For Michelle Williams, stepping away from Broadway ultimately paved the way for her return to the Great White Way.
“In 2018, I had to step down from a Broadway production due to my mental health,” Williams, 45, shared on the Monday, February 3, episode of Good Morning America. “I believed that was the end of my Broadway journey. I thought I had lost my chance and would be viewed as a liability.”
In December 2018, Williams’ representative announced that she would be withdrawing from her role as Erzulie in the Broadway revival of Once on This Island due to medical advice.
At the time, specific details regarding her mental health challenges were not disclosed. Her exit from the production occurred less than a month after she and her former fiancé, Chad Johnson, ended their engagement. Actress and singer Lea Salonga later took over the role.
During her appearance on GMA, Williams revealed that prior to joining the cast of Once on This Island in 2018, she had voluntarily admitted herself into a treatment facility for depression.
“I was thrilled to return to Broadway, but I wasn’t in the best state of mind,” she explained. “Eventually, I reached a point where I had to step away from the production, even though I didn’t want to. It felt like two significant setbacks in one year—seeking treatment for depression and then having to leave a show because of it.”
Michelle Williams (Photo: Getty Images)During her hiatus from Broadway, Williams shifted her focus to advocating for mental health awareness and pursuing a career as a public speaker. She is currently training to become a certified life coach. (She previously shared her experiences with depression in her 2021 book, Checking In.)
“I was uncertain about the direction of my life, but I discovered a passion for helping others,” she told GMA host Robin Roberts. “I love guiding people through life transitions and coaching them through situations similar to what I experienced. And sometimes, a little pivot is necessary—just be careful not to twist your ankle.”
Six years after stepping away from the stage, Williams was offered a role in the original Broadway production of Death Becomes Her, which premiered in November 2024.
“I’m not sure how we manage to do it, but we do,” she said of the production, which is based on the 1992 comedy film of the same name. “Every night, it’s full of laughter—it’s genuinely hilarious. It’s an incredible feeling to return to Broadway, especially when you once believed you had lost the opportunity.”
In the musical adaptation, Williams takes on the role of the enigmatic Viola Van Horn. When frenemies Madeline Ashton (Megan Hilty) and Helen Sharp (Jennifer Simard) accept Viola’s offer of eternal youth and beauty, they quickly realize that the deal comes with unforeseen consequences.
Former Destiny’s Child members Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, along with Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, showed their support for Williams by attending the show’s opening night. “My Belle,” Beyoncé, 43, captioned an Instagram post featuring photos of the trio at the event, along with a touching backstage video of herself with Williams and Rowland, also 43.
On opening night, Williams spoke exclusively, expressing her hope that her former bandmates would one day take the Broadway stage. “I would absolutely love to see them perform on Broadway,” she gushed. “I have no doubt they are more than capable of taking on a Broadway role.”
