Heath Ledger, two secret marriages and four kids — Michelle Williams' husband and boyfriend history
Michelle has attracted attention both for her on-screen success and her personal life. Michelle Williams’ husband, Thomas Kail, married the actress in 2020 and has remained a steady presence in her life since. She was previously married to Phil Elverum and has also been romantically linked to stars including Heath Ledger and Jason Segel.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Michelle Williams has been romantically linked to several prominent figures over the years, including the late Heath Ledger, director Spike Jonze, and actor Jason Segel.
- In 2018, Michelle Williams quietly married indie musician Phil Elverum, though the couple finalised their divorce the following year.
- As of May 2026, Williams shares four children across her relationships: a daughter, Matilda, with Heath Ledger, and three children with her husband, Thomas Kail.
- Michelle Williams and Thomas Kail secretly married in 2020 after working together on the biographical drama series Fosse/Verdon.
Profile summary
Full name | Michelle Ingrid Williams |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 9 September 1980 |
Age | 45 years old (as of June 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Virgo |
Place of birth | Kalispell, Montana, United States |
Current residence | New York, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in feet | 5'4" |
Height in centimetres | 163 |
Hair colour | Blonde |
Eye colour | Hazel |
Father | Larry R. Williams |
Mother | Carla Ingrid Williams |
Marital status | Married |
Husband | Thomas Kail |
Children | 4 |
Profession | Actress |
Michelle Williams' husband: Is she married?
The American actress is currently married to Thomas Kail, a film and theatre director best known for directing the Broadway smash hit Hamilton. The pair first met while collaborating on the FX limited series Fosse/Verdon in 2018, which Kail directed and Williams starred in.
Michelle and Thomas sparked romance rumours shortly after and secretly married in March 2020. They have since welcomed three children: Hart Kail in 2020, a second child in 2022, and a third via surrogacy in April 2025. Williams has rarely spoken publicly about their relationship.
Source: Getty Images
Explore Michelle Williams' relationship history
Before marrying Thomas Kail, Michelle Williams was linked to several high-profile figures and experienced both celebrated romances and heartbreaking loss. From long-term partners to brief relationships, here is a look at the actress' most notable relationships:
Heath Ledger (2004–2007)
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Williams and Heath Ledger's relationship was one of the most famous and defining relationships of her life. They first met on the set of the groundbreaking film Brokeback Mountain in 2004 and quickly formed a strong connection. The pair soon began dating, and in October 2005, they welcomed their daughter, Matilda Ledger.
After dating for nearly three years, Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger parted ways amicably in September 2007. Ledger died from an accidental death in January 2008 at the age of 28, a loss that deeply affected Williams. Following his death, she moved upstate with their daughter to escape the intense media attention.
Ten days after the tragedy, the actress broke her silence with a heartfelt and deeply personal written statement released to the Associated Press on 1 February 2008. Here is what she said, as reported by CBS News:
Please respect our need to grieve privately. My heart is broken. I am the mother of the most tender-hearted, high-spirited, beautiful little girl who is the spitting image of her father. All that I can cling to is his presence inside her that reveals itself every day.
Michelle added:
His family and I watch Matilda as she whispers to trees, hugs animals, and takes steps two at a time, and we know that he is with us still. She will be brought up in the best memories of him.
Spike Jonze (2008–2009)
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In the wake of her profound grief, Williams found comfort with the American photographer and actor Spike Jonze. The two met during the production of the 2008 film Synecdoche, New York.
Williams and Spike dated for about a year before splitting in September 2009. She later admitted that the timing of the relationship made it incredibly difficult, noting that the romance was ultimately overshadowed by her ongoing process of mourning. In a 2009 interview with Vogue, as reported by Us Weekly, she said:
The timing was impossible. I thought falling in love again was the only thing that was going to save me from the pain. This erroneous idea: it just makes things more complicated.
Cary Joji Fukunaga (2011)
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In the summer of 2011, Michelle Williams was briefly linked to director Cary Joji Fukunaga, known for True Detective and No Time to Die. Their relationship drew attention after paparazzi photographed them holding hands and sharing affectionate moments while walking through Brooklyn.
Although neither publicly addressed the romance, the photos confirmed they spent part of the summer together before quietly parting ways.
Jason Segel (2012–2013)
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Introduced by Williams' friend Busy Philipps, Michelle Williams and How I Met Your Mother star Jason Segel began dating in early 2012. Their relationship became a favourite of Hollywood tabloids, with Segel frequently photographed bonding with Matilda.
The couple quietly ended their romance in February 2013, with sources citing the strain of long-distance demands, as Williams was based in New York and Segel in Los Angeles.
Dustin Yellin (2013–2014)
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After her breakup with Jason Segel, Michelle Williams began dating Brooklyn-based contemporary artist Dustin Yellin. Rumours of a romance surfaced in May 2013 when the pair were seen holding hands after attending the Met Gala together.
Michelle and Dustin kept their relationship largely private, occasionally appearing together around Brooklyn. In May 2014, Us Weekly confirmed that the pair had amicably split, exactly one year later. Notably, the news came just days after Williams attended the Met Gala alone.
Jonathan Safran Foer (2015–2016)
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In 2015, Williams began a relationship with American author Jonathan Safran Foer, best known for Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. Introduced through mutual friends, the pair bonded over their shared interests and love of literature. An insider told Us Weekly in July 2015:
They knew each other through mutual friends. I’m not surprised that Michelle is attracted to him. She loves books. She reads almost every day!
The couple kept their relationship low-key for about a year before splitting in 2016.
Andrew Youmans (2017–2018)
In the summer of 2017, Williams began quietly dating New York financier Andrew Youmans. The pair first sparked romance rumours when they were spotted together in Rome with her daughter, Matilda. In January 2018, speculation intensified after Williams attended the Golden Globe Awards wearing a large diamond ring.
While several sources, including Us Weekly, reported that the couple had become engaged, Williams dismissed the speculation, stating that the ring was merely beautiful jewellery. The low-profile relationship quietly ended in early 2018.
Phil Elverum (2018–2019)
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In July 2018, Williams shocked fans by revealing in a Vanity Fair cover story that she had secretly married indie musician Phil Elverum in a private Adirondacks ceremony. Both had previously lost partners to early deaths. Williams lost Heath Ledger in 2008, while Elverum lost his wife, illustrator and musician Geneviève Castrée, to pancreatic cancer in July 2016.
In the interview, Williams reflected on love after loss, saying:
I never gave up on love... I always say to Matilda, 'Your dad loved me before anybody thought I was talented, or pretty, or had nice clothes.
However, the marriage was short-lived, and the couple finalised an amicable divorce in 2019.
FAQs
- Who is Michelle Williams? She is an American actress best known for her roles in Brokeback Mountain and Blue Valentine.
- Who is Michelle Williams' husband? Her husband is Thomas Kail, a film director known for Hamilton and In the Heights.
- How many times has Michelle Williams been married? She has been married twice: first to musician Phil Elverum and currently to Thomas Kail, whom she married in 2020.
- Was Michelle Williams married to Heath Ledger? The two were never married but were long-term partners who shared a daughter together.
- How many children does Michelle Williams have? She has four children: one daughter, Matilda, with Heath Ledger, and three with her husband, Thomas Kail.
- How old is Michelle Williams? The actress is 45 years old as of May 2026. She was born on 9 September 1980.
- Who did Michelle Williams use to date? She has been linked to several high-profile figures, including Heath Ledger, Jeremy Jackson, Spike Jonze, Jason Segel, Dustin Yellin, Jonathan Safran Foer, and Andrew Youmans.
- Were Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams together when he died? They had already separated in 2007 before Heath's death in January 2008.
Michelle Williams' husband is Thomas Kail, a Tony Award–winning theatre director. She was previously married to musician Phil Elverum and also had a deeply significant relationship with Heath Ledger, with whom she shares her eldest daughter.
Legit.ng recently published an article on Reba McEntire's husband and boyfriend history. She is currently unmarried but was previously married twice, first to Charlie Battles and then to Narvel Blackstock.
Following McEntire's second divorce, she was romantically linked to photographer Anthony "Skeeter" Lasuzzo. Reba McEntire has had several high-profile relationships, many of which involved figures from the entertainment industry. She has a son from her second marriage to Narvel Blackstock.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
