Skip to main contentSkip to footer
Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams at the 2006 Oscars nominees luncheon© Getty Images

Celebrity news

Michelle Williams shares rare words about her late ex Heath Ledger

The pair share a daughter named Matilda


Maria Loreto
Senior Writer
MAY 20, 2025 1:02 PM EDT

Michelle Williams is opening up about one of the most painful chapters of her life. The Academy Award nominated actress recently made some comments about her late ex-boyfriend Heath Ledger and Matilda, the daughter they share.

Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams at the 2006 Oscars nominees luncheon© Getty Images
Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams were together for three years

Williams was a guest at an episode of "Armchair Expert with Dax Shephard," where she and Shephard discussed their connections with Ledger. 

"I feel obligated to say that I knew him a little bit when he was getting sober, and I don't know that I've ever fallen in love with somebody so quickly," said Shephard. "This is one of the most special boys I've ever met, and I can feel the weight of the world on him in a very special way that kind of broke my heart." 

Ledger died in 2008, greatly impacting the entertainment industry. 

Heath Ledger Photo Session on June 9, 2000© GettyImages
Ledger died in 2008 after an accidental overdose

"I was very, very sad, and I thought he was just so special," continued Shephard, prompting a heartbreaking admission from Williams. 

"So special, so special," she said. "Thank god there's Matilda." She also commented on Ledger's "incredible sensitivity." 

More details about Williams and Ledger's relationship

Williams and Ledger met on the set of 'Brokeback Mountain'© WireImage
Williams and Ledger met on the set of 'Brokeback Mountain'

Williams and Ledger met on the set of "Brokeback Mountain," in 2004, one of the biggest films of their careers. The two connected immediately and dated for three years. 

"I remember being in rehearsal, and the two of them had googly eyes with each other," said their co-star Jake Gyllenhaal to E! Online. "There were sparks immediately. It was adorable," added Anne Hathaway, who also starred in the film. 

They welcomed Matilda in 2005. While Williams rarely discussed her relationship with Ledger, she has commented on the fast pace of their relationship. "Our initial meeting, the circumstances of how we first met, were cosmic or something. Yeah, a lot of things happened at once. It's a bit like, we had a lot of things to do because we didn't have a lot of time, or something," she said to GQ in 2012. 

Michelle Williams and her daughter Matilda in August, 2024© Instar Images/The Grosby Group
Matilda is now 19 years old

© ¡HOLA! Reproduction of this article and its photographs in whole or in part is prohibited, even when citing their source.