Episode Title: Michelle Williams Insists On Finding Pleasure & Humor Alongside Pain
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Host: Tonya Moseley
Guest: Michelle Williams
Podcast: Fresh Air

Introduction to the Episode

In this poignant episode of Fresh Air, host Tonya Moseley engages in a deep and intimate conversation with acclaimed actress Michelle Williams. The discussion centers around Williams' latest project, the FX series Dying for Sex, her approach to acting, the significance of friendship, and her journey in balancing a demanding career with motherhood. Throughout the interview, Williams shares personal insights, memorable experiences from her career, and her unwavering commitment to finding joy amidst life's challenges.

Dying for Sex: Exploring Themes of Pleasure and Pain

Michelle Williams delves into her role in the limited series Dying for Sex, portraying Molly, a woman grappling with a terminal breast cancer diagnosis who seeks to reclaim her pleasure and humanity amidst pain.

• Intimate Storytelling: Williams describes the series as more than just a narrative about sex. She emphasizes that it's about "everything surrounding it," including fear, trauma, and the pursuit of a meaningful life despite impending mortality.

  "It's about what happens when the fear of dying outweighs the fear of never having truly lived."
  [04:39] Michelle Williams

• Balancing Emotions: Reflecting on her connection to the character Molly, Williams shares how the role allowed her to explore the duality of being both scared and brave.

  "It's possible to be both scared and brave at the same time."
  [04:39] Michelle Williams

• Humor as Healing: Williams underscores the importance of humor in the series, not merely as a comedic element but as a tool for healing and preserving joyful memories.

  "The insistence on continuing to find the humor... because it's there. It just needs to be found."
  [45:28] Michelle Williams

The Importance of Friendship

Williams highlights the profound role of friendship in her life and within Dying for Sex. She speaks candidly about her real-life bond with co-star Jenny Slate, portraying Nikki, Molly's best friend in the series.

• Real-Life Connections: The chemistry between Williams and Slate is rooted in their genuine friendship, which seamlessly translates to their on-screen relationship.

  "We knew that we would part and come back together. We had this reading moment, but already the connection was made."
  [05:19] Michelle Williams

• Communal Living: Williams reminisces about her communal living arrangements with friends, which provided a support system reminiscent of a "commune," fostering deep, sustaining relationships.

  "One of my best friends, Daphne, we slept in the same bed for years. And another friend, Jeremy, lived downstairs."
  [06:10] Michelle Williams

• Jeremy Strong's Support: Reflecting on her friendship with actor Jeremy Strong, especially following Heath Ledger's passing, Williams portrays him as a pillar of strength and playfulness.

  "He had sort of imagined this place as a child that he, his child, mine, would call Fort Awesome."
  [17:51] Michelle Williams

Balancing Career and Motherhood

Williams discusses the challenges and triumphs of maintaining her acting career while being a devoted mother to her daughter, Matilda.

• Setting Boundaries: She explains how she prioritizes her role as a mother, often declining projects that might interfere with her family life.

  "I can't do it... I have to let this go. This is not going to be good for the health of her family."
  [15:08] Michelle Williams

• Collaborative Flexibility: Williams shares her gratitude towards collaborators who accommodate her maternal responsibilities, allowing her to continue her craft without compromising her family.

  "I was lucky enough to meet a collaborator... who said, okay, then we'll take what was set by the ocean and set it by the mountains."
  [15:08] Michelle Williams

• Maternal Instincts: Emphasizing the importance of instinct, Williams notes how her maternal instincts guide her decisions, ensuring that her daughter's well-being remains paramount.

  "It's sort of a give and take and just always kind of checking in with that maternal instinct."
  [15:08] Michelle Williams

Reflections on Past Roles: Blue Valentine and My Week With Marilyn

Williams opens up about her experiences in noteworthy films, particularly Blue Valentine and My Week With Marilyn, highlighting the emotional and professional growth they spurred.

Blue Valentine

• Emotional Depth: Portraying a character in a disintegrating marriage, Williams describes the role as one of the most painful yet rewarding experiences of her career.

  "I had more experiences as a character than as a person."
  [32:27] Michelle Williams

• Collaborative Process: She narrates the intensive rehearsal process under director Derek C. In France, which involved creating shared experiences to build authentic on-screen chemistry.

  "We had these immense rehearsal periods where we were building experiences as these characters."
  [28:34] Michelle Williams

• Authenticity in Performance: The ad-libbed scenes were a testament to their deep connection, making the performances feel raw and real.

  "It feels so real and so raw."
  [32:27] Tonya Moseley

My Week With Marilyn

• Transformative Challenge: Taking on the role of Marilyn Monroe required a complete physical and emotional transformation, pushing Williams beyond her comfort zone.

  "I was 30 when I made that movie. And that was just the hardest thing I'd ever done."
  [37:12] Michelle Williams

• Methodical Reinvention: Williams describes the rigorous process of adopting Marilyn's mannerisms and appearance, supported by master teachers who guided her transformation.

  "I had to completely remake my own body with my own habits... to allow a new structure to emerge that was more similar to Marilyn."
  [38:43] Michelle Williams

2019 Emmy Award Speech: Acknowledging Women's Empowerment

Williams reflects on her 2019 Emmy Award speech, where she honored the importance of women being trusted and supported in their professional endeavors.

• Advocacy for Women's Needs: In her speech, Williams emphasized the significance of recognizing and valuing women's contributions by accommodating their specific needs in the workplace.

  "When you put value into a person, it empowers that person to get in touch with their own inherent value."
  [41:31] Michelle Williams

• Impact of Supportive Environments: She hopes her words continue to inspire women to voice their needs and strive for environments that respect and uplift them.

  "One day she might stand in front of you and say thank you for allowing her to succeed because of her workplace environment and not in spite of it."
  [41:31] Michelle Williams

• Current Reflections: Reflecting six years later, Williams expresses concern over the current state of societal movements but remains hopeful for future resurgence and continued progress.

  "We're not where I thought we would be... I hope that they are underground and that they will come back."
  [44:32] Michelle Williams

Finding Pleasure and Humor Amidst Adversity

Concluding the interview, Williams passionately articulates the essence of her recent work and personal philosophy—prioritizing pleasure and humor even in the face of pain.

• Reclamation of Joy: She insists on the importance of allowing oneself to experience pleasure, asserting that it belongs inherently to every individual.

  "Pleasure... It belongs to you. And that humor is not a way to make a joke in a sad situation."
  [45:08] Michelle Williams

• Humor as Completeness: Williams believes that humor serves as a means to make experiences whole, allowing individuals to cherish the good moments amidst the bad.

  "The reclamation of humor... it's a way to make something whole and complete."
  [45:08] Michelle Williams

• Enduring Strength: Her commitment to finding joy, despite challenges, underscores a resilient and hopeful outlook on life and art.

  "They can't take that away from us."
  [45:30] Michelle Williams

Closing Thoughts

Michelle Williams leaves listeners with a profound message about the human capacity to find light in darkness. Her dedication to authentic storytelling, meaningful friendships, and the delicate balance between personal and professional life serves as an inspiration. Through her candid reflections and heartfelt insights, Williams embodies the very essence of resilience and the pursuit of joy amidst life's inevitable pains.

Notable Quotes:

• "It's possible to be both scared and brave at the same time."
  — Michelle Williams [04:39]

• "When you put value into a person, it empowers that person to get in touch with their own inherent value."
  — Michelle Williams [41:31]

• "Pleasure... It belongs to you. And that humor is not a way to make a joke in a sad situation."
  — Michelle Williams [45:08]

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