Michelle Williams is back on Broadway, belting her heart out in Death Becomes Her—and this time, she’s sticking around! But rewind to 2018, and her Broadway career had the lifespan of a TikTok trend.
The 45-year-old Destiny’s Child alum (no, not that Michelle Williams—put the Oscar down, Michelle!) recently spilled the tea on why she yeeted herself out of Once on This Island after just two weeks. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t because the island had bad Wi-Fi.
Broadway Debut? Been There, Done That
Michelle first graced Broadway in Aida back in 2003, then showed up in Chicago in 2010, probably making Roxie Hart look like an amateur. In 2018, she joined Once on This Island—but that “once” lasted about 14 days before she had to tap out.
The Real Reason She Left
On Good Morning America, Michelle kept it real. “Back in 2018, I had to leave a Broadway show because of my mental health,” she said. “I thought that door was closed for me to return. I thought I blew it. I thought I’d be seen as a liability.”
First of all, Broadway, let’s get one thing straight: Michelle Williams is not a liability. She’s a whole survivor (cue Destiny’s Child anthem). But at the time, depression was taking center stage, and Michelle had to put her well-being first.
“I was so excited to get back on Broadway,” she shared. “But I wasn’t as well as I should’ve been, and it got to a point where I had to check out of the show. And I didn’t want to do it.”
Imagine having to make that call: “Hey, I know I just learned all the lyrics, choreography, and where not to trip on set pieces, but… I gotta go.”
The Silver Lining
2018 may have been rough, but Michelle is back and thriving. Death Becomes Her isn’t just a comeback—it’s a Broadway glow-up. And this time, she’s here to stay.
Moral of the story? Sometimes, you have to hit pause, take care of yourself, and then come back stronger than ever. Just like Michelle. And also like Destiny’s Child. Because let’s be real, they’re never really gone.
Now, somebody hand Michelle a Tony. Or at least a standing ovation.
