Michelle Williams has shared her experiences during the filming of Blue Valentine, an experience that highlights the changes in work methodology in Hollywood over the years. In a recent interview on the Armchair Expert podcast, the actress reflected on the complex dynamics of her working relationship with Ryan Gosling while portraying a struggling couple in Derek Cianfrance’s film.
They wouldn’t work like this again today
Williams revealed that, after filming the first scenes where the characters were young and in love, there was a two-week break in production. During that time, both she and Gosling lived together in order to experience and explore their chemistry. However, this improvisation process had an unconventional approach, as they encouraged each other to annoy one another to find a way to portray the tension in their characters. The actress admitted that the experience was horrible and that she feared giving Gosling reasons to hate her.
The actress believes that this method of forcing tensions in the relationship would not be viable today, given the impact it could have on a larger work team. I don’t know if anyone could work like that again, Williams stated, emphasizing the expectations of producers and the dependence that work teams have on each member. It was a small film, with a limited budget, but who would justify that downtime to a producer?, she questioned.
Despite the difficulties during filming, Williams’ effort was recognized with an Oscar nomination for her performance in Blue Valentine, marking a milestone in her career. This was one of the five nominations she has received throughout her career, highlighting the importance of her work in a film that remains relevant in the analysis of couple dynamics in cinema.