Michelle Williams Returns to Broadway in ‘Death Becomes Her’

Michelle Williams is handling her stay in the snow-scattered, negative-windchill New York City the same way many choose to endure winter: “I don’t do anything.” 

But unlike most of the hibernating human population, Williams’ calendar hold for inactivity makes space for the former Destiny’s Child member to show up eight times a week for the Broadway musical production of Death Becomes Her as she embodies chaos agent Viola van Horn —  a sultry temptress who wields the power of an elixir of everlasting life and taut skin. Inspired by Robert Zemeckis’ 1992 film of the same title, Williams’ character (played by Isabella Rossellini in the movie under a different name) sets the show’s pace and plot as she, along with an ensemble of physically fit and beautiful dancers, tempts two frenemies with the promise of eternal youth, a trait they desperately desire to one-up each other. However, the potion for the perfection of youth turns out to be a lemon of a deal. 

The Grammy winner says she took her time considering the offer for the role. Her hesitancy was rooted in knowing that returning to Broadway would be a hard pivot from her cozy lifestyle in Atlanta attending speaking engagements here and there and making appearances that aligned with her mental health advocacy work. But the idea of being part of an original cast sold her and she received some encouragement from a close girlfriend. “So, I’m talking to Kelly [Rowland] about it.,” Williams tells Rolling Stone. “Kelly goes bonkers because Death Becomes Her is one of her favorite, probably top-three movies of all time. She knows every line. She knows every illusion. So she’s like, ‘Girl, you have to do this.’” 

Just as an old friend helped her make the decision, she says recalling her former lifestyle in Destiny’s Child helped her transition back to being on stage wearing intricate costumes and following detailed choreography all while maintaining proper voice control. Williams caught up with Rolling Stone to talk about Beyoncé and Kelly seeing her on stage opening night, the gift Luther Vandross gave her after her first solo tour, getting confused for the other Michelle Williams, and the lost art of a musical bridge.

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You’ve done Broadway before, so this is a return to that lifestyle for you. What is your routine to keep you comfortable while away from home doing eight shows a week? 
I don’t veer off from what I’ve done in the past with my Broadway schedule. I don’t do anything. Like, this is a season of boredom, because I don’t do anything, I don’t go anywhere. I don’t want to have to try to talk because when I get out on that stage, I just want my voice to be great. I go to steam rooms, the sauna, I go to the gym, eat, and that’s just my routine every day. You know, it’s not forever … it’s just for a season. 

When preparing for this role, what did you do to get in the diva mindset of your character who controls life and death in a potion? 
I studied the movie. But I will say, I think my time being in Destiny’s Child, I think that helped. Because we had the glittery costumes, we had a fierce walk. So I was able to go back in time a little bit and put that into play. I also was making sure to stick to the integrity of the original Isabella Rossellini plays my character. I said ‘Well, I don’t know what people are going to expect because we’re two different cultures. We’re two different races. I can’t act like I’m not Black.’ 

So, having fun with director Chris Catelli and his team have been amazing by giving us the freedom to do what we want [with the characters].

Being able to tweak directions, are you changing your performance a little every night?
I don’t change the melody, but I might add some seasoning salt to it. It also depends on voice preservation. Since previews in October — except for, like, maybe one or two audiences where I’m like, ‘Why are y’all even here, If you’re not gonna give us no energy back?’— the audiences have been so much fun. So they kind of inspire me to jazz things up a little bit. 

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I haven’t gotten notes telling me to tone it down, but I don’t go crazy. If the [changes] ain’t too much, then I do it if it’s not going to take from the intention. 

Kelly and Beyoncé came to see you on stage opening night. How was it to have your Destiny’s Child sisters there supporting you?
They were just anticipating, ‘This was in the movie, how y’all gonna do this on stage?’ I’m like ‘I can’t give it all the way y’all, you know, just come and see’ They were just absolutely mesmerized by everything. And they cannot wait to come back.

What, if anything, have you taken from the message of the musical and applied to your own life? 
I’m here for all the beauty technology and everything like that, but it seems like it can be easy for someone to be obsessed with it…. The beauty industry is still one of the top industries ever, a billion dollar industry, and I’m a part of it. I just bought this [pauses] potion, that is supposed to help with skin. And I’m like, ‘Did I just buy my own [character’s] product?’ 

I was reading that ‘Death Becomes Her’ has Tony nomination eligibility. What would it mean to you to get a nomination? 
That would mean the world to me. If I’m being honest, and a little vulnerable, it would mean a lot. And also, to let people know the folks that you think are the underdog or overlooked that you just need the right opportunity where you get to shine. Put the work in though. Be preparing so when they do call your name, you can come in and deliver. 

A Tony nomination would be a great joy, a great joy to see and a great joy to hopefully experience.

On social media, you’ve been reading letters from fans in your dressing room. One in particular, where someone mistook you for the other Michelle Williams was funny. What is your reaction to the mixups? 
Out of all the mail that I get that’s happened like, maybe two or four times. I actually have two more letters that I haven’t read, and there’s some folks from Shanghai writing, ‘Hi, we just love Michelle Williams in Venom’ And I’m like, ‘that ain’t me.’ 

There are some folks who work in wardrobe that worked with the other Michelle Williams in Cabaret. And apparently, she was also getting mail, but it was for me. It’s happened to both of us, so I said, ‘OK, cool, that makes me feel better.’ I have signed them back, and then I send a picture of myself, and I say, ‘OK, I’m the Black one.’ I’m really hoping that one day, me and Michelle, we can actually do something together. I think that would be absolutely fabulous.

We talked about how Kelly and Beyoncé saw you perform on stage and you returned the favor, getting a chance to see the Beyoncé Bowl. What was the on-the-ground experience? 
It was amazing. It’s like a no-brainer. If there’s availability and things to work out on my schedule, whoever it is, I’m gonna go and support their family. That girl [Beyonce], she just never ceases to amaze me. I’m like, ‘What more can you do?’ And then she does it.  

I want to go back to your first solo tour away from Destiny’s Child in 2002 where you were paired with Luther Vandross, Gerald Levert, and Angie Stone. What do you recall being on tour with some of the elder R&B legends while you were crafting your own lane in the genre? 
You said ‘elder R&B legends.’ [laughs] They would not like that! 

Well, to me they’re some of the classics.
The way Gerald Levert was still dancing and pumping …he’d be like “I ain’t no elder.” It was just so awesome. And Luther Vandross, on the very last day of the tour, gave me this amazing Louis Vuitton bag. And it wasn’t the typical monogram or the Damier. It was a textured leather, it was like lilac colored. And so, I was just like that was my favorite part of the tour. Luther was a master class. Everything was all vocals, the music, and everything was so crispy, clean, and clear. Gerald, he brought the sweat, literal sweat honey. And all the women screaming. And then Angie brought the balance. I really thought for my first solo tour like ‘Yo, this is absolutely incredible”

I’ve noticed on the internet you’ve become the queen of the music bridge? In fact your Instagram profile has “Bridgerton” as a nickname. What do you think about the allegedly missing bridge in songwriting?
It depends. I don’t think every song needs a bridge. It depends on that artist or that author and their intention. But for us, it was necessary. It’s like you come out swinging and then you go low and then you take off again. That’s what I was raised on. It depends. Is this supposed to be a cool jingle? A little motivational something? 

I’m glad to be a part of the history that’s like ‘Yo, bring the bridges back, bring the love back.’ I’m here for it because it also challenges you when you’re writing a song. I’m here for it. I gladly accept the role of bridge queen. 

It’s been 20 years since Destiny’s Child disbanded. But we’re seeing some new girl groups emerge. I think of FLO, who have covered Destiny’s Child before. Have you been able to check them out or have you seen some of your impact on newer artists?  
I think its really amazing because Destiny’s Child had a blueprint. We had a blueprint. I hope we wouldn’t be called the elderly. You see how the girls, even down to the hair, this person’s gonna have be blonde, this person gonna have dark hair, this person is gonna meet in the middle with some brown, I’m here for it. I’m hoping that some girl groups come out and they actually crush it. 

If I could be a mentor and tell them don’t let anything get in the way of the success that you want. Destiny’s Child had rules. We didn’t talk about each other. I don’t recall any disagreements that we ever had because we respected each other first. You gotta stay focused on the goal. And the goal was to be successful, the goal was to be one of the biggest groups ever. That’s a testament to us still being cool today. 

Lastly, is there anything you’d like to speak into existence for your own future?
For me right now, it’s not necessarily things. It’s just joy. And continued health and success.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.