NEW YORK -- In both Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” and Kelly Reichardt’s upcoming “Showing Up,” Michelle Williams plays women where life — societal hurdles and daily nuisances — gets in the way of self-expression.
Mitzi Fabelman, the early-1960s matriarch based on Spielberg’s own mother, has given up her career as a talented concert pianist to raise a family. It’s a sacrifice that haunts her. It’s also a gift that radiates from her.
“I think of her as the piano that she loved so much,” Williams says. “That range was inside of her. That musicality. That emotional dexterity. That was her art. That music flowed through her, and it affected how deeply she could feel. She was the tornado that she drove into.”
As an actor, Williams has, herself, steered straight into some indelibly tempestuous characters: the romantic of “Blue Valentine,” Marilyn Monroe in “My Week with Marilyn,” the anguished ex-wife of “Manchester by the Sea.” But if there was ever a role that showed the extent of Williams’ remarkable range – her every-note-on-the-piano “emotional dexterity” – it’s Mitzi.
The fictionalized but autobiographical film, currently playing in theaters, centers on Spielberg’s coming of age as a filmmaker. But Mitzi is the film’s aching soul. At turns despondent, playful and ebullient, Mitzi’s moods swing with a quicksilver melancholy, caught between undying devotion to her children and a stifling of her dreams. In many ways, she gives them to her son. It’s Mitzi who gifts young Sammy/Spielberg his first movie camera. “Movies are dreams that you never forget,” she tells him at his first trip to the cinema.
How life filters into work is deeply embedded in Williams’ emotional life as an actor, one drawn from wellsprings of personal memory and illuminated by the kind of metamorphosis Mitzi was denied. How the two relate was on her mind as she spoke in a recent interview by Zoom from her home in Brooklyn. Occasionally, Williams’ newborn, her third child and second with her husband, the theater director Thomas Kail, stirred in the next room. Balancing a baby and a big new movie can be head-spinning. At the recent Gotham Awards where she received a tribute award, Williams stood stunned at the podium: “What is happening? I shouldn’t even be out of the house. I just had a baby.”
But it may be just the start. Williams’ performance in “The Fabelmans” – luminous, enthrallingly theatrical, delicately heartbreaking — is widely expected to land Williams her fifth Academy Award nomination. It’s an honor the 42-year-old is yet to win, a shutout that looks increasingly like some mistake.
But what pushes an actor like Williams -- one of such interior intensity that she hasn’t watched her work in more than a decade -- is closer to her character in “Showing Up.” In it, Williams plays a sculptor of modest human figures, with little hope of attracting a wide audience. The role is almost antithetical to Mitzi; Williams’ character, Lizzy, is solitary and less expressive. Her handmade artwork, crafted in between endless interruptions, is about the opposite of something as big and glitzy as a Spielberg production. But she’s compelled, regardless.
“I think it’s that way for everybody,” says Williams. “You never know if what you’re doing is going to be of any interest to anybody but yourself.”
Is it true for Williams, too?
“Ab-so-lutely,” she answers.
MINING SPIELBERG’S MEMORIES
Spielberg’s mother, Leah Adler, died at the age of 97 in 2017. His father, Arnold Spielberg, passed away in 2020 at 103. Making “The Fabelmans,” which Tony Kushner and Spielberg wrote through the pandemic, became a way to memorialize the two most influential figures of his life.
In preparation, Spielberg — who had Williams cast in his mind a decade earlier after seeing “Blue Valentine” — gave her copious amounts of home movies and photographs of his mother to comb through. Williams' impressions thoroughly informed her interpretation of Mitzi.
“The resonant information that this woman transmitted through a photograph was enough for me to work with, to embody her,” she says. “That’s how strong her spirit was. You could catch it in a frozen image taken 60 years ago.”
But there was also something that Spielberg, who grew up with three sisters, told Williams about his mom that struck her. He said: “We were more like playmates.”
“They got into mischief together. They got into fun,” Williams says. “And I’ll tell you this: None of her children seem to resent her for it. I think they thought they had a pretty great childhood. They had fun together. How often do we let ourselves really play with our children? What do our children want to do with us? Play! She was Peter Pan.”
It's an aspect of Mitzi that may not be terribly far from Williams, herself. It's how she hopes she raised her first daughter, from her relationship with Heath Ledger.
“I love, in that small window of time, to invest as much magic as possible. I do think that childhood is a place where we can generate creative work from for the rest of our lives,” says Williams. “I’ve always felt very protective of my daughter’s childhood. Now as I embark on two more childhoods, I can see that because I know what it meant for me.
“I grew up in Montana. I grew up riding horses bareback. I grew up adventuring. I grew up unsupervised. I grew up wandering through natural environments. That wilderness is maybe the best part of me," says Williams. "The desire to feel free and exploratory and like a natural being, like a human animal, is something that I seek out over and over again in my life.”
MITZI'S CHOICE
The pivotal event of “The Fabelmans” comes when Mitzi reluctantly leaves her husband (played by Paul Dano) for his best friend (Seth Rogen). It’s a defining moment for Sammy, wrapped up in his own dawning realization of the power of cinema to capture, shape and distort reality. For Mitzi, it’s a desperate stab at self-preservation.
“I thought she already suffered a near-death experience. When she gave up her dream of being a concert pianist, she experienced what it’s like for part of you to die,” says Williams. “So when she’s faced with another near-death experience — Do I stay in this marriage or do I allow myself to go where my heart is leading? — she knows that she can’t die again. There will be nothing left of her."
For Kushner, whose plays fuse domestic life with political currents, Mitzi is a mid-century woman only fitfully experiencing more modern freedoms. He and Williams spoke about the uncertainty and pain of her choice.
“What is this thing in her that allows her to make this decision? Is it her artistry? Is it bravery? Is it how big her emotions are? What allowed this woman to stake a claim on her life like this?” says Williams. “I don’t know but I do think it’s what’s allowed her children to do the same thing, to stake a claim on their own lives. That, I think, is one of the greatest gifts that you give to your kids, showing them how they can be a full person."
LETTING GO
Williams' favorite thing to hear on the set was Spielberg behind the monitor saying, “I have an idea.” In one especially vivid scene during a campout, Mitzi dances in the headlights of a parked car, swaying to a melody seemingly just out of reach. Spielberg had many impromptu ideas shooting that scene. Williams, coming off Gwen Verdon in the miniseries “Fosse/Verdon," channeled a dancer's composure to give Spielberg as many options as possible. “Mitzi wasn't a dancer per se, but she carried herself like one,” she says.
Such moments making “The Fabelmans," Williams says, were so intoxicating that she wanted to “eat the air” on set. When Williams was 12, she decided she wanted to be an actress after seeing not just a play on stage but “the whole beehive behind." “I wanted to be inside of a family,” she says. After finding that on “The Fabelmans,” letting go of Mitzi wasn't easy.
“It's hard to let them go. It’s sad to let them go. You’ve spent so much time, to exclusion of other things and people in your life, with them,” Williams says. “I can allow it to be a slow process of letting go of them. And I can try to cling to the couple or maybe many things that they have taught me. You can’t help but be affected by their spirit as it’s been residing with you. She certainly was a huge loss for me. I hit the floor when this movie was over. I cried in a way that caught me by surprise.”
But there are parts of Mitzi living, still, with Williams.
“Coming up on the holidays, isn’t a camera the perfect gift for every child this year?" she says, smiling. "That’s what my kids are getting.”
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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
FAQs
Is Michelle Williams really playing piano in Fabelmans? ›
Does Michelle Williams play piano in The Fabelmans? Throughout The Fabelmans, Michelle Williams is seen playing the piano multiple times. Her hand movement over the keyboard is incredibly accurate to the music, however it isn't really Michelle Williams we hear on the soundtrack.
Who is Mitzi in the Fablemans? ›Gabriel LaBelle as Sammy Fabelman, the sixteen-year-old son of the family who aspires to become a filmmaker. He is based on Spielberg. Michelle Williams as Mitzi Schildkraut-Fabelman, Sammy's encouraging mother and a skilled pianist. She is based on Spielberg's mother, Leah Adler.
How old was Michelle Williams in species? ›Michelle Williams was still a teenager when she began getting small TV roles, and she was 15 when she appeared in the 1995 feature film Species.
How many Grammys does Michelle Williams have? ›Grammy Awards
Williams has won 1 award from 7 nominations as a member of Destiny's Child, but each award is individually assigned to each member of the group.
Rather than being a prerequisite for the film, Hudson said learning to play piano for Respect was her own choice – and very much a work in progress. “I started piano lessons. Aretha got me back in music school,” she told People Magazine.
Did he really play the piano in the pianist? ›Shots of Szpilman's hands playing the piano in close-up were performed by Polish classical pianist Janusz Olejniczak (b. 1952), who also performed on the soundtrack.
What is the secret in The Fabelmans? ›The shocking reveal of The Fabelmans that Spielberg kept a secret for his whole life was that, in real life, his mother was the irresponsible one after all. As it plays out in the film, Mitzi was adulterous with Burt's good friend, Bennie (Seth Rogen).
How realistic is The Fabelmans? ›Starring Michelle Williams (The Greatest Showman) as mother Mitzi and Paul Dano (The Batman) as father Burt, The Fabelmans is very much the true story of Spielberg's real life parents Leah and Arnold, and younger siblings Anne, Sue, and Nancy.
Is The Fabelmans based on Steven Spielberg's life? ›Yes. The Fabelmans is based on the true story of Steven Spielberg's childhood, growing up as an aspiring filmmaker. Spielberg, in addition to directing, co-wrote the screenplay with Tony Kushner. Spielberg based the character of Sammy Fabelman (played by Gabriel LaBelle) on himself.
How was Michelle Williams discovered? ›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).
Who is the father of Michelle Williams baby? ›
Michelle Williams is officially a mom of three! The My Week with Marilyn actress, 42, and husband Thomas Kail have welcomed their second baby together.
Did Michelle Williams sing in Greatest Showman? ›While her onscreen husband Hugh Jackman's P.T. Barnum sang most of the film's hits, including “The Greatest Show” and “Rewrite the Stars,” Williams belted out a few tunes.
Who is the biggest GRAMMY winner of all time? ›Beyoncé officially became queen of the Grammys at the 65th ceremony in 2023. She took home four awards throughout the night, but it was her win in the best dance/electronic music album that put her over the edge as the artist with the most Grammy wins of all time.
Who has the highest GRAMMY award of all time? ›Beyoncé made history at the 2023 GRAMMYs by becoming the artist with the most GRAMMY wins — ever — when she won the GRAMMY for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for her 2022 album, Renaissance. Beyoncé now counts 32 total GRAMMY wins.
Who has won the most Grammys at a time? ›Michael Jackson, often referred to as the "King of Pop," is tied for the record for most Grammys won in one night, receiving eight awards at the 26th Grammys in 1984. According to the Recording Academy, at the ceremony, Jackson took home the awards for: Record of the year: "Beat It" Album of the year: "Thriller"
What does Simon Cowell think of Jennifer Hudson? ›Cowell was notoriously harsh on Hudson during the competition, famously declaring that the singer, who finished in seventh place, was "out of [her] depth." Looking back, however, the 62 -year-old had nothing but praise for her. "Why was the show so big in those days? It would be because of people like you.
What did Aretha Franklin think of Jennifer Hudson? ›Following Hudson's breakthrough performance in 2006's Dreamgirls, which earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, Franklin was so impressed she put forward Hudson's name to star in a biopic about her life.
Did Aretha Franklin chose Jennifer Hudson to play her? ›Jennifer Hudson was Aretha Franklin's personal choice to play her in biographical drama Respect. The Dreamgirls Oscar winner tells Screen about her long journey to bring the Queen of Soul to the screen.
Why is Roman Polanski not allowed in the US? ›Polanski, 88, fled the U.S. four decades ago after pleading guilty to one count of unlawful intercourse with a minor, following allegations he drugged and assaulted a 13-year-old girl at the home of actor Jack Nicholson.
Who is The Pianist of all time? ›Lived: 1873-1943
Rachmaninoff is often said to be the greatest pianist of all time, hands down. Rachmaninoff considered himself a romantic, and had a strong desire to continue the romanticism of the 19th century into the 20th century, unlike his Russian counterparts, who were mostly composing modern pieces at the time.
Does Sandra Bullock really play the piano? ›
Sandra Bullock
Although her parents hoped for their daughter to have a career in music – we are sure they aren't disappointed with how she turned out! Bullock has shown off her piano skills in several TV shows and movies, like “The Net”.
Rynn then tells Mario her secrets. She allows him to go into the cellar and he sees the corpses of both Mrs. Hallet and Rynn's mother. Rynn explains that her father was terminally ill, and that he was concerned about Rynn's estranged mother showing up to collect her if it became known that he was dead.
What was The Fabelmans shot on? ›Stylishly captured on KODAK 35mm, 16mm and 8mm film, The Fabelmans is loosely based around the director's childhood reminiscences, digging into family roots and the formative experiences that shaped him into one of the most beloved and successful filmmakers of all time.
What is the monster in hidden? ›The threat is the Breathers, about whom the viewer knows nothing for most of the film. Both parents recommend never leaving the bunker and never losing control. Outside the bunker, the world is perilous, because the Breathers are different creatures who want to kill them.
Did Spielberg ever meet John Ford? ›Listen to Steven Spielberg recount his childhood meeting with his lifelong hero John Ford. It's one of the best stories of any kind you'll ever hear, and if you love Ford, you'll cherish this story.
Is The Fabelmans worth watching? ›The movie provides an effective mix of comedy and drama, and offers a nostalgic glimpse at the Spielberg family, particularly Sammy as we learn what shaped the life of one of the most eminent directors of our time. It's Steven Spielberg's most personal movie yet. February 20, 2023 | Rating: 4.5/5 | Full Review…
Who was the director at the end of The Fabelmans? ›Steven Spielberg's dramatized memoir—which has been nominated for seven Oscars, including best picture—features a final scene (spoiler warning) in which Gabriel LaBelle's aspiring young filmmaker meets one of his idols: the irascible Western director John Ford.
Who is Steven Spielberg's favorite director? ›A 2018 article from the Herald-Times includes the following from Spielberg: “Among my favorite directors is William Wyler, who never came out of the same hole twice. I've always admired those directors who were able to so totally reinvent themselves stylistically.
What religion is Steven Spielberg? ›I was never really ashamed to be Jewish, but I was uneasy at times." Spielberg also suffered from anti-Semitism: "In high school, I got smacked and kicked around.
Why is Fabelmans called that? ›Sometimes he told people his last name was German, not Jewish. (Incidentally, the moniker “Fabelman” “sounds like Jewish wordplay on the idea of fables, or storytelling,” as the Jewish Telegraphic Agency puts it.) In the film, Sammy's classmates taunt him, calling him “Bagelman.”
How did Destiny's child Find Michelle Williams? ›
In late 1999, a 20-year-old Michelle Williams met Destiny's Child band members Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland in the lobby of an Atlanta hotel. Several months later, a choreographer friend of Michelle's who knew the group connected her to the Knowles family and Rowland, as they were looking for potential new group members.
Who discovered Michelle Branch? ›In 2001, Branch signed a recording deal with Maverick Records, where she began working with John Shanks to produce her first album and major-label debut.
How long were Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams together? ›Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams dated for three years before splitting in 2007, just five months before his tragic overdose death. The former couple met on the set of the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain and their romance blossomed after Heath helped Michelle when she injured herself on set.
Did Michelle have a surrogate? ›Michelle, who recently announced that she's expecting twins via surrogate. However, the news is a little bittersweet as the singer revealed via Twitter that she recently suffered a lupus scare and has been struggling with fertility issues.
Are third babies usually late? ›Third baby early or late statistics
The survey showed third babies appear to arrive slightly earlier than second babies– but not by much.
She also has a third child, 16-year-old Matilda, whose father is the late Heath Ledger.
Who sang for Jenny Lind in Greatest Showman? ›Rebecca Ferguson's voice was dubbed by Loren Allred. Ferguson had studied music and admitted that she can carry a tune but since Jenny Lind, her character, is considered the best singer in the world, dubbing her voice would be in service of the movie.
Which actors did their own singing in The Greatest Showman? ›Everyone does their own singing with the exception of Rebecca Ferguson, who plays Swedish singing sensation Jenny Lind and has a show-stopping number that brings lip syncing to the height of art.
Did Hugh Jackman do the dancing in The Greatest Showman? ›After his long stint as Wolverine, Jackman returns to the screen singing and dancing in larger-than-life musical The Greatest Showman.
Who is the oldest singer to win a Grammy? ›Which female singer has the most GRAMMYs? ›
At the 2023 GRAMMYs, Beyoncé made GRAMMY history. That night, she took home the GRAMMY for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for her 2022 album, Renaissance, securing her place as the artist with the most GRAMMY wins ever — counting 32 total GRAMMY wins across her decades-long career.
Who owns the GRAMMYs? ›The Grammy Awards are annually presented in the United States by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS).
Who has the most Grammys before Beyoncé? ›Late conductor Georg Solti held the record for the most Grammy wins until Beyoncé claimed the crown. Throughout his four decade-long career, the British-Hungarian received 70 nominations, of which he won 31.
How much is a GRAMMY worth? ›Aside from the recognition, Grammy Awards are essentially priceless. The statuette that is. Although the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) doesn't compensate artists after they've won a Grammy, the award itself is known to boost their record sales and stature.
Who is the most awarded artist of all time by Guinness World Records? ›Michael Jackson
Over his career and lifetime, he won 834 awards including 13 Grammy Awards and 26 American Music Awards. Also, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Plus, Michael holds a staggering 39 Guinness World Records including being named the Most Successful Music Entertainer of All-Time.
Three-time winner Stevie Wonder who won in 1974, 1975 and 1977. Three-time winner Paul Simon who won twice as the main credited artist, in 1976 and 1987. Taylor Swift is the first woman to win two and three times as a lead artist, in 2010, 2016 and 2021. U2 is the only group act to win twice, in 1988 and 2006.
Who broke the record for most Grammys? ›Beyoncé is now the most decorated Grammy winner in the awards show history with 32 wins. Before even getting to the Big Four categories, Queen Bey broke the record, previously held by Georg Solti, as she won the award for Best Dance/Electronic Album for Renaissance.
Can Hannah Herzsprung play the piano? ›However, she used to be a great talent. A piano prodigy even. And beneath her fierce façade, she still is. With Traude's help, she could manage to win a prestigious piano contest.
Who played the electric piano? ›It was the experimental jazz band leader Sun Ra who first used the electric piano, in 1954.
Did Michelle Williams sing in Fosse? ›Wait, does Michelle Williams really sing in Fosse/Verdon? Yes, and this is not the first time Michelle has been asked to sing and/or dance for a role. She's previously played the role of Sally Bowles in a stage production of Cabaret and co-starred in the musical film, The Greatest Showman.
Did Mary Lou Williams play the piano? ›
It was around this age that Williams's mother taught her to play the piano. Williams excelled at the instrument and learned to play ragtime, boogie-woogie, and blues, as well as popular and classical styles.
Can Ansel Elgort play the piano? ›There is no buildup to the cover or explanation given in the video, nor does there need to be. All you need to know is that Ansel can sing, he can play the piano, and he might just be three tiny Ryan Goslings in a trench coat — or at least the actor's protégé.
Can Jessica Barden play the piano? ›Because the hands were so critical to Jane and Laura's survival, they were also a great point of entry into the character, specifically for Barden, who studied piano for months to prepare for the part.
Is the pianist inappropriate? ›Nonetheless, the violence is graphic: Men and women are shot in the head for little to no reason, a man in a wheelchair is tossed off a balcony, a man lying injured in the road is run over by a tank. There is also the wartime violence of machine-gun battles, bombed-out cities, explosions, and casualties.
Who has Marilyn Monroe piano? ›NPR from Monroe's Legacy Is Making Fortune, But For Whom? Mariah Carey purchased the piano from the October 1999 auction stating: I wish her things didn't have to be auctioned off.
Who plays the piano for Lady Gaga? ›Brian Newman is the bandleader of Gaga's Vegas residency—and one of her closest friends.
Who plays piano for paul McCartney? ›Since then, Wickens has served as the musical director for many of McCartney's tours. He continues to tour with McCartney (as his keyboardist, occasional guitarist and backing vocalist), and of the four musicians in McCartney's touring band, he has worked with McCartney the longest by a considerable margin.
Did Michelle Williams do her own singing? ›The answer is yes - and the vocals you hear on screen are indeed hers. Williams, 37, is no stranger to flexing her vocal chords in a musical: in fact it was only 2014 when she played Sally Bowles in Cabaret.
Did Michelle Williams sing her part in The Greatest Showman? ›While her onscreen husband Hugh Jackman's P.T. Barnum sang most of the film's hits, including “The Greatest Show” and “Rewrite the Stars,” Williams belted out a few tunes.
Did Michelle Williams dance in The Greatest Showman? ›The period musical drama shows triple-threat performers - Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams - act, sing and dance in The Greatest Showman which tells the story of P.T. Barnum.
Who was the first lady of the jazz keyboard? ›
Looking back at the end of her life, Mary Lou Williams said: "I did it, didn't I? Through muck and mud." She was known as "the first lady of the jazz keyboard". Williams was one of the first women to be successful in jazz.
Who played piano for Freddie King? ›| David Maxwell | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 10, 1943 Waltham, Massachusetts, United States |
| Died | February 13, 2015 (aged 71) Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Genres | Blues |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist, songwriter, singer |
Part of her success lay in her ability to translate jazz sounds — the mild dissonances that come from playing between notes on the Western scale, and the subtle lope of swing — onto the page, and thus into a variety of different big bands.