What happens when a winner is not present at the Academy Awards ceremony?
When a winner is not present at the Academy Awards ceremony, the
presenters usually make note of the fact and offer congratulations
.In the case of a major award, a family member or friend will
accept the award on behalf of the absentee winner. At the 81st
Academy Awards in 2009, the late Heath Ledger's parents and sister
accepted his 2008 Best Supporting Actor Oscar for "The Dark Knight"
on behalf of his three-year-old daughter Matilda Rose.