Michelle Williams, born Michelle Ingrid Williams on September 9, 1980, in Kalispell, Montana, is an American actress known for her delicate beauty and emotional depth in portraying vulnerable characters. She began her career with guest roles on television and made her film debut in the family film "Lassie" in 1994.

At the age of 15, she became legally emancipated from her parents to pursue her acting career without restrictions. She gained recognition for her role as Jen Lindley in the teen drama series "Dawson's Creek" (1998-2003).

Her breakthrough came with the critically acclaimed drama "Brokeback Mountain" (2005), earning her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

She continued to receive acclaim for her roles in independent films such as "Wendy and Lucy" (2008), "Blue Valentine" (2010), and "Manchester by the Sea" (2016). Her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in "My Week with Marilyn" (2011) won her a Golden Globe Award, and she won another for her role as Gwen Verdon in the miniseries "Fosse/Verdon" (2019).

In her personal life, Michelle Williams has been private but has shared that she has a daughter, Matilda, from her relationship with the late actor Heath Ledger. She was briefly married to musician Phil Elverum and is currently married to theater director Thomas Kail, with whom she has two children.

Throughout her career, Michelle Williams has starred in a variety of films, including "Shutter Island" (2010), "Oz the Great and Powerful" (2013), "The Greatest Showman" (2017), and the superhero films "Venom" (2018) and "Venom: Let There Be Carnage" (2021).

She has also appeared in major studio films like Ridley Scott's "All the Money in the World" (2017) and Steven Spielberg's "The Fabelmans" (2022). On Broadway, she starred in revivals of "Cabaret" (2014) and "Blackbird" (2016), earning a Tony Award nomination for the latter.