Michelle Williams was the recipient of one of the Performer Tribute awards at last night's Gothams and dedicated much of her acceptance speech to Mary Beth Peil, who played Grams to Michelle’s Jen Lindley on Dawson’s Creek. 

 

I love the point that she built to in remembering her time with Mary Beth – which is that in receiving this distinction and looking back over her career, she could not have taken on all the roles that she has been nominated and honoured for if she had not taken on Jen Lindley first. Respect for Mary Beth Peil is respect for Jen Lindley is respect for Dawson’s Creek! 

Michelle is on the Oscar campaign circuit with Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans. Instead of submitting in the Supporting category, where she could have had a clearer path, especially being in a Spielberg film, considering his clout within the Academy, she is contending for Best Actress and as noted last week, it’s a very competitive field with some heavyweights in the mix. The race in that category, right now, looks to be wide open, with no safe bets. 

That said, the nomination needs to be secured first and that’s what Michelle is doing here as she goes for her fifth: trying to lock that down with this appearance and this speech. It’s a speech that reminds people how long she’s been in the game, and the wide range of performances she’s given over the years in Wendy and Lucy, Manchester By The Sea, My Week With Marilyn, Fosse/Verdon, Venom, Brokeback Mountain, and more. 

 

Michelle and husband Thomas Kail very recently welcomed their second child, her third. Thomas was not with her at the Gothams last night, presumably at home with their kids. Instead she was joined by her best friend and award show partner, Busy Philipps. That takes us back to Capeside too because, of course, Michelle and Busy have been friends since Dawson’s Creek. It’s good to see them back on the awards circuit together. It feels familiar and constant, these two friends who show up for each other over and over again.