Michelle Williams in April issue of Elle
Featured in an interview and photospread in the April issue of Elle, actress Michelle Williams, 27, discussed the birth of now 2-year-old daughter Matilda Rose, 2, how she’s a New York kid as well as Michelle’s greatest prize, and her guess at just who former co-star Katie Holmes was dating when news broke in 2005.
Click below for the photo and interview highlights.
On giving birth to Matilda:
It’s all about water. I was in and out of the bathtub my entire labor — 24 hours. I don’t remember the pain, or the sensation. But I do remember quietly talking to myself and saying, "Okay, you don’t have to tell anybody what you’re thinking right now. You don’t have to tell Heath, you don’t have to tell the nurse, you don’t have to tell the doctor: You are never, ever doing this again. It can be a secret just for us." [laughs]
I was trying to tell myself, "Remember what I’m saying now. This pain is too great to bear. You won’t do this again." And here I am today, and the next one I’ll do at home! You totally forget. It’s nature’s trick.
On the split with Heath Ledger and her greatest prize:
All in all, how long has it been? Six months. It’s been long and not long. It feels like yesterday and it feels like long ago, but not six months. The distraction of work is utterly invaluable.
When I have too much free time, that’s when things start to get a little messy. [Tears pool in eyes, then she smiles.] Matilda’s the prize. She’s bigger to me than any relationship, bigger than the awards. She’s what came out of it.
Brooklyn baby:
We were in the car today, driving back from this indoor playspace, and Matilda started talking to herself in the back. She said, "I’d like an everything bagel with butter, please!"
She’s such a New York kid. That’s what she’s thinking about: going home. Every morning we go to the coffee shop. She’s ready to go back and get her bagel, and I’m ready to get a really good cup of coffee.
On hearing in 2005 that her Dawson’s Creek co-star Katie Holmes was dating Tom Cruise:
I was shocked. Busy [Philipps, another DC co-star and Michelle's close friend, now 5 months along with a baby girl] called and said, "You’re never going to believe who Katie’s with now." And I’m like, "Who?" And she said, "Who’s the biggest movie star you can think of?" I said — this is embarrassing — ‘Tom Selleck?!’"
Source: Elle, April issue. Full article scans (1,2,3,4) courtesy c’estmagnifique at The Fashion Spot.
See also Vogue, Wonderland for similar recent interviews in promotion of her new film Deception, out in April.
- Posted on Mar 17, 08 at 4:45AM
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- 23 Comments
March 17th, 2008 at 5:02 am
I like her more & more with every interview.
TOO FUNNY with the “little secret talk” she had with herself during labor!!
March 17th, 2008 at 5:13 am
I did the secret talk too! And it didn’t work, because I just had another baby!
It’s true, nature has a trick. I had two natural births and although I wouldn’t change them for the world, they hurt. They do. There was a point in each where I was bargaining with myself, just like Michelle did. Then you forget it.
The part where she’s talking about Heath choked me up a little. It sounds like they weren’t even over each yet, which makes it all the more tragic. When was this interview done?
Hilarious about Matilda talking to herself. My son is 3 and does the same, and it’s always the most RANDOM topics!! I would love to get inside that little head of his…
So funny about guessing Tom Selleck. A Magnum fan perhaps? haha.
Sarah’s note: The meetups for the article happened in Sweden the week before Heath died, and finished a few hours before the news broke. Pretty sad. They talk about it in the piece, I just didn’t include it here, but the 1-4 links at the bottom are the article pages if anyone wanted to read the full feature story.
March 17th, 2008 at 5:15 am
Gosh this is such a funny interview! Michelle’s a pretty funny woman. I love the labor talk to self, and the little bagel conversation Matilda had in the back seat. But it all makes me so sad now that Heath’s passed on. Michelle is strong, though, so she will pull through this with her little girl.
March 17th, 2008 at 5:30 am
great interview. i have always loved Michelle. She and Heath were so perfect for each other and I was so sad when they split. Kind of like Reese and Ryan, but not as long of course. It sounds like she loved him so much and neither was over the other yet. Its all so tragic. One shining piece of life that came out of it was Matilda.
March 17th, 2008 at 5:49 am
The links only bring up 4 photos, no article.
Sarah’s note: They work fine for me. I can try to re-upload though.
March 17th, 2008 at 6:08 am
Michele is a “treasure” herself. Always something interesting, fresh and revealing to say.
She has a lot of presence. She and Matilda look so good together. I hope that like Ekatarina Goordeeva, the Olympic winning figure skater, that she finds happiness in her life. Her little daughter, Matilda, reminds me a little of Daria. Ekaterina’s daughter, who was also quite young when her father died, tragically around the same age as Heath. And like Heath, he was also tall, handsome and talented.
March 17th, 2008 at 6:27 am
Does anyone else think that Michelle looks quite a bit like a young Mia Farrow back in the day? She seems very mature and insightful for such a young woman. God bless her and little Matilda in the years ahead ~~ and may she find great love again.
March 17th, 2008 at 6:47 am
I really love her…I can’t really say anything I haven’t said before, but she just really inspires me and is refreshing to me. Reading her articles is similar to talking with a friend. I truly enjoy her!
March 17th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Yes. Absolutely, a dead ringer for Farrow. Both in short hair and in long.
March 17th, 2008 at 7:44 am
If only Katie Holmes had ended up with Tom Selleck, she probably would be better off.
As for Michelle, she seems like a really nice person and I hope for the best for her and Matilda going forward.
Maybe in a couple of years, love will come around again for Michelle. Then Matilda could have a terrific stepfather.
I’m sure she will find happiness again and she will be the best parent she can be to little Matilda.
March 17th, 2008 at 8:34 am
I encourage everyone to either get the magazine or read the full article from the links. It was just incredibly written and the end…I was sobbing, but in a good way. Truly beautiful ending and I know that Michelle & Matilda are being watched over. Bless them both and Heath’s family.
March 17th, 2008 at 9:02 am
I really like Michelle. I had to laugh at her secret talk. I think a lot of women have that same talk. When I was in labor with my first I told my husband to take me home because I had changed my mind about having a baby. LOL
Matilda sounds adorable. It is so wonderful when kids develop an imagination.
March 17th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Beverly I totally agree. Matilda is still so young. If Michelle found love again Matilda could have another great man in her life that she could call “dad”. That to me is the silver lining to this dark cloud.
March 17th, 2008 at 9:21 am
LOL Beverly!
I agree with everyone who has said they like Michelle more and more with every interview. She seems so down to Earth. My hearts breaks for her over Heath, but she seems like a very strong person.
She looks a lot like Mia Farrow in these pictures, I think!
March 17th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Sheri- JUST saw your comment after I posted! Yes, I totally agree.
March 17th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Thank you for including the links to the actual article in Elle. I really adore Michelle; she is a very bright, articulate, and emotionally present woman. The way she’s choosing to mother Matilda now will serve her daughter well in the future, when she grows into a bright, articulate, emotionally present woman herself!
(Matilda has inherited some of that from Heath, too, which is the best gift he could ever have given her.)
March 17th, 2008 at 10:46 am
I love Michelle Williams, she is showing herself to be such a rare figure in Hollywood; there’s such a naked truth about her, and this open starkness that makes you want to protect her from everything, even though you get the sense that she can handle it.
The article was unbelievably written, and I was literally sobbing at the end. Very, very insightful and simply bittersweet.
March 17th, 2008 at 11:16 am
I also want to encourage people to read the full article link up there page by page. It is sad but worth it. It does seem as though there was perhaps some unfinished business between them. Such a tragedy.
On a lighter note, Matilda sounds like a doll, and talking so much for not even being 2 1/2 yet!
The Tom Selleck thing was too funny!!!
March 17th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
TOM SELLECK? seriously? is she stuck in the 70’s or something? HAHA!
that interview was too cute. Matilda’s talking to herself? priceless.
March 17th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Love the interview. I would never have guessed Tom Selleck, but I would never have guessed Tom Cruise either. I really like Michelle. I have always liked her. Still all these interviews have shown me even a better side to her. He daughter looks so much like Heath.
March 18th, 2008 at 8:24 am
LOL…I always share with my husband…my delivery this year was a natural VBAC, so it was like a 1st time for me…and I said to my husband constantly, I’m not doing this again,…
of course, now 2 month after and I’m willing to consider going through it again, b/c it’s worth it.
The photos are amazing!!!
March 19th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
I am really rooting for Michelle and Matilda. I have a 2 1/2 yr. old daughter as well. It must be so hard, for both of them, to not have Heath around. I wish the absolute best to both of the “girls.” I was so happy to read that Michelle knows her real “prize” – her daughter! I have read that she has a lot of support. That is one of the best blessings that one can have. I hope she will continue to keep her head up and her heart open.
Carlotta
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:02 am
Good interview. I wonder why though she wanted to make clear that Heath broke her heart? Could it have something to do with him leaving her for Gemma Ward, his last known girlfriend and who nobody knows how long they had REALLY been dating? Maybe all the other girls linked to Heath were smokescreens. Anyway, it sounds like he left her for some other girl to me, otherwise, why would she say it was the first time she wasn’t expecting her heart to be broken? I just think it’s strange she was talking about this, when meanwhile, Heath was in Perth with Gemma Ward.