Michelle Williams

Michelle Ingrid Williams (born September 9, 1980) is an American actress. She is known for her work in small-scale independentproductions with dark or tragic themes. The recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, Williams has been nominated for four Academy Awards and one Tony Award.

Born to the politician and trader Larry R. Williams, she was raised in Kalispell, Montana, and San Diego, California. She began her career at a young age with television guest appearances and made her feature film debut in the family film Lassie (1994). At 15, she gained emancipation from her parents, and soon achieved public recognition for her leading role in the television teen drama series Dawson's Creek (1998–2003). This was followed by low-profile films, before her breakthrough role in the romantic drama Brokeback Mountain (2005), in which her performance as the wife of a gay man earned Williams her first Academy Award nomination.

Williams went on to gain critical acclaim for playing emotionally troubled women coping with loss or loneliness in the independent dramas