Michelle Williams is the cover girl for the February issue of Marie Claire, likely to promote Blue Valentine. I kind of hate the cover shot. I think Michelle is a pretty girl, and she looks her best when she’s either doing a heavily stylized “mod” look, or when she’s just aiming for girl-next-door cute. This cover shot doesn’t play into her best style, that’s what I’m saying.
Anyway, there are some interview excerpts floating around, including Michelle talking about her plans to start a yoga group for single mothers. She says that she used yoga after Heath died, and she’s started a Yoga for Single Moms program in Boston.
On yoga: “Yoga gave me relief like nothing else; it made be a better person and a better mother. I could come back to my daughter anew. And then I started to think about how expensive it is to get a babysitter to take a yoga class, which makes it out of reach for so many women. The idea behind the programme is that if you can clear the time, we do the rest. It provides childcare while the mum is in the yoga class, and it’s all free.’
On Reese’s advice in a troubled time: “To give credit where credit is due, I was sharing a difficulty I was experiencing with Reese Witherspoon, and she said, ‘Yes, I understand, but think about how much more difficult this would be without the luxury of a reliable, steady income.”
On a changed perspective on life: “When things are difficult for me as a single parent, I always reflect on how much harder it would be if I didn’t have money—if I couldn’t afford a babysitter to go to yoga class or out to dinner with a girlfriend.”
[From Just Jared & Monsters & Critics]
I come out of this loving Reese Witherspoon more, right? You know what it was – Michelle was all “woe is me” and Reese was all “Stop whining, so many women have it so much harder. Appreciate what you have, chica.” And Reese is right.
Here are photos of Michelle over the weekend at an event for the NYT. Her dress is Chanel. I don’t hate it. But I do hate her hair now.
Photos courtesy of WENN. MC cover courtesy of The Fashion Spot.
Sounds like Witherspoon is a good friend who will listen, sympathize, and then tell it to you like it is.
Reese just made my day. I can think of a few other actresses who need that kind of talking to. What Michelle went through was tough but she has a lot to be grateful for.
I love Michelle. She seems very genuine and I love her spirit. She obviously adores her daughter, too. And the part about Reese? Fan-fucking-tastic. She seems like she’s kind of hard-nosed underneath that southern sweetness. My kind of girl.
the luxury of money IS a wonderful thing…but there are some things it just can’t do. reese you beyotch…don’t be so shallow.
now THAT is a good friend and Michelle Williams is a rock star for actually listening to the advice and taking it!
Good advice for real
I like them both,Reese always seems like she has down home Southern sense and simplicity.
They should have had Michelle play Jackie O,resembles her,has class and can act. And I thought that before I remembered about her and Katie on the same show and rumoured rivalry.
Reese Witherspoon just went up in my books by a BIG jump! Real friends do tell it like it is and real friends take that advice. I love that they both understand how lucky they are and the advantages that they’ve been given.
Shit happens in life and you need to pull up your socks, deal with it and move on. Otherwise you can end up spending your life being trapped.
I just discovered yoga and I agree – it is awesome, and hard to afford. Thankfully I have a community center that takes donations, but does not require them and a partner to watch my children!
I love that Reese was all, “Look at the good side.” Because as a girl who has been in a bad place, sometimes you need to be shook out of it. As a friend who has had to be all, “Okay, enough is enough – get back up and start again.” when my friends went through a rough time, it is not always the role you want, but you owe it to your friends to be both kind and tough when they need it! Props to Reese for saying it and props to Michellr for hearing it as loving advice!
@LittleFATMe Yoga to the People is the bomb their classes are by donation 5-10 dollars each and they have studios in NY, Seattle, San Francisco and Berkley
http://yogatothepeople.com/
Doesn’t sound like a whine to me. After all she did go thru something horrible. Yet I never heard her complain. So this is a chat between two level headed actor friends.
Love them both.
Ohh pleaseeee get rid of those hideous eyebrowns!!!
And that haircut and colour… sigh.
Am I the only one who liked Michelle Williams as long as I don’t have to hear her voice? It just annoys me. But I think she’s wonderful.
Eh, Reece sounds a bit of a bitch. Yes, it is much better to be wealthy and have problems, but death is hard to deal with, period.
I think too often women feel like if they speak up, no matter how carefully they put it, it will be held against them later.
Lots of women just say what they think the other person wants to hear, even if it’s enabling.
Glad to see Reese cared enough about her to really lay it out like that and it’s awesome that Michelle was mature and cool enough to hear it. Refreshing.
I love them both! I think Reese is definitely a straight to the point gal (at least she said she understood, first)and those are the friends worth having.
Yay Reese! Friends are doing you the biggest favor of your life when they acknowledge your feelings and at the same time give you a reality check. Like: I hear what you’re saying, and now pull up your big-girl panties and deal with it.
People sometimes needs a wake-up call, but the whole “it could be worse” thing is ugh.
hmm i like reese’s attitude.
I LOVE REESE!!!!!!!!!!
Kudos to her and Reese for understanding how blessed them and their children are financially which makes things in life alot easier.
Michelle’s hair looks SO much better than it did a few weeks ago. The roots are growing in (or she got them darkened) Remember when they were white white a short time ago>
Reese and Michelle seem to be able to handle adversity in a healthy manner.
Kudos to them!! Many could learn a healthy way to handle problems by following their examples.
For me personally, I would have smacked the shit out of Reese.
When I am upset, I can’t STAND when people tell me I should look on the bright side. I’m more the type who needs to:
a. eventually come to that realization myself
b. cry it out on a sympathetic shoulder.
When you are having problems, no matter how trivial they may seem in the grand scheme, they could still be the worst thing that ever happened to you personally. I dunno, I just think it seems mean, but that’s just IMHO.
i think you missed the point, Lori and guesty. reece was not trying to tell her that “it’s all good since you have money.” she was not being shallow at all – just telling her friend that it could be worse. and kudos for her to have the nuts to say it straight to michelle – she probably needed it at the time.
her face is too fat for that hairstyle.
Reese is the epitome of a steel magnolia.
My opinion of Reese Witherspoon just went up big time. So glad to hear someone in Hollywood acknowledge how difficult it can be to manage life when you don’t have the financial resources of a Hollywood star. It’s true we all have problems, but when you are financially unstable or struggling as well, problems are compounded.
Money does not solve everything. It certainly doesn’t improve mental health. I hope that Reese’s quote is edited out of complete context. I’d hope a good friend would not say,” Stop whining. You’ve got money.”
@fire…not a fan of either reese or michelle but that’s my opinion on their convo & good for you on having yours.
I actually love the hair, but the dark eyebrows are NOT cute.
And Reese was right, in a very non bitchy way. There are millions of single moms out there, and she could indeed have it a lot worse.
Yeah, I don’t think I missed the point. It’s like saying “It could be worse, you could have lost a leg” or “People in whatever country have it a lot worse”. Or “snap out of it” heaven forbid. I think losing the father of your very young child is pretty bad.
I don’t get yoga at all. I think my 3 year old summed it up nicely when we both trying it out for the first time: “Um…mama? Why are we jus standing here? Dun we do somefing else? How to move my spine in???? Ah fo’get it.”
You do have problems with reading Lori.
“Sharing a difficulty” does not mean talking about Heath Ledger, not at all.
So what you are doing is most probably making something up to prove your point, which seems to be that you don´t like Reese. Which is alright, but the way you are trying to make her look bad backfires.
Kudos to Reese and Michelle for their mature way of handling problems.
I stick with what I said, Lori and guesty. The article did NOT say she was talking about the death of Heath – just said she was “sharing a difficulty” she was experiencing. And obviously Michelle didn’t think Reece was a bitch or shallow or else she probably would have never shared the story. So, my “opinion” of the conversation is along the lines of most readers here and, it seems like, Michelle herself. She says that that comment changed her outlook on life. Money does not take away the pain of situations but having it can help with how you react to that pain/stress (hiring a babysitter to be able to go do yoga or have a dinner with girlfriends).
Some interesting comments here. I didn’t express my first thought but now I will-
From what I have read, Michelle gave Heath the choice of his family or drugs. This is not to say that she didn’t love him or feel great sadness for her daughter about his problem. I think that she had come to some sort of acceptance of the situation (and the risks of his addiction) before he over-dosed. We all know that usually stories with junkies don’t end pretty or wealthy. I think that was part of Reese’s point that at least she had the security of money, unlike many women left to raise children alone (financially and emotionally) picking up the pieces from the mistakes and weakness of an addict. She did try to get him help for Heroin, Cocaine and numerous pills,even taking him to rehab,which he refused. Sad for Matilda but at least she has a strong mother with a good head on her shoulders.
Yep I hate the cover too. Very fug and not her best look.
And I too came out of reading that interview loving Reese even more! 😆
@fire…the undertone of heath’s death is virtually implied by the journalist within the context of the article.
the operative words being…single parent, troubled time, changed perspective on life.
the journalist also uses buzz words such as yoga, dinner with gfs, etc. to give a light-hearted friendly overtone to the article.
so while the majority may form their opinions based on the overtone as opposed to the undertone…both opinions can and will be expressed.
a win/win. 🙂
Love Reece even more now!!
Hate the cover too.
Gosh – Reese should do this conversation with Jennifer Aniston. Can you imagine that someone would say those things to Aniston one day?
I think the cover is supposed to give off a Marilyn Monroe/Richard Avedon-ish vibe. Williams is going to play her, right?
At first reading the whole “but you still have $” aspect rubbed me the wrong way. But when I insert a different trying/ heart-wrenching situation (e.g. husband is an adulterer, chooses that selfish lifestyle over family and you have to start all over by yourself but this time as a mom) I realize that Reese was offering very real, very good and probably very personal, helpful advice. Life is hard when trials come. We can lay there and let them have there way with us or count the blessings we still have, be encouraged and press on. I’m glad Reese was able to helpfully and wisley counsel her. It probably meant a lot coming from Reese who truly DOES know what it’s like to have difficulty, be single mom, and acknowledges that she has a LOT more resources available than the average woman in her position and should consider that and find hope and strength to pick up the pieces and start anew.
On a different note, I’ve heard wonderful things about this woman, apparently she’s good at her job but I never saw the attractiveness. I will always wonder what’s going on when she snags a hottie b/c she looks so “meh”. I think she
Kinda looks like Madge and Goopy’s trainer,Tracy Anderson, ESPECIALLY in that last pic (yeeesh)!
i can see how reese’s advice could come across as bitchy but tone is everything, and obviously it was said in a way that not only could michelle take the advice to heart but open up about it, so it doesn’t seem bitchy to me, and its very true too, but i’m sure from michelle’s eyes it was hard to see the bright side. good for both of them. i really like them both. also thats really nice that she started the yoga program. and i like the hair and dress.
I really hate to belabor my point, but…
@guesty – obviously you must have read the whole article since you can speak to the “undertone of the article” – can you provide a link to it? I am only commenting on what is presented here, which is not an article, but direct quotes from Michelle (see the quotation marks?). There is no spin on it – just her words. The journalist did not use “buzz words such as yoga” to lighten the tone – these are words that Michelle used exactly. You can spin it the way you chose – I really don’t care – but I seriously doubt Michelle would quote advice from Reece if she thought she was being a bitch, do you? It obviously helped her through a difficult time, so much so it “changed her perspective on life.” Hard for me to see the shallowness in that.
@fire…the really nice thing about opinions is that everyone is entitled to their own.
kaiser has another excerpt & a link to the entire interview if you’re really that interested.
i know i’m not & am way past over this. obviously, you’re not going to change my opinion & i’m certainly not trying to change yours.
I think that’s great about Michelle starting a yoga group for single mothers. I’ve done yoga for years (it keeps me sane) and it can defintely get expensive!
I must be reading somethin different becuae Reese sounds like a b1tch!
Guesty – yeah, you’re right – I call “Uncle!” too. Have a nice Wednesday!
@fire…you do the same! 🙂