Michelle Ingrid Williams (born September 9, 1980) is an American actress. Known primarily for starring in small-scale independent films with dark or tragic themes, she has received various accolades, including two Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for five Academy Awards and a Tony Award. Williams, a daughter of politician and trader Larry R. Williams, began her career with television guest appearances and made her film debut in the family film Lassie in 1994. She gained emancipation from her parents at age fifteen, and soon achieved recognition for her leading role in the teen drama television series Dawson's Creek (1998–2003). This was followed by low-profile films, before having her breakthrough with the drama film Brokeback Mountain (2005). Williams went on to receive critical acclaim for playing emotionally troubled women coping with loss or loneliness in the independent dramas Wendy and Lucy (2008), Blue Valentine (2010), and Manchester by the Sea (2016). She won two Golden Globes for portraying Marilyn Monroe in the drama My Week with Marilyn (2011) and Gwen Verdon in the miniseries Fosse/Verdon (2019), in addition to a Primetime Emmy Award for the latter. Her highest-grossing releases came with the thriller Shutter Island (2010), the fantasy film Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), the musical The Greatest Showman (2017), and the superhero films Venom (2018) and Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021). Williams has also led major studio films, such as Ridley Scott's crime thriller All the Money in the World (2017) and Steven Spielberg's drama The Fabelmans (2022). On Broadway, Williams starred in revivals of the musical Cabaret in 2014 and the drama Blackbird in 2016, for which she received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. She is an advocate for equal pay in the workplace. Consistently private about her personal life, Williams has a daughter from her relationship with actor Heath Ledger and was briefly married to musician Phil Elverum. She has two children with her second husband, theater director Thomas Kail.
Brokeback Mountain
(Alma Beers)
The Station Agent
(Emily)
Land of Plenty
(Lana)
I'm Not There
(Coco Rivington)
Synecdoche, New York
(Claire Keen)
But I'm a Cheerleader
(Kimberly)
Shutter Island
(Dolores)
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
(Molly Cartwell)
Imaginary Heroes
(Penny Travis)
Wendy and Lucy
(Wendy)
Me Without You
(Holly)
Species
(Young Sil)
Deception
(S)
Mammoth
(Ellen Vidales)
The Baxter
(Cecil Mills)
If These Walls Could Talk 2
(Linda)
The United States of Leland
(Julie Pollard)
Timemaster
(Annie)
Lassie
(April Porter)
Perfume
(Halley)
Incendiary
(Young Mother)
The Hawk Is Dying
(Betty)
Killing Mr. Griffin
(Maya)
Prozac Nation
(Ruby)
Dick
(Arlene Lorenzo)
Blue Valentine
(Cindy)
Heath Ledger: A Tribute
(Self)
A Thousand Acres
(Pammy)
The Hottest State
(Samantha)
Oz the Great and Powerful
(Annie / Glinda)
My Week with Marilyn
(Marilyn Monroe)
Meek's Cutoff
(Emily Tetherow)
Take This Waltz
(Margot)
Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy
(Narrator (voice))
Dawson's Creek - The Series Finale (Extended Cut)
(Jen Lindley)
Deep Sky
(Narrator (voice))
Suite Française
(Lucille Angellier)
The Fabelmans: A Family in Film
(Self)
A Hole in One
(Anna Watson)
Ben Lee: Catch My Disease
(Self)
Manchester by the Sea
(Randi Chandler)
Always at The Carlyle
(Self (archive footage))
Certain Women
(Gina)
My Son Is Innocent
(Donna)
The Greatest Showman
(Charity Barnum)
Wonderstruck
(Elaine)
Project X
(Narrator 2 (voice))
I Feel Pretty
(Avery LeClair)
All the Money in the World
(Gail Harris)
Venom
(Anne Weying)
After the Wedding
(Isabel)
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
(Anne Weying)
That Click
(Self)
Showing Up
(Lizzy)
The Fabelmans
(Mitzi Fabelman)
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
(Self)
Home Improvement
(Jessica Lutz)
Dawson's Creek
(Jen Lindley)
The View
(Self)
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Step by Step
Baywatch
The Oscars
(Self)
E! True Hollywood Story
(Self (archive footage))
Cougar Town
(Laurie's Foster Sister)
MTV Video Music Awards
(Self)
Dying for Sex
(Molly)
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
(Self)
Fosse/Verdon
(Gwen Verdon)
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
(Self - Guest)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Graham Norton Show
(Self)
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
(Self)
Roller Jam
(Self - Special Guest Judge)