Michelle Williams on screen and stage

Last updated

Williams at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con Michelle Williams by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Williams at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con

American actress Michelle Williams' first screen appearance was at age thirteen in a 1993 episode of the television series Baywatch , and she made her film debut as the love interest of a teenage boy in Lassie (1994). [1] [2] She had guest roles in the sitcoms Step by Step and Home Improvement , and played the younger version of Natasha Henstridge's character in the science fiction film Species (1995). [3] [4] Greater success came to Williams for playing the sexually troubled teenager Jen Lindley in the teen drama series Dawson's Creek (1998–2003). [1] [3] In 1999, she made her stage debut with the Tracy Letts-written play Killer Joe . [1]

Contents

In the 2000s, Williams eschewed parts in big-budget films in favor of roles with darker themes in independent productions such as Me Without You (2001) and The Station Agent (2003). [5] [6] Despite positive reviews, these films were not widely seen. [7] [8] This changed in 2005 when Williams played the neglected wife of Heath Ledger's character in Brokeback Mountain , a drama about star-crossed gay lovers, which became a critical and commercial success; Williams gained a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. [9] [10] [11] Her career did not progress much in the next few years, but Kelly Reichardt's Wendy and Lucy (2008), in which she starred as a drifter searching for her missing dog, was critically acclaimed. [7] [8] [12] Martin Scorsese's thriller Shutter Island (2010), starring Leonardo DiCaprio, in which Williams had a supporting part, became her most widely seen film to that point. [8] [11]

Williams received two consecutive Oscar nominations for Best Actress for starring as an unhappily married woman in Blue Valentine (2010) and Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn (2011); she also won a Golden Globe Award for the latter. [13] [14] [15] She next played Glinda in the commercially successful fantasy feature Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). [16] [17] On Broadway, she played Sally Bowles in a revival of the musical Cabaret in 2014, and a sexual abuse survivor in a revival of the play Blackbird in 2016. [18] For the latter, she gained a Tony Award for Best Actress nomination. [19] She earned another Academy Award nomination for playing a grieving mother in Manchester by the Sea (2016). [20] The 2017 musical The Greatest Showman and the 2018 superhero film Venom emerged as two of her highest-grossing releases. [8] [21] She returned to television in 2019 to portray Gwen Verdon opposite Sam Rockwell's Bob Fosse in the FX miniseries Fosse/Verdon , winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actress. [22] [23] Williams received her fifth Oscar nomination for starring as a troubled mother in Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical drama The Fabelmans (2022). [24]

Film

Key
†Denotes films that have not yet been released
YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1994 Lassie April Porter [2]
1995 Timemaster Annie [25]
Species Young Sil [26]
1997 A Thousand Acres Pammy [27]
1998 Halloween H20: 20 Years Later Molly Cartwell [28]
1999 Dick Arlene Lorenzo [29]
But I'm a Cheerleader Kimberly [30]
2001 Perfume Halley [31]
Me Without You Holly [6]
Prozac Nation Ruby [32]
2003 The United States of Leland Julie Pollard [33]
The Station Agent Emily [34]
2004 Land of Plenty Lana [35]
Imaginary Heroes Penny Travis [36]
A Hole in One Anna Watson [37]
2005 The Baxter Cecil Mills [38]
Brokeback Mountain Alma Beers del Mar [39]
2006 The Hawk Is Dying Betty [40]
The Hottest State Samantha [41]
2007 I'm Not There Coco Rivington [42]
2008 Deception S [43]
Incendiary Young mother [44]
Synecdoche, New York Claire [45]
Wendy and Lucy Wendy Carrol [46]
2009 Mammoth Ellen Vidales [47]
2010 Blue Valentine CindyAlso executive producer [14]
Shutter Island Dolores Chanal [48]
Meek's Cutoff Emily Tetherow [49]
2011 My Week with Marilyn Marilyn Monroe [15]
Take This Waltz Margot [50]
2012Ben Lee: Catch My DiseaseHerselfDocumentary film
2013 Oz the Great and Powerful Annie / Glinda [a] [52]
2015 Suite Française Lucille Angellier [53]
2016 Manchester by the Sea Randi [54]
Certain Women Gina Lewis [55]
Project XHerselfVoice; Short film
2017 Wonderstruck Elaine [56]
The Greatest Showman Charity Barnum [57]
All the Money in the World Gail Harris [58]
2018 I Feel Pretty Avery LeClaire [59]
Venom Anne Weying [60]
2019 After the Wedding Isabel Andersen [61]
2020That ClickHerselfDocumentary film
2021 Venom: Let There Be Carnage Anne Weying [62]
2022 Showing Up Lizzie Carr [63]
The Fabelmans Mitzi Fabelman [64]
2023 Deep Sky NarratorDocumentary film [65]
TBA A Place in Hell Filming [66]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1993 Baywatch BridgetEpisode: "Race Against Time: Part 1" [67]
1994 Step by Step J.J.Episode: "Something Wild" [68]
1995 Home Improvement Jessica LutzEpisode: "Wilson's Girlfriend" [69]
Raising CainesTrish CainesMain role; season 1 [70]
1996My Son Is InnocentDonna WinstonTelevision film [71]
1997 Killing Mr. Griffin Maya [72]
1998–2003 Dawson's Creek Jen Lindley Main role; 6 seasons [73]
2000 If These Walls Could Talk 2 LindaTelevision film [74]
2013 Cougar Town Laurie's foster sisterEpisode: "Blue Sunday" [75] [76]
2019 Fosse/Verdon Gwen Verdon Miniseries; lead role and executive producer [77]
2025 Dying for Sex Molly Kochan [78]

Theater

YearTitleRoleVenueRef.
1999 Killer Joe Dottie SoHo Playhouse [79]
2002 Smelling a Rat Melanie-Jane Samuel Beckett Theatre [80]
2004 The Cherry Orchard Varya Williamstown Theatre Festival [81]
2014 Cabaret Sally Bowles Studio 54 [82]
2016 Blackbird Una Spencer Belasco Theatre [83]
2025 Anna Christie Anna Christie St. Ann's Warehouse [84]

Audiobook

YearTitleRoleRef.
2023 The Woman in Me Narrator [85]

Music video

YearTitlePerformer(s)AlbumRef.
2012"Paradise" Wild Nothing Nocturne [86]

Discography

SoundtrackYearSongLabelRef.
My Week with Marilyn 2011"When Love Goes Wrong, Nothin' Goes Right / Heat Wave" Sony Music [87]
"It's a Wrap, I Found a Dream"
"That Old Black Magic"
The Greatest Showman 2017"A Million Dreams" Atlantic Records [88]
"Tightrope"
Fosse/Verdon 2019"Razzle Dazzle" [89]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ She played a dual role in the film. [51]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Heath, Chris (January 17, 2012). "Some Like Her Hot". GQ . Archived from the original on May 13, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Crossan, Ashley (July 22, 2014). "14-Year-Old Michelle Williams is Adorable on the Set of 'Lassie'". Entertainment Tonight . Archived from the original on May 12, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Teeman, Tim (January 26, 2011). "Michelle Williams is kinda blue". The New Zealand Herald . Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  4. ↑ James, Caryn (July 7, 1995). "Film Review; Singles Bars And Single Half-Aliens". The New York Times . Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  5. ↑ Lim, Dennis (September 4, 2008). "For Michelle Williams, It's All Personal". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Holden, Stephen (July 5, 2002). "Film Review; Best Friends Who Are Also Worst Enemies Struggle in a Web of Emotions". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Michelle Williams". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Michelle Williams Movie Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on May 31, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  9. ↑ "List of Academy Award Winners and Nominees". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 19, 2015. Retrieved July 10, 2011.
  10. ↑ Tzioumakis, Yannis (2012). Hollywood's Indies: Classics Divisions, Specialty Labels, and the American Film Market. Edinburgh University Press. p. 178. ISBN   978-0-7486-4012-6. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017.
  11. 1 2 Anthony, Andrew (March 8, 2009). "'I don't want any more paparazzi outside my door'". The Guardian . Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved July 10, 2011.
  12. ↑ Knegt, Peter (December 9, 2008). ""I Think I've Come a Long Way": "Wendy and Lucy" Actress Michelle Williams". Indiewire. Archived from the original on July 10, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  13. ↑ "The 83rd Academy Awards (2011) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
    "The 84th Academy Awards (2012) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
    Kauffman, Amy (January 15, 2012). "Golden Globes: Michelle Williams best actress in comedy, musical". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  14. 1 2 Bradshaw, Peter (January 13, 2011). "Blue Valentine – review". The Guardian. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  15. 1 2 Gritten, David (November 5, 2011). "My Week with Marilyn: the true story". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on April 20, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on May 1, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  17. ↑ Miller, Julie (March 5, 2013). "How Is Michelle Williams's Glinda the Good Witch in Oz the Great and Powerful Different from Billie Burke's Classic?". Vanity Fair . Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  18. ↑ Green, Adam (February 5, 2016). "Michelle Williams and Jeff Daniels Bring Blackbird's Unsettling Seduction to Broadway". Vogue . Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  19. ↑ "See Full List of 2016 Tony Award Nominations". Playbill . May 3, 2016. Archived from the original on May 4, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  20. ↑ Pressberg, Matt (January 24, 2017). "No, Oscar Nominee Michelle Williams Still Hasn't Seen 'Manchester by the Sea'". TheWrap . Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  21. ↑ "The Greatest Showman (2017)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on August 28, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  22. ↑ Drysdale, Jennifer (February 4, 2019). "Michelle Williams on Why Return to TV in 'Fosse/Verdon' Was a 'Next-Level Degree of Difficulty'". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  23. ↑ Minutaglio, Rose (September 23, 2019). "Michelle Williams Uses Emmys Acceptance Speech To Call Out Workplace Inequality For Women Of Color". Elle. Archived from the original on September 23, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  24. ↑ "Oscar Nominations 2023: The Full List". Variety. January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Timemaster (1995)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  26. ↑ Mainon, Dominique; Ursini, James (2006). Modern Amazons: Warrior Women on Screen. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 377. ISBN   978-0-87910-327-9. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017.
  27. ↑ "A Thousand Acres (1997)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  28. ↑ Ebert, Roger (August 5, 1998). "Halloween: H20 Move Review". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Dick: Details and Credits". Metacritic. Archived from the original on July 13, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  30. ↑ Cameron-Wilson, James (December 1, 2001). Film Review 2001–2002: The Definitive Film Yearbook. Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN   9781903111253. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017.
  31. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (January 31, 2001). "Review: 'Perfume'". Variety. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  32. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (September 10, 2001). "Review: 'Prozac Nation'". Variety . Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  33. ↑ Willis, John A. (2005). John Willis' Screen World. Applause Books. p. 55. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017.
  34. ↑ Berra, John (2010). American Independent. Intellect Books. pp. 255–257. ISBN   978-1-84150-368-4. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017.
  35. ↑ Campbell, Neil (October 1, 2013). Post-Westerns. University of Nebraska Press. pp. 251–253. ISBN   978-0-8032-4827-4. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017.
  36. ↑ Gritten, David (2008). The Movies That Matter: From Bogart to Bond and All the Latest Film Releases. HarperCollins Publishers Limited. ISBN   978-0-00-727106-1. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017.
  37. ↑ "A Hole in One: Details and Credits". Metacritic. Archived from the original on October 7, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  38. ↑ Ebert, Roger (September 8, 2005). "The Baxter Move Review". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on February 11, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Brokeback Mountain (2005)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on May 16, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  40. ↑ Catsoulis, Jeannette (March 29, 2007). "Crumpled Manhood Revisited". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  41. ↑ "The Hottest State (2007)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  42. ↑ Bennett, Ray (September 2, 2007). "I'm Not There". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  43. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (April 25, 2008). "Deception". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  44. ↑ "Incendiary (2008)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  45. ↑ LaRocca, David (May 27, 2011). The Philosophy of Charlie Kaufman. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 219–222. ISBN   978-0-8131-3392-8. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017.
  46. ↑ Gilbey, Ryan (March 5, 2009). "One woman and her dog". New Statesman . Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  47. ↑ Stenport, Anna Westerståhl (August 1, 2012). Lukas Moodysson's Show Me Love. University of Washington Press. pp. 135–136. ISBN   978-0-295-80421-7.
  48. ↑ Wernblad, Annette (December 3, 2010). The Passion of Martin Scorsese: A Critical Study of the Films. McFarland. p. 219. ISBN   978-0-7864-6232-2. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017.
  49. ↑ Powers, Thomas (June 20, 2011). "In Such a Place, A Person Might Die in a Day". The New York Review of Books . Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  50. ↑ French, Philip (August 19, 2012). "Take This Waltz – review". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  51. ↑ Wickman, Kase (March 11, 2013). "7 'Wizard of Oz' Easter Eggs Hidden in 'Oz the Great and Powerful'". MTV. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  52. ↑ "Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  53. ↑ Macnab, Geoffrey (March 13, 2015). "Suite Française, film review: A romantic, but discordant, dispatch on love and war". The Independent . Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  54. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (January 23, 2016). "'Manchester by the Sea': Sundance Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  55. ↑ Springer, Alex (January 30, 2016). "Sundance Film Review: Certain Women". SLUG Magazine . Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  56. ↑ Barber, Nicholas (May 19, 2017). "Julianne Moore stars in a mystical childhood fable". BBC News. Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  57. ↑ Bowles, Hamish (August 12, 2017). "Inside The Greatest Showman, the Most Magical Musical of the Year". Vogue. Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  58. ↑ McNary, Dave (October 19, 2017). "Ridley Scott's 'All the Money in the World' Set as Closing Night Film at AFI Fest". Variety. Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  59. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 31, 2017). "Michelle Williams Joins Amy Schumer In 'I Feel Pretty'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  60. ↑ "'Venom': First Reactions from the Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter. October 1, 2018. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  61. ↑ Kroll, Justin (April 19, 2018). "Michelle Williams to Star Opposite Julianne Moore in 'After the Wedding' Remake". Variety. Archived from the original on May 8, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  62. ↑ Kroll, Justin (January 7, 2019). "'Venom' Sequel in Works With Kelly Marcel Returning to Pen Script (Exclusive)". Variety . Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  63. ↑ Kroll, Justin (January 26, 2021). "Michelle Williams And Kelly Reichardt Reunite On The A24 Film 'Showing Up'". Deadline. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  64. ↑ Kroll, Justin (March 9, 2021). "Steven Spielberg To Direct Untitled Project Loosely Based On His Childhood; Michelle Williams In Talks For Role Inspired By His Mom". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  65. ↑ "IMAX® Original Documentary "Deep Sky" To Open Across North America For A Special 1-Week Limited Run Beginning April 19" . Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  66. ↑ Grobar, Matt; Kroll, Justin (February 21, 2025). "Michelle Williams & Daisy Edgar-Jones To Star In Chloe Domont's Next Film 'A Place In Hell' From MRC And T-Street". Deadline. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  67. ↑ "Baywatch – Season 4, Episode 1: Race Against Time (1)". TV.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  68. ↑ "Step by Step – Season 4, Episode 6: Something Wild". TV.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  69. ↑ "Home Improvement – Season 4, Episode 26: Wilson's Girlfriend". TV.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  70. ↑ "Raising Caines". TV.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  71. ↑ "My Son Is Innocent (1996)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on October 20, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  72. ↑ Television Guide. Triangle Publications. 1997. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  73. ↑ "Michelle Williams won't go back to 'Dawson's Creek'". Entertainment Weekly . December 15, 2005. Archived from the original on January 8, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  74. ↑ "If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  75. ↑ Harnick, Chris (January 9, 2013). "Michelle Williams On "Cougar Town" Season 4 Premiere, Shimmying And Using An Accent". The Huffington Post . Archived from the original on August 3, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  76. ↑ Sepinwall, Alan (January 8, 2013). "Season premiere review: 'Cougar Town' – 'Blue Sunday': Wine Guy and Coffee Bitch". HitFix . Archived from the original on May 31, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  77. ↑ Otterson, Joe (July 24, 2018). "FX Orders Bob Fosse Limited Series Starring Sam Rockwell, Michelle Williams With Lin-Manuel Miranda Producing". Variety. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018.
  78. ↑ Andreas, Mike Jr. (December 1, 2023). "Michelle Williams On Returning To Work With FX Series 'Dying For Sex' & Why Cinema Was Her "Teacher" As A Teenager — Red Sea Studio". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  79. ↑ McGrath, Seth; Lefkowitz, David (April 20, 1999). "Lori Petty, Seth Ullian & Michelle Williams Join Killer Joe, April 20". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  80. ↑ Ehren, Christine (April 8, 2002). "New Group Is Smelling a Rat with Michelle Williams May 7 – June 16". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  81. ↑ Rizzo, Frank (August 16, 2004). "Review: 'The Cherry Orchard'". Variety. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  82. ↑ Asare, Andrew (September 4, 2014). "Michelle Williams to make Broadway debut with Cabaret". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  83. ↑ Soloski, Alexis (April 4, 2016). "Michelle Williams and Jeff Daniels on the scared, desperate tale of Blackbird". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  84. ↑ "Michelle Williams, Mike Faist, Justin Vivian Bond to Headline St. Ann's Warehouse 2025–2026 Season". Playbill. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  85. ↑ Shanfeld, Ethan (October 13, 2023). "Michelle Williams Narrating Audiobook of Britney Spears' Memoir: 'I Stand With Britney'". Variety. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  86. ↑ Dobbins, Amanda (October 23, 2012). "Wild Nothing's "Paradise" Video: Michelle Williams Is a Nervous Flyer". Vulture. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  87. ↑ "My Week With Marilyn (Music from the Motion Picture)". iTunes (Apple Inc.). November 2011. Archived from the original on May 28, 2018.
  88. ↑ "The Greatest Showman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". iTunes (Apple Inc.). December 8, 2017. Archived from the original on January 16, 2018.
  89. ↑ "The Music of Fosse/Verdon: Episode 7 (Original Television Soundtrack) – Single by Various Artists". iTunes (Apple Inc.). May 21, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.