Michelle Williams showed her lighter side on Monday as she appeared with a bevy of high-profile stars for W Magazine’s Best Performances Portfolio.
The 42-year-old star, who received a Golden Globe nomination for Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed autobiographical film The Fabelmans, has been joined by A-listers including Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Cate Blanchett as the awards season progressed.
The Dawson’s Creek star looked more playful than most in a blue Bode jumpsuit, which she wore in a photoshoot for an accompanying interview with W Magazine.
During her interview, the actress opened up about meeting Steven Spielberg as she prepared to play a slightly fictionalized version of his mother.
Laughing: Michelle Williams looked playful in a clown-esque blue Bode jumpsuit as she posed for W Magazine’s Best Performances Portfolio released on Monday
Michelle’s striking ensemble hung loosely on her with baggy pant legs and sleeves and ruffled cuffs.
It included a ruffled white collar that extended to her shoulders, with two comical white puffballs across her chest.
The blonde beauty wore her hair in a chic bob with a center part, and it was styled to look slightly messy.
She completed the look with a set of black sandals from The Row with white straps.
Black and white: For her cover photo, Michelle looked dapper in a white tweed jacket by Chanel, which she contrasted with a huge black trapper hat by Maison Margiela Artisanal by John Galliano
For her cover photo, Michelle looked dapper in a white tweed jacket by Chanel with silver buttons at the cuffs.
The item received additional style thanks to the delicate white feathers that adorn the chest.
But the centerpiece of her ensemble was a giant black leather trapper hat from Maison Margiela Artisanal by John Galliano, which featured reversed flaps and simple red stitching down the front.
The oversized object threatened to engulf Michelle’s head, so she held it up with her hands.
She also added some sparkle to the look with a Messika Paris necklace.
Casual: In her brief interview, Williams revealed that she learned Steven Spielberg was interested in her potentially playing a role in his latest film The Fabelmans (pictured) after receiving a text message saying that he wanted to make a Zoom call with her; seen with Paul Dano
Downplayed: Despite playing a version of the legendary filmmaker’s mother, Michelle noted that he didn’t say that ‘directly’ when they started their conversations; nor from The Fabelmans
In her brief interview, Williams revealed that she learned Steven Spielberg was interested in her possibly playing a role in his latest film The Fabelmans after receiving a text message saying he had a Zoom call with you wanted to do.
“It shocked me so much. I couldn’t speak and I just showed my husband the phone [director Thomas Kail] so he could confirm it stood what I thought I read,” she said. “Then we jumped, and we cried, and we laughed, and we wondered, and then we zoomed.”
Despite playing a version of the filmmaker’s legendary mother, Michelle noted that he didn’t say that “directly” when they began their conversations.
“So I asked him, ‘For the sake of clarity, if I understand correctly, are you asking me to play your beloved mother?’ And he said, ‘Oh yes,'” she continued.
“One of the things I loved most was that they gave me a hint of Steven’s mum laughing over the years. When she laughed, she broke down into people. Before each shot, I went back to her laugh track. And then this euphoria would run through my body,” Michelle recalled.
Memoirs: “They gave me a trail of Steven’s mother laughing over the years. When she laughed, she broke down into people. Before each take, I went back to her laugh track,” Michelle recalled; nor from The Fabelmans
The film chronicles the dissolution of Mitzi and Burt Fabelman’s (Paul Dano) marriage as seen through the eyes of Spielberg’s deputy, played by Gabriel LaBelle.
During a fit of near-madness, Mitzi buys a little monkey for herself and the family, which keeps her husband busy.
Michelle recounts how the monkey’s trainer boasted, “There’s nothing this monkey can’t do.”
“She picks stuff out of your ears and hair, which is a bit embarrassing,” she continued. “And she taught my baby how to give a high five! She also realized that Steven was in charge. She knows who’s boss.”
She picks stuff out of your ears and hair, which is a bit embarrassing. And she taught my baby how to give a high five! She also realized that Steven was in charge. She knows who’s boss.
The actress noted the emotional toll of the role and how devastated she felt after finishing her final scene, which left her in tears.
“I’ve never cried so much over a role. It unsettled people. They kept asking if I was okay,” she said.
Too much: The actress noted the emotional toll of the role and how devastated she felt after finishing her final scene, which left her in tears; nor from The Fabelmans