Michelle Williams on Returning to Broadway With ‘Death Becomes Her,' Her Tony Snub and Beyoncé's Backstage Visit
The former member of Destiny's Child is back on Broadway for the first time in seven years, originating the role of the mysterious mystic Viola Van Horne in Universal's new adaptation of the campy, macabre 1992 movie comedy 'Death Becomes Her.' Earlier this month, 'Death Becomes Her' racked up ten Tony nominations, tying with 'Maybe Happy Ending' and 'Buena Vista Social Club' for the most nominated show of the year.
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Williams' name wasn't one of the ones called that morning. 'It stung a little bit,' she admitted over lunch not long after the nominations announcement on May 2. 'But I was like: Girl, you're back on Broadway after you didn't think you ever would be. Who's the winner? I'm still the winner! That fixed me.'
In the years since Destiny's Child disbanded, Williams has carved out a career as a solo artist with a string of gospel hits under her belt. She's also become something of a stage regular, following up her 2003 Broadway debut in 'Aida' with stints in 'Chicago' on Broadway and in the West End, 'The Color Purple' in Chicago, 'Jesus Christ Superstar' on tour, and more.
In 2018, Williams stepped into the Tony-winning Broadway revival of 'Once On This Island' — and just two weeks later was forced to exit the show, on doctor's orders, to receive treatment for depression. She was certain the experience would have repercussions on her stage career.
'I thought I was a liability,' she said. 'I thought I would never be welcomed back into the theater community.'
Since then she's become a prominent advocate for mental health issues, a regular public speaker on the topic and the author of the 2021 memoir 'Checking In: How Getting Real About Depression Saved My Life — and Can Save Yours.' With 'Death Becomes Her,' she's now originating a role in a new musical for the first time — and returning to Broadway after worrying that door had closed for good. 'I don't take it lightly, or for granted,' she said.
So she's enjoying every minute of it, bonding with her cast and welcoming guests backstage including Isabella Rossellini, who played the movie's version of Viola, and Michelle Williams, the Emmy-winning actress who shares the same name. The two had never met, and their ebullient first encounter after a performance in April drew attention online. ('It was a such a joy,' Williams recalled.)
Around the time when 'Death Becomes Her' opened in November, the other former members of Destiny's Child, Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, turned out to applaud Williams in the show. 'I just adore them,' Williams said. 'They make me grow. I love them as the wives and mothers, the artists and the friends that they are.'
The performer said she's also relishing the chance to play a haughty, devious character, and has pushed herself to stop trying to be liked onstage. 'I'm the opposite of Viola — unless you lie to me! — and at first I didn't want people to think badly of me,' Williams admitted. 'I'm the nice one! I'm the gospel artist! But now I'm trying to take advantage of getting to be Viola.'
She's also formulating her own backstory for why the immortal Viola wants to tempt people into living forever, consequences be damned. 'I know why I'd live forever,' Williams said with a laugh. 'It's because I'm nosy. I want to know everything and see everybody's evolution.'
With Broadway and her activities in the mental health space taking up most of her time at the moment, she's not sure when she'll be releasing new music. Her last album, 'Journey to Freedom,' came out in 2014.
'I'm working with someone to possibly do an EP or something,' she said. 'I don't want to do it an album — I don't think. You say that and then before you know it, you have 12 songs. We will see. I've just been enjoying using my gifts in other ways to impact people.'
She added with a laugh, 'But sometimes a hit song is a nice thing to have every now and then.'
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