Actor Michelle Williams Works from a ‘Place of Peace’

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

Lemonada Media

Society & Culture, Film Interviews, Tv & Film

4.8 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 7 January 2024

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As we begin the new year, we're returning to our conversation with brilliant actor Michelle Williams.

We walk through the making of Showing Up (6:05), Williams’ fifteen-year partnership with director Kelly Reichardt (8:10), and her upbringing in Montana and San Diego (10:42). Then, she describes coming of age on the set of Dawson’s Creek (14:50), her pivotal turn in Tracy Letts’ Killer Joe (20:00), and her path to Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain (26:10).

On the back-half, we discuss a healing passage from Rebecca Solnit’s A Field Guide to Getting Lost (29:37), Williams’ memorable performances in Blue Valentine (32:12) and My Week with Marilyn (37:47), and her final day shooting The Fabelmans (40:50). To close, she shares how she remains present as a mother (45:40), a formative Walt Whitman quote (47:22), and how—at age 42—she’s begun to create from “a place of peace.” (50:36).

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Pushkin. This is talk easy. I'm San Francisco, so welcome to the show. Today I am joined by actor Michelle Williams. Across nearly three decades of work
0:48.3	Williams has solidified herself as one of the most dynamic performers working today. She's been nominated for five Oscars
0:56.1	beginning in 2006 with Brokeback Mountain.
0:59.3	She was then recognized for her turns in Blue Valentine, My Week with Maryland, Manchester by the Sea, and of course in
1:06.2	Stephen Spielberg's latest film, The Fablements.
1:09.5	We discuss each of those endeavors in this conversation, but today we begin with her turn and showing up,
1:16.5	the fourth collaboration between Williams and Director Kelly Reichert. In it, she plays a Portland sculptor whose preparations for a new
1:24.8	opening are constantly being interrupted by daily life. Here's a clip from the
1:29.8	trailer. killer. love the green stockings.
1:48.0	I don't know what I'm supposed to do without hot water. My show is open on Friday. I'll be for you to deal with it after that.
1:52.0	I have a show too, you know.
1:53.8	You're not the only one with a deadline.
1:55.8	I know, but I have two shows, which is insane.
1:59.7	You should make more like this.
2:04.0	I'm enjoying my retirement.
2:06.0	I get up. I do a little of this, a little of that, and before you know it,
2:11.0	it's time to watch TV again.
2:12.0	That sounds terrible. before you know it, it's time to watch TV again.
2:12.8	That sounds terrible.
2:13.8	When's my hot water coming back on?
2:19.8	I'm on it. You know I'm sick of not having hot water
2:28.2	Joe is such a total drag and such a shitty thing to do a person. I'm sick of it.
	...

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