Curious about what really happened when Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling lived together during the filming of Blue Valentine? The actress recently opened up about the emotionally intense experience, revealing the psychological toll of method acting in the raw and realistic romantic drama.
Michelle Williams comments on living with Ryan Gosling
During a candid conversation on the Armchair Expert podcast aired on May 19, Michelle Williams discussed the challenges she faced while filming Blue Valentine alongside Ryan Gosling.
The film, praised for its gut-wrenching portrayal of love and heartbreak, required the actors to immerse themselves completely in their roles. That immersion, however, came at a personal cost.
Williams shared that midway through production, she and Gosling took a two-week break to portray the downward spiral of their characters’ relationship. During that break, the two actors lived together, though not around the clock, as she clarified. “Office hours, baby, like, 9 to 5. Professional situation,” she joked. “We did these improvisations during the day, to, honestly, find out ways to annoy each other. And to destroy this thing that we had made.”
This approach wasn’t originally planned. The break was suggested after observing that the actors were struggling to transition from portraying a couple in love to one in crisis. “We were having such a hard time letting go of the thing that we loved,” Williams explained.
To make their performances more authentic, they took part in symbolic acts like burning their characters’ wedding photos. The time they spent together was emotionally draining, filled with tension and raw improvisation. Williams also revealed that Derek Cianfrance, the director of the movie, will come up with scenarios for them to practice. She shared one such scenario when Cianfrance told them to pick up their on-screen daughter from the amusement park and pretend everything was fine.
Reflecting on the unusual filmmaking process, Williams admitted, “It was horrible.” She confessed to feeling unsure, always trying to avoid doing something that might make Ryan Gosling dislike her. “I don’t wanna give you reasons to hate me or, think I’m obnoxious,” she said.
In Blue Valentine, Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling played the married couple Cindy and Dean. The 2010 indie film became critically acclaimed for its honest portrayal of love’s decay. Williams earned an Oscar nomination for her performance.
Originally reported by Harshika Bhatia on ComingSoon.
