Michelle Williams in love
After her loss, the actress has learned to smile again
Ten years after the tragic death of Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams has finally found happiness after heartache.
The actress – who started dating Heath in 2004 and had daughter Matilda with The Dark Knight star before he died from a drug overdose in 2008 – recently revealed she had secretly married Phil Elverum, 40, in upstate New York in July.
And when the newlyweds were snapped together for the first time, they couldn’t have looked more in love.
Michelle and the musician were all smiles as they held hands while shopping for antiques during a low-key outing with their children. At one point, Phil kissed a blissfully happy Michelle’s hand.
Now, as one big happy family – 12-yearold Matilda has a new sibling as well as a stepfather – the Oscar nominee and her daughter are living with Phil and his three-year-old daughter Agathe in Brooklyn.
The newlyweds have both overcome more than their fair share of tragedy, with Phil losing his wife Genevieve Castree, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2016.
“I never gave up on love. I always say to Matilda, ‘ Your dad loved me before anybody thought I was talented, or pretty, or had nice clothes,’” the 38-year-old said about her late love Heath.
“I’ve never once in my life talked about a relationship. But Phil isn’t anyone else. And that’s worth something. Ultimately, the way he loves me is the way I want to live my life on the whole.
“I work to be free inside of the moment. I parent to let Matilda feel free to be herself, and I am finally loved by someone who makes me feel free.”
LEDGER FAMILY REUNION
While Michelle is thrilled to have a new family with Phil and Agathe, she’s remained close to Heath’s parents, who live in Australia. “We’re going to see [Matilda] in New York next week. So we’ll be there a few days and see how she’s grown,” Heath’s father Kim Ledger said last week at an event for the Heath Ledger Scholarship. “She seems to have grown pretty tall.”
And both of Heath’s parents are keen to get to know her extended family. “We get to meet him [Phil] as well. Michelle’s very low-key,” says Heath’s mother Sally.
When the news of Michelle’s secret wedding came to light, Kim said, “We are terribly happy, it is great.”
In fact, all her nearest and dearest are thrilled that Michelle’s found love again in the shadow of loss. For the doting mother and Matilda – who’s Heath’s little mini-me – their happily ever after starts now.