Aussie star sets the record straight as infamous viral video resurfaces

Almost 20 years on, this wild red carpet moment is still causing controversy – so the star in question has stepped in to set the record straight.

Australian comedy legend Magda Szubanski has set the record straight about a viral video of her circulating online that’s so far amassed more than five million views – and some controversy.

The video in question dates back to the 2006 AFI Awards, and it features late Aussie actor Heath Ledger being interviewed on the red carpet when the camera pulls back to reveal one particular worker at the event: Szubanski, dressed as her iconic Kath and Kim character Sharon Strzelecki.

Magda-as-Sharon immediately loses it over the sighting of the twenty-something heart throb, and Ledger ups the ante by rushing over to plant a giant, prolonged kiss on her.

Heath Ledger on the red carpet at the 2006 AFI Awards.

Heath goes in for the pash.

As the short clip finishes, an overwhelmed Sharon has collapsed face down on the red carpet.

“Never forget the time Heath Ledger made a fan’s day unforgettable,” X account @cinesthetic captioned the video in a post shared Friday.

There was no mention of the identity of the “fan” or the fact Ledger was gamely participating in a live comedy skit for laughs.

Magda waded in to set the record straight as the red carpet moment recirculated. Picture: Fiona Hamilton

Some replied to the video to provide that much-needed context, but others outside of the reach of Kath and Kim’s primarily Aussie fanbase voiced their concerns about Ledger’s seemingly forceful behaviour to the “fan.”

“This type of reaction should be discouraged,” one person commented under the clip.

“Woah that’s assault brotha!” wrote another.

“Never forget the time Heath Ledger sexually assaulted a fan,” wrote another.

On the same night, Ledger copped another kiss from Magda and Dannii Minogue.

Enter Szubanski herself – who pointed out that this isn’t the first time she’s had to step in and provide some context for the video.

“I don’t know how many times I have to correct the record and tell people it’s not some rando fan!! It’s me, Magda Szubanksi, as my character Sharon Strzelecki from Aussie sitcom Kath and Kim!” she wrote.

“That said, Heath had no idea ‘Sharon’ was gonna scream like that and he responded like a true Sharon fan. He pashed her!”

And Szubanski (still in character as Sharon) was on hand later in the same award show to present Ledger with a Reader’s Choice award, “pash rash” dutifully applied as she bragged about their earlier red carpet encounter – and Ledger this time giving her a peck on the cheek as he accepted the gong.

Having set the record straight once more, Szubanski finished her social media update with a simple send-off remembering “beautiful Heath,” who died in early 2008 aged just 28, barely a year after their AFI Awards encounter.

Originally published as Aussie star sets the record straight as infamous viral video resurfaces