Heath Ledger scholarship winner James Mackay, Rescue: Special Ops Scholarship winner James Mackay and Kim Ledger, Heath's father. Photo: Michelle Day Returning to Los Angeles, the town that catapulted Australian actor Heath Ledger to international stardom, is not always an easy journey for his father Kim to make. "To come back without him, with him not being here, is a little hard, because when I'm on the plane and I look over [the city] and I remember, it was always such a joy to be here," he said. He is my only son, so it's pretty tough. Mr Ledger has returned to Los Angeles this week as an ambassador for Australians in Film, the LA-based industry body which now awards the Heath Ledger Scholarship Award annually in his son's name. Ledger died in 2008. "We always felt when we came into LA, this was his city," Mr Ledger said. He owned LA - not in a precocious way, but he was so comfortable here. He loved the lifestyle and the people, he loved everything about it. He was comfortable in his own skin here. The 2013 recipient of the scholarship, 28-year-old actor James Mackay, was named by Mr Ledger at a gala dinner at a private home in LA's Hollywood Hills. Mackay is not yet a household name, but he graduated from the West Australian Academy of the Performing Arts (WAAPA), the prestigious acting school in Ledger's hometown, Perth. His television credits include Rescue: Special Ops and The Straits. He has also filmed a role in the upcoming film Singularity, with Josh Hartnett. "I trained in [Heath's] hometown: a lot of people we worked with as students had known him," Mackay told Fairfax Media. [To us] his career is iconic in terms of what can be achieved. "Heath was the quintessential leading man with the career of a character actor, and that's a dream - that's the kind of career I aspire to and I am not alone in that," Mackay said. Mackay is the scholarship's 5th recipient. The previous recipients are Oliver Ackland (2009), Bella Heathcote (2010), Ryan Corr (2011) and Anna McGahan (2012). Mr Ledger says it took him several years to fully realise the impact of the scholarship. "It is something which mirrors Heath's own life, his ethos and his generosity, carrying his mates along with him, helping someone, giving someone accommodation, whatever," he said. The scholarship includes a return airfare to Los Angeles, a one-year acting course at the Stella Adler Academy, a "VIP casting package" and $10,000 cash. It is intended to give an emerging Australian talent the best chance of success in Hollywood. Mackay was chosen from 15 finalists, including Elizabeth Blackmore (Home and Away), Laura Brent (Wild Boys), David Coussins (Winners and Losers, Woodley), Ashleigh Cummings (Puberty Blues), Andrew Lees (Rescue: Special Ops) and Alex Williams (Underground). The two runners-up, Georgia Flood (Went-worth, House Hus-bands) and Will Howarth (Home and Away), each receive an airfare to Los Angeles and a "VIP casting package." Mackay said he was elated with the award. It's a validation that you're on the right path, and it's thrilling beyond belief, but also very sobering. The significance is huge, the real scale of it has only begun to sink in since I've been over here [in LA]," he said. I want to do something good with it, and return that expression of trust by taking some good, strong steps with it.