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Rex Features
Australian actor Oliver Ackland beat 150 applicants to win the award at a ceremony in Los Angeles last night.
Accepting his prize, Ackland admitted that he felt "surreal", adding that he had entered the competition "an hour before the entries closed" not expecting to be successful.
The scholarship, which was backed by Ledger's ex-girlfriend Naomi Watts and fellow Aussie Nicole Kidman, was designed to help struggling Australian actors make their mark on Hollywood. The prize package included $10,000 and fully-paid flights between Australia and the US.
Famous faces on the judging panel included Brothers & Sisters star Rachel Griffiths and Ledger's Ned Kelly director Gregor Jordan.
Speaking to People, Jordan said: "[Ackland is] a great actor and he's really likeable... He's got [a sort of] Jude Law look. Maybe he's an Aussie Jude Law, who knows?"
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