Inside Michelle Williams’s Life with Her Four Private Kids

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Michelle Williams is a prominent figure in film and television, known for her roles in projects like Dawson’s Creek, The Greatest Showman, and Dying for Sex. Despite her high profile, she has been remarkably private about her personal life.

In 2005, Williams welcomed her first child, Matilda Rose, with the late actor Heath Ledger after a year of dating. Matilda later facilitated a romantic connection between Williams and Thomas Kail, who married in secret. The couple had their first child, Hart, in 2020, and subsequently welcomed two more children in 2022 and 2025. The specifics regarding the names, genders, and birth dates of the two younger children have been kept confidential, much to the surprise of the public.

What stands out about Williams is her deep affection for her children. “My heart obviously belongs to my children. They tug at it the most,” she shared in a January 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly. A source close to her mentioned in November 2022 that Williams was thoroughly enjoying her family life. Even though her children remain largely out of the public eye, there is much to uncover about her growing family.

Matilda Rose Ledger

Michelle Williams embraced motherhood on October 28, 2005, welcoming Matilda Rose in New York City with Ledger. Soon after Matilda’s birth, Williams shared the inspiration behind her daughter’s name in conversations with press outlets like USA Today. “I came up with it on the subway,” she revealed. “It just fell from the sky and into my head.” She expressed admiration for the Roald Dahl book Matilda, linking it to hopes of raising a daughter who loves to read and explore life.

Sadly, Williams and Ledger parted ways just three years after Matilda’s birth, with Ledger’s untimely death occurring when Matilda was just two. In a 2016 interview with People, she reflected on raising Matilda without Ledger, mentioning that it “just won’t ever be right.” However, she has been grateful for the support of her loved ones, highlighting her friend Jeremy Strong who moved in to help during that challenging time. “He was serious enough to hold the weight of a child’s broken heart,” Williams noted.

Matilda has also maintained a connection to her father’s legacy through his family. In 2008, the Ledger family declared that Ledger’s estate would be passed on to Matilda, fortifying her ties to her father’s memory.

Williams has taken measures to shield Matilda from public scrutiny, emphasizing her desire for her daughter to experience a genuine upbringing. She explained her parenting philosophy to Vanity Fair in 2018, saying, “I parent to let Matilda feel free to be herself.” At the 2020 SAG Awards, she brought Matilda to mind in her acceptance speech for her role in Fosse/Verdon, stating, “I love you and I’m coming home.”

Hart Kail

After a private wedding in March 2020, Williams and Thomas Kail announced their family expansion with the birth of their son, Hart, just three months later. While the couple kept their marriage under wraps, Hart’s arrival was anticipated; the actress showcased her pregnancy at the 2020 SAG Awards in a stunning black silk gown.

Reflecting on motherhood during the pandemic, she expressed in a May 2020 interview with Variety, “The world we brought a baby into is not the world we thought we were bringing a baby into… There’s nothing that makes you committed to a better world than raising a great kid.”

Baby Number Three

Williams and Kail welcomed their second child in 2022. The couple was spotted with a newborn in New York City in October, but they neither confirmed nor revealed details about their child. Williams previously shared her feelings about expanding her family in May 2022, saying, “It’s totally joyous… That good fortune is not lost on me or my family.”

Baby Number Four

In April 2025, sources revealed that Williams and Kail welcomed a third child via surrogacy six weeks prior. The couple was seen strolling through New York shortly before this news became public. Reports indicated that their family was thrilled with the new addition, with Matilda showing great affection towards her younger siblings.

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