Michelle Williams
(9 September 1980, Kalispell, Montana, USA)
“It’s the woman/child thing that I’ve got going on inside my head, I
have always felt older than I am and most of my friends are considerably
older than me. I just never related to kids my own age.”
Lovely and gifted Michelle Williams had her 32nd birthday 2 days ago. She started out in popular series about teenagers Dawson's Creek, (wait, wait, apparently her first gig ever was an appearance on Baywatch) then slowly made her way through movies - some of them average, some awful - until she finally got her big break with her wonderful work in Brokeback Mountain. She played sweet and naive Alma who finds out that her husband is gay. Williams played her character with so much conviction that it only added to the magnitude of impossible situation her character found herself in - as an obstacle for the true love of the protagonists you are supposed to dislike and as concerned mother you're supposed to feel for. That performance won her Academy Award nomination.
It's on the set of this film where she met Heath Ledger, with whom she started a relationship, which to this day seem to be one of the reasons for her popularity in gossip magazines. But all of that aside, Williams is one of the most talented actresses working today - even in lesser films like My Week with Marilyn or just short appearances like in I'm Not There she manages to create something amazing.
Williams went on to star in many ambitious projects including Synecdoche, New York where she starred with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Samantha Morton, low budget indie movies like Mammoth and Take this Waltz and films that earned her two more Oscar nominations - Blue Valentine, where she played the character I truly hated with every fiber of my being - spoiled, selfish Cindy - so well it now ranks as my favorite performance of hers - and My Week with Marilyn, where she managed to create amazing performance in a very average movie. While she isn't reliable yet - her work in Synecdoche was forgettable at best and what she did in Shutter Island bordered on laughable - she is capable of delivering very interesting performances of complex women with faces of angels and many demons hiding inside them.
Favorite films:
Brokeback Mountain
Synecdoche, New York
I'm Not There
Blue Valentine
The Station Agent
Favorite performances:
Blue Valentine
Brokeback Mountain
My Week with Marilyn
Wendy and Lucy
I'm Not There
5 fun facts
- Dated Conor Oberst. Some songs for his band Bright Eyes are about her.
- Was roommates with Christina Ricci whilst filming Prozac Nation with her.
- Is of Norwegian decent.
- Katharine Hepburn is one of her favorite actresses.
- Collects rare books. Owns a first edition of The Great Gatsby amongst others.
RELATED POSTS:
I've started to really like her. She's captivating and a fine actress.
ReplyDeleteShe really is, can't wait to see what she does after Oz movie.
DeleteI think Michelle Williams has really bloomed as an actress. Before Brokeback Mountain, I never gave her a second thought. Now I think she's one of the best out there. Plus she's so stunning.
ReplyDeleteShe is very pretty! Yep, BM was her true big break, she was incredible in that role and she only keeps getting better!
DeleteNot so long ago I saw My Week with Marilyn , and while I don't think she looks like MM, she definitely gave a good performance. It's tough to match the magic of the real Marilyn Monroe, and I think whoever it was that portrayed her would fall a bit short.
ReplyDeleteI like Michelle Williams' career choices so far, however I'm a bit worried the path she is taking with blockbuster Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013)
I thought she looked very much like her in many scenes, though Monroe has such famous looking face and trademarks it's easy to see her when looking at someone with her hairdo and the beauty mark.
DeleteI think she may be doing that one for her daughter - I don't think she has starred in anything appropriate for kids lately.
I quite like her as an actress. Loved her performance in Shutter Island, but I can see how it might not resonate with everybody. Have you seen Meek's Cutoff? She's great in that as well.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen that one yet, but I plan to soon, heard good things about her work there!
DeleteHave you seen her in the 1999 comedy "Dick" with Kirsten Dunst? She's hilarious in that movie!
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen it, but I'm adding it to my watchlist!
DeleteI still got to watch My Week with Marilyn and Wendy Lucy, it looks like she did an awesome job in both. She's always so cute and honest and vulnerable, I really like seeing her on screen. Plus, I love her style in I'm Not There, so cool.
ReplyDeleteLoved her brief work and the way she looked in I'm not There - so gorgeous! Both films you haven't seen are worth watching for Michelle, though Wendy and Lucy is a better movie.
DeleteMichelle Williams is already among one of my favorite actresses working today. Who would've thought of all the people from Dawson's Creek that she would be the one to have all of the talent?
ReplyDeleteMy favorite performance of her so far is Wendy and Lucy. It's really a performance for the ages as she doesn't try to ugly herself up while just being very real. I also love her in Dick, she is so funny. A young girl falling for Richard Nixon and singing "I Honestly Love You" on his tape recorder.
I really need to see Dick :) Loved Wendy and Lucy, I'm also admiring the fact she frequently looks very real and natural and her nude scenes always feel like that too, she is quite brave doing that.
DeleteWOW, that main picture of her is gorgeous! I've always liked her and her performance as Marilyn was really good. She's got screen charisma, for sure. It's amazing how she got her start along with Katie Holmes in Dawson's Creek, but how different their careers have been. Boy, I REALLY need to check out I'm Not There soon. Btw, I tend to like actresses with short, pixie hair as I've always had short hair myself (you too right Sati?) and Michelle definitely pulls off the look beautifully.
ReplyDeleteYep, that pic is something, isn't it? :)
DeleteHolmes isn't this talented plus it's a miracle scientologist let her out of the basement to act lately, shame about her, though after her work in Batman Begins I'm not sure if she even has much talent...
Yep I have short hair, used to have really long hair but they annoyed me so I cut them :) Michelle looks wonderful with that hairstyle!
As you know, I really like her. She is gorgeous. As much as I like Shutter Island, I agree her work there was far from memorable. But with a string of great performances in Brokeback Mountain, Blue Valentine, Meek's Cutoff, My Week With Marilyn and Take This Waltz she is fast becoming one of my favorite, and most versatile, actresses. I had no idea she was in The Station Agent and it was a great thrill to see her pop up. Lovely post.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I really need to see Take This Waltz, was planning on doing so for a while. Meek's Cutoff is on my watchlist too.
DeleteHer talent never ceases to amaze me.
ReplyDeleteI hope she will be enough to redeem the cartoonish Oz :)
DeleteShe was in Baywatch? Have only seen a few of her work, but she is very talented. She seems to be really good friends with Busy Philipps... she brings her to all the awards shows.
ReplyDeleteReally? Didn't know that. Yep, she was in one episode :)
DeleteShe really blew me away with Blue Valentine. Love her! Really need to see some of her other movies like Wendy and Lucy and Meek's Cutoff.
ReplyDeleteShe was amazing in Blue Valentine, though Gosling's work was better in that one, at least for me.
DeleteI must admit I have only seen Blue Valtentine and she was stunning in that, a hard role to play.
ReplyDeleteGreat article matey
You should definetly see Brokeback Mountain!
DeleteI love Michelle Williams. Didn't know that she appeared in Baywatch. I watched her in Dawson's Creek, never occur to me that she would be the most successful actor from all 4 lead characters (esp. Katie Holmes was there). I love her the most in Blue Valentine, and My Week With Marilyn. Have you seen Me Without You? She was great in there too.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, as usual! And congrats for passing your exam!
Haven't seen this one, will check it out for sure! I haven't seen many of her films, especially the ones she made before Brokeback.
DeleteThank you so much!
Michelle Williams was the BEST thing about Dawson's Creek! I can't tell you how much I cried when Jen died! One of the most heart wrenching things I have seen on TV. All down to a very talented, young, Michelle Williams.
ReplyDeleteI agree, she was defiently the best thing about that series!
DeleteI am a big, big fan of Michelle Williams. She may be my favorite actress working today. I especially enjoyed her work this year in Take This Waltz, a far too underrated film.
ReplyDeleteI really need to watch this one!
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