Michelle Williams' Daughter: Everything She's Said About Motherhood

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Dan MacMedan/WireImage

Michelle Williamscouldn’t be more proud of her daughterMatilda Rose Ledger, whom she welcomed with the lateHeath Ledger.

Heath may have been a first-time father, but he fell into the role effortlessly. His longtime friend Matt Amato said he was “just a natural dad” in April 2017. “I met Matilda three days after she was born and they were just a beautiful painting together,” he said.

Michelle and Heath amicably split in September 2007 and a few months later,The Dark Knightstardied from an accidental drug overdoseon Jan. 22, 2008. Matilda was only 2 years old. The actress has since welcomedtwo more childrenwith her husband,Thomas Kail— son Hart, born in 2020, andanother child, who was born in late 2022.

While Michelle generally believes in “not fighting circumstances” and “accepting where you are,” she doesn’t feel that way about Matilda having to grow up without her dad. “You know, that’s just something that doesn’t … I mean, it justwon’t ever be right,” she toldPortermagazine in November 2016.

Despite the hardship, Michelle has been dedicated to giving her daughter a life filled with love and support. Here’s everything the actress has said about parenting her and Heath Ledger’s daughter, Matilda Ledger.

Matilda was born in New York City

Heath and Michellewelcomed Matildaon Oct. 28, 2005, in New York City, where the couple were living at the time.

She has famous godparents

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic ; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

The two actors met and fell in love on the set of their 2005 filmBrokeback Mountain, so it only made sense that their costar and good friendJake Gyllenhaalwould be Matilda’s godfather. Her godmother is Michelle’s close friend andDawson’s CreekcostarBusy Philipps.

Michelle says Matilda is a movie buff

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According to Michelle, Matilda shares a major interest with her dad — a passion for film.

“She’s starting tounderstand more and more,” Michelle toldThe New Yorkerin 2013 of Matilda’s knowledge of her mom’s career. “She knows a lot about Glinda the Good Witch, a lot about who that is, what that was. She would go up to people in the park and say, ‘My mommy is Glinda the Good Witch inOz. There’s two bad ones and only one good one, and that’s my mom.’ "

As a teen, Matilda started to develop her love for movies even more. While talking about holiday plans in 2022, Michelle revealed her daughter iscrazy about Christmas movies. “We’ve seenWhite Christmasso many times,” she toldKelly RipaandRyan Seacrestduring an appearance onLive with Kelly and Ryan. “Matilda loves those movies so, so much and I’m excited to have her show those to the younger kids.”

And when asked who her best audience is during a January 2023interview withThe Guardian, Michelle responded, “I’m sure it’s my daughter. She is the person I have spent my adult life with.”

Michelle worked hard to give Matilda a relatively normal childhood

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Despite her famous parents and the death of her dad, Michelle was determined to give Matilda as stable a childhood as possible. In July 2018, she toldVanity Fairabout how she juggled her actingcareer with motherhood.

“She hasn’t had her routine disrupted and hasn’t missed class,” she explained of Matilda, adding that she also leaves her summers open to be able to spend more unstructured time with her kids. “[I’m] less scheduled, less regulated, less hustle, less go go go. I parent to let Matilda feel free to be herself.”

Andwhen filming conflictedwith Matilda’s schedule, Michelle was willing to walk away from a project. When Michelle,Ryan Goslingand director Derek Cianfrance had a chance to makeBlue Valentinein 2009, Michelle was crushed to have to back out because she couldn’t be away from her daughter, as she toldThe Guardian. Determined to make it work, they moved the shoot to be within an hour of her home.

Heath’s family can’t say enough good things about Michelle’s parenting skills. “I think that sheprovides such a wonderful environmentfor Matilda to grow up in,” Heath’s sister told PEOPLE in 2017. “Especially in the sort of industry that she’s in.”

Matilda will inherit Heath’s entire estate

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“Matilda is an absolute priority and Michelle is an integral part of our family,” Heath’s father, Kim, told PEOPLE in March 2008. “They will be taken care of and that’s how Heath would want it to be.” A few months later, the family decided thatMatilda will be the sole beneficiary.

“Our family has gifted everything to Matilda,” Kim told PEOPLE. “That was the plan from the moment my boy passed away. There was never any question about the fact that Heath’s estate would go to Matilda. Never a question. We are very close to Michelle and Matilda.”

Matilda has a special relationship with Jeremy Strong

SuccessionactorJeremy Stronghas a very special relationship with Heath and Michelle’s daughter. Strong metThe Fabelmansstar at the Williamstown Theater Festival in the early 2000s and the pair quickly became friends. When Heath died, Strong was one of the people who showed up in a big way for the grieving mother and daughter.

“There was an emptiness in the house,” Michelle later toldVarietyof the months following Heath’s death. “So people moved in.” One of those people was Strong, whoactually stayed with the duoon and off for three years.

“Jeremy was serious enough to hold the weight of a child’s broken heart and sensitive enough to understand how to approach her through play and games and silliness,” she explained.

Michelle says witnessing Matilda grow into her own is “a glorious miracle”

While speaking withThe Guardian, Michelle touched on the impact of the #MeToo movement and how it’s helped create a world for young women “that it is safer and more inclined in their direction than it was for me.”

She particularly noticed it in the confidence of her younger costars inThe Fabelmans. “I did not possess any grace or calm, nor did any of my contemporaries. I was raised in the 80s. Selfhood wasn’t put into young women. And now it is,” Michelle explained, before noting how the sentiment hits home. “I get to see it in my own daughter and I can’t take my eyes off her. It is a glorious miracle to behold that I never thought I would witness in my lifetime.”

The actress continued, “I thought I would have to teach my daughter how to subvert herself and crawl underneath the system to keep herself safe. And, instead, the system has exploded and these young people act with compassion, integrity and righteousness.”

Matilda has a lot in common with her famous father

In April 2017, Heath’s sister Kate Ledger revealed the ways in whichMatilda is similar to the actor.

“When [Matilda] picks up her pencil, it reminds me of Heath; when she walks, it reminds me of Heath; when she gets on her skateboard, it reminds me of Heath,” she told PEOPLE.

source: people.com