When it comes to a Michelle Williams magazine cover the direction it tends to go in is serious face while staring at the reader. Normally the outfit is kinda twee (and I will no doubt want it). This is why this Wall Street Journal magazine cover really stands out as it doesn’t come with the usual subtext that Williams is a figure of tragedy or being too guarded with her emotions.
There is something freeing about this expression and the accompanying interview goes into depth about her personal experiences while talking the work/life balance. Don’t worry it doesn’t stray into the “can a woman have it all?” debate, which is beyond reductive.
If you were after something on the more typically serious side then WSJ has you covered there too.
It is no secret that I am a fan of Michelle Williams both in terms of style and as an actress; you can find plenty of mentions on TV Ate My Wardrobe including haircut influences that date as far back as Dawson’s Creek right down to IRL BFF goals. Interviews with her tend to be thoughtful and measured and on this occasion she does discuss the reasons behind her recent movie/stage choices with location being a big factor:
“We haven’t been on location in five years; I haven’t taken jobs that put us on the road. Everyone told me to travel while she’s young, but they hit a certain age, and they want a life. So we’re stuck—in a good place. There’s a lot of constancy. She’s in such a good place that I don’t worry about the stability of our unit when I have to go back to work.”
The nine year anniversary of Heath Ledger’s death was less than a week ago and Williams goes into more depth regarding this experience than in previous interviews. Some of this comes up in relation to the events that befall her character in Manchester by the Sea and the use of “My heart was broken” both in this script and in an interview Williams gave five years ago:
“There’s something to learn there. The learning might not be positive; it can be really hopeless. I’m still thinking—it’s never really over. But there’s more time in between the waves. They still break over you, but you have more time to swim and catch your breath.”
“When you find yourself in hell, the best thing to do is keep going. Don’t stop. Put one foot in front of the other. The territory keeps changing, but it won’t change if you sit down. Keep moving.”
Williams’ part in Manchester by the Sea is relatively small, but she is commanding in the few scenes she appears in. The big scene is the one that gets all the clips and awards love and yet it is a much earlier scene which stands out to me. In a lighter part of the film when Williams’ character Randi is in bed she is effortlessly charming while conveying everything you need to know about this character.
The rest of the black and white shoot is great and between the black turtleneck, ladysuit and Cons it kinda feels like it was styled with me in mind.
To read the whole interview and for more from this shoot head here.
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