Christopher Nolan remembered his late friend Heath Ledger while accepting his first-ever Golden Globes win.

CBS

During Sunday's 2024 awards show, Nolan won Best Director of a Motion Picture for Oppenheimer. This was his first win after being nominated six times.

"The only time I've ever been on this stage before was accepting one of these on behalf of our dear friend Heath Ledger, and that was complicated and challenging for me," Nolan said during his speech. "And in the middle of speaking, I glanced up and Robert Downey Jr. caught my eye and gave me a look of love and support — the same look he's giving me now, the same love and support he's shown so many people in our community over so many years. I thought it would be simpler accepting for myself, but as a director, of course, as I stand here, I suddenly realize I can only accept this on behalf of people. As directors, we bring people together and try to get them to give their best."

Nolan went on to thank his Oppenheimer stars Downey Jr, Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh and Emily Blunt, as well as "the incredible work of our amazing crew."

In 2009, Ledger posthumously won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes for his portrayal of The Joker in Nolan's The Dark Knight. Ledger’s family accepted the award on the late actor’s behalf in a highly emotional moment.

Check out more from EW's The Awardist, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and our podcast diving into all the highlights from the year's best in TV.

Related content: