Michelle Ingrid Williams, a small-town girl from rural Kalispell, Montana, was born to Carla Ingrid (Swenson),a homemaker, and Larry Richard Williams, a commodity trader and author, who shared Scandinavian ancestry, including Norwegian, German, British Isles, and other Scandinavian roots.
Michelle's early career began with her portrayal of bad girl Jen Lindley in the television series Dawson's Creek (1998),followed by appearances in the comedy film Dick (1999),a parody of the Watergate Scandal alongside Kirsten Dunst, as well as Prozac Nation (2001) with Christina Ricci.
As she transitioned to independent films, Michelle starred in The Station Agent (2003),Imaginary Heroes (2004),and The Baxter (2005),before landing her breakout role in Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain (2005) as Alma Beers Del Mar, a woman who comes to terms with her husband's love for another man. Her exceptional performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Michelle's subsequent roles led to another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her lead role in Blue Valentine (2010),followed by a lead role Academy Award nomination for My Week with Marilyn (2011).
In her personal life, Michelle shares a daughter, Matilda, with the late Australian actor Heath Ledger.
