The Truth About Michelle Williams & Busy Philipps' Friendship
Dawson's Creek fans know the show revolved around the friendship (and sometimes more-than-friendship) between Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) and Joey Potter (Katie Holmes,) but there's another Dawson's bond worth celebrating. Actresses Michelle Williams and Busy Phillipps forged a friendship on-set while portraying Jen Lindley and Jen Lindley and Audrey Liddell, respectively. Philipps joined the cast of the WB drama in Season 5, and the two have remained real-life BFFs through plenty of highs, lows, and everything in-between.
Most recently, Philipps was spotted cheering on Williams at the 2020 Golden Globes, especially during the Fosse/Verdon star's epic acceptance speech. But the Globes definitely wasn't their first rodeo — er, award show — together. Keep reading for more memorable moments and fascinating tidbits about their long-standing connection.
Busy Phiipps was Michelle Williams 'first real friend'
In the early '00s, Busy Philipps joined Dawson's Creek as Joey Potter's college roommate, Audrey Liddell. Michelle Williams had already been playing Jen Lindley on the show since Season 1. Because the pair didn't have many scenes together, the actresses grew close in their off-time. Williams called Philipps the first "real friend" she had, telling Entertainment Weekly, "When I met her, she was the coolest girl I had ever seen. She had a nose ring. She wore her hair in braids. She wore overalls. And she had this attitude like, 'I know who I am and don't cross my line.'"
Philipps reminisced about that same "wild" attitude on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2018, joking, "I feel very lucky that TMZ and the internet didn't exist" when Dawson's Creek was filming. In fact, Philipps almost got in a bar fight trying to defend Williams during the show's run. According to Philipps, "This girl kind of was a little drunk and accused Michelle of being really rude to her on a flight ... I was just like, 'I will not stand for this' ... So I flipped my nose ring down and I was like, 'Should we take this outside?'" For context, she described her nose ring as similar to a bull's; she'd hide it while acting, but flip it down when she needed to be tough.
They've worked together on more than just Dawson's Creek
While Busy Philipps and Michelle Williams met on the set of Dawson's Creek, that's not the only time they've appeared on screen together. When Philipps starred in Cougar Town, Williams made a cameo as her foster sister.
Just last year, Williams showed up to support Philipps during the finale of her talk show Busy Tonight. According to USA Today, Williams said she dropped everything to be there for Philipps: "Tonight is actually opening night of my daughter's school play, and when I said to her, 'Listen, Aunt Biz needs me. Are you cool if I just come to the middle and the ending,' she was like, 'Mom, absolutely! Get on that plane, of course!'"
Both women also appeared in 2018's I Feel Pretty. Philipps' husband, Marc Silverstein, co-wrote the movie, which stars Amy Schumer in the lead role as Renee Bennett. Philipps plays Renee's friend and Williams appears as the stuck-up CEO of a makeup company.
Here's hoping that won't be the last these ladies work together on a project.
Busy Philipps helped Michelle Williams cope with Heath Ledger's death
Hollywood was undeniably impacted by Heath Ledger's untimely death in 2008, but Michelle Williams was faced with a deeply personal loss. Williams and Ledger met on the set of Brokeback Mountain and dated for three years. Their daughter, Matilda, was born in 2005.
In Busy Philipps' book, This Will Only Hurt a Little, she recalled the moment she received the tragic news (per Us Weekly): "I sat there, trying to breathe through sobs, and then I called Michelle, who answered immediately ... I told her I loved her." Philipps then flew to be by her friend's side during that tough time. She described Ledger as such in the book: "He was my best friend's love and the father of her child. My beautiful magical goddaughter. A child we all love so dearly, who has so much of him in her, without even trying. He was my friend and I loved him."
On the 10-year anniversary of Ledger's passing in 2018, Philipps posted on Instagram that she was by Williams' side. She later opened up about that day when speaking to The Cut. "It's just been a long ten years, you know?" Philipps is cautious about discussing Ledger's death and its aftermath. "I've never talked about it. I've never shared it, because I'm hyper protective of [Williams] and her daughter," she said.
Busy Philipps and Michelle Williams are red carpet regulars
Oscar, Golden Globe, Emmy, Critics' Choice — you name it. Michelle Williams has been nominated for it, and if there's one constant in a world where celeb couples date, split, and get back together so fast it'll make your head spin, it's that Williams and her pal, Busy Philipps, will be walking Hollywood's biggest red carpets side by side.
This tradition traces back to Williams and Heath Ledger's success following Brokeback Mountain. As Philipps explained in her book, This Will Only Hurt a Little (per MSN): "Since [Williams and Ledger] were both nominated, they each were able to bring a guest and Michelle asked me to join at every event, which was obviously incredibly thrilling for both of us." And the rest, as they say, is history — the tradition continued long past that 2006 award season.
Michelle Williams calls Busy Philipps the love of her life
Just like most BFFs, these two can't help gushing over each other. "She has this amazing quality: People just fall in love with her," Michelle Williams told The Cut in 2018. "Like, you spend ten minutes with her, and people are like, 'She's incredible.'" Williams is clearly a member of that fan club, telling People in December 2016, "She's proof that the love of your life does not have to be a man! That's the love of my life right there."
The feeling is mutual. In a 2017 birthday post, Philipps referred to Williams as her "better half." She wrote, "I love you, M. You make everything better," along with a picture of the pair wearing matching "best friend" heart jackets.
Their families are close too. Philipps told People that their daughters are like cousins. "I feel like that's the best representation of their relationship. They basically feel related. I mean, Michelle's like family to me," she said.
Family, better halves, soulmates — no matter what you call them, Williams and Philipps are the definition of friendship.