Michelle Williams Recalls Living with ‘Blue Valentine’ Co-Star Ryan Gosling

Michelle Williams went through emotional challenges both personally and professionally while filming the 2010 drama Blue Valentine with co-star Ryan Gosling.

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Michelle and Ryan played Cindy and Dean in the critically acclaimed film “Blue Valentine”, portraying a couple whose relationship deteriorates after an intense romance in their 20s.

Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling’s “9 to 5” Living Arrangement During “Blue Valentine” Filming

“We took a break in filming. We shot the first part when they’re young and in love and everything’s going really well,” Williams said during the May 19 episode of the Armchair Expert podcast.“And then we took a two-week break, and we lived together.”

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Williams clarified they didn’t live together full-time and jokingly referred to it as a “office hours, baby, like nine to five,” calling it a “professional situation.” “We did these improvisations during the day, honestly, to figure out ways to annoy each other,” she added. “And to destroy this thing that we had made.”

Williams Explains Filming Break and the Emotional Challenge of Portraying Conflict in “Blue Valentine”

Williams said the break wasn’t part of the original plan, but it was suggested after she and Gosling found it difficult to shoot scenes where their characters were in conflict, following earlier scenes that captured them falling in love.

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“We were having such a hard time letting go of the thing that we loved,” she confessed. “Derek was like, ‘We gotta mess this up, and we need to burn it down.’ And we did a ceremonial burned our wedding photo.”Williams said that much of the time was spent alone with Gosling, trying out different scenarios that director Derek Cianfrance would give them to explore.

“And then he would say, after you’ve had this frustrating day, now you’re gonna go take your daughter to the amusement park and try and have a good time,” she said.

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“I don’t know if anybody could work like that again. You’ve got a crew that’s on hold. You’re paying people I mean, it’s such a small movie, so, so low budget and a small crew, but you’re taking a big down period in the middle of the thing.”

“It was horrible,” Williams reflected on the experience, admitting she had to resist the urge to seek Gosling’s approval. “I don’t wanna give you reasons to hate me or, think I’m obnoxious,” she said. “We were having such a good time. The party has to be over so soon.”

The role earned Williams an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role, though the award ultimately went to Natalie Portman for “Black Swan”.

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