Michelle Williams is an American actress who has starred in various films and television shows, ranging from small-scale independent dramas to major studio blockbusters. She is known for her ability to transform into different characters and portray complex emotions on screen. She has received numerous accolades for her work, including two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and five Academy Award nominations.

Michelle Ingrid Williams was born on September 9, 1980, in Kalispell, Montana, to Carla, a homemaker, and Larry R. Williams, an author and commodities trader. She has Norwegian ancestry and her family has lived in Montana for generations. Her father twice ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate as a Republican Party nominee.

In Kalispell, Williams lived with her three paternal half-siblings and her younger sister, Paige. She began acting at an early age, appearing in local theater productions and school plays. She also took interest in reading and writing, and dreamed of becoming an author. At age 15, she gained emancipation from her parents and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.

Williams made her film debut in the family film Lassie in 1994. She then appeared in several television guest roles, such as Baywatch , Home Improvement , and Step by Step . She gained recognition for her leading role as Jen Lindley, a rebellious teenager, in the teen drama television series Dawson’s Creek , which ran from 1998 to 2003.

While working on Dawson’s Creek , Williams also starred in low-profile films, such as Dick (1999), a parody of the Watergate Scandal; Prozac Nation (2001), based on the memoir by Elizabeth Wurtzel; and The Station Agent (2003), an indie comedy-drama. She also appeared in the horror film The United States of Leland (2003) alongside Ryan Gosling , whom she later dated.

Williams had her breakthrough with the drama film Brokeback Mountain (2005), directed by Ang Lee . She played Alma Beers Del Mar, a woman who realizes her husband (played by Heath Ledger ) is in love with another man (played by Jake Gyllenhaal ). Her performance was praised by critics and earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

During the filming of Brokeback Mountain , Williams fell in love with Ledger and they became a couple. They had a daughter, Matilda Rose Ledger, born on October 28, 2005. They lived together in Brooklyn , New York , until they separated in 2007. Ledger died of an accidental drug overdose on January 22, 2008, leaving Williams devastated.

After Brokeback Mountain , Williams continued to work in independent films that showcased her range and versatility as an actress. She starred in Wendy and Lucy (2008), as a woman who travels across America with her dog; Blue Valentine (2010), as a woman whose marriage is falling apart; and Manchester by the Sea (2016), as a woman who confronts her ex-husband after a tragedy. She received Academy Award nominations for Best Actress for Blue Valentine and Best Supporting Actress for Manchester by the Sea .

Williams also played iconic figures in biographical films, such as Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn (2011) and Gwen Verdon in the miniseries Fosse/Verdon (2019). She won two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress for these roles, as well as a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for Fosse/Verdon .

In addition to her independent films, Williams has also led