Oscar nominees 2023: Michelle Williams on the Fabelmans, Spielberg’s ‘The Spell’ and recreating her childhood

Playing Steven Spielberg’s mother: Not your usual acting gig

Your character of Mitzi is based on Leah Adler, Steven Spielberg’s mother. She holds crowds: She’s a classical pianist who chases tornadoes and buys monkeys, and she’s a devoted mother. Were you excited about channeling that energy?

Oh my god, that was me. I finished reading the script and thought, “They let it live, on every page.” It’s like the piano you loved: it has an eight octave range and you can use it. You lived during her lifetime. She had this weird sense. She knew it was his only chance and she took advantage of it.

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It seems that everyone who worked on this film was emotionally affected by it. All right?

This is what we feel about ourselves. It was as if a spell had been cast over the room. You’re recreating someone’s childhood. You play their parents. They built sets that recreate their childhood home. Makes you feel like you are haunting this place. You’re a friendly ghost and you’ve been asked to appear, but it’s so weird…

Read the full Q&A with Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams.