Is Michelle Williams Married? She Keeps Her Love Life Under Wraps

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published 23 September 2019

Michelle Williams, star of Dawson's Creek, Brokeback Mountain, and lately Fosse/Verdon, has remained almost totally tight-lipped about her romantic life. Williams' most high-profile relationship was, of course, with Heath Ledger, with whom she had a daughter, Matilda, before their separation in 2007 and his death in 2008. Williams has been spotted with other A-listers including Spike Jonze, Jason Segel, and Jonathan Safran Foer in her quest to find love, but what's her current relationship status now?

Wonderful news: At the very end of 2019, People revealed that Williams is engaged to Hamilton director Thomas Kail, who directed her in Fosse/Verdon, and she's pregnant with the couple's first child together. Williams' 14-year-old daughter Matilda is apparently partially responsible for the union: "Williams’ daughter Matilda, 14, played matchmaker," according to People. You can see some adorable photos of the couple together here.

Williams and New York financier Andrew Youmans met in 2017 and got engaged, reportedly, in 2018. It wasn't confirmed, Williams said it was just "beautiful jewelry," and the pair ended up splitting.

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And then was married to Phil Elverum in 2018.

Williams THEN apparently dated and then wed Phil Elverum, the producer and musician, in 2018. Elverum lost his wife, Geneviève Castrée, to cancer after they welcomed a daughter—eerily a lot like Williams' story with Ledger.

Williams doesn't often talk about her relationships (especially after she and Ledger split), but she did speak about the relationship, saying it helped her believe in love again. "I never gave up on love. I always say to Matilda, 'Your dad loved me before anybody thought I was talented, or pretty, or had nice clothes,'" she told Vanity Fair when she also announced her surprise nuptials. The two also apparently moved in last summer.

"Obviously I've never once in my life talked about a relationship, but Phil isn’t anyone else. And that’s worth something...Ultimately the way he loves me is the way I want to live my life on the whole. I work to be free inside of the moment. I parent to let Matilda feel free to be herself, and I am finally loved by someone who makes me feel free," she explained.

The pair split in April 2019.

All this context makes this news particularly sad—after Williams was seen without her wedding ring for a few public appearances, a source confirmed the news: "Michelle and Phil separated at the beginning of the year. It was an amicable split and they remain friends." So the wedding was over before a year had elapsed, which sounds...devastating, to be honest.

Luckily, Williams still has the "love of my life" Busy Phillipps to rely on, no matter what happens.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.