Additional Coverage:
- Singer Michelle Williams Opens Up About Checking Herself Into Treatment for Depression in 2018 (newsbreak.com)
Local singer and actress Michelle Williams recently discussed her return to Broadway after a hiatus for mental health reasons. The 45-year-old shared her story on Good Morning America, revealing that in 2018 she left the Broadway revival of Once on This Island due to doctor’s orders.
Williams admitted she feared the door to Broadway had closed for her. She worried she would be seen as a liability after entering a treatment facility for depression around the same time. Leaving the show felt like a double blow.
During her time away from the stage, Williams focused on mental health advocacy and public speaking. She is also working towards becoming a certified life coach. She credits this period with helping her find a new direction in life.
Now, six years later, Williams is starring in the original Broadway cast of Death Becomes Her, a musical adaptation of the 1992 film. She plays the enigmatic Viola Van Horn.
Williams described the show as hilarious and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to return to Broadway. She feels redeemed after fearing she had made a mistake.
Her former Destiny’s Child bandmates, Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, along with Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, attended the opening night. Williams expressed her hope that Beyoncé and Rowland might consider Broadway roles in the future, believing they have the talent to succeed on the Great White Way.