oscar for his role as The Joker in "The Dark Knight?" Filmmaker Christopher Nolan, who also directed the successful restart of the franchise with "Batman Begins," has raved about Ledger's inhabitation of the demented Joker character, and Ledger himself, in the weeks before his untimely death, reported loving the role despite the emotional toll it took on him.

Gold Derby's Tom O'Neil gives us the history and some insight into such a possibility. And while it's not unprecedented, it's not likely. No matter how iconic and memorable the performance, it rarely sways the Academy voters, who denied Oscars to James Dean twice (for "East of Eden" and "Giant") though he'd been posthumously nominated for both films.

The only actor to ever win posthumously: Peter Finch for "Network."