Michelle Williams has a secret you would die for. The actress, singer and Destiny’s Child star is currently starring as the seductive Viola Van Horn in the new Broadway adaptation of Death Becomes Her, offering up a magic potion that just might hold the key to everlasting youth and beauty… for a price.
“What would you sacrifice for fame?” Williams asks in the show’s devious opening number, spotlights glinting off her jewel-encrusted gown as she temptingly wields the vial in a perfectly manicured hand. “Freedom? Sex? Money?/ Repentance, retention? acceptance, ascension?/ For power, for potential, for attention, for revenge!”
Based on the pitch-black 1992 comedy film of the same name, the stage musical features Megan Hilty as aging Broadway beauty Madeline Ashton and Jennifer Simard as dowdy and downtrodden writer Helen Sharp—a pair of unlikely best frenemies whose passive-aggressive banter belies a longstanding dynamic rooted in jealousy and competition, particularly when it comes to the affections of Helen’s plastic surgeon fiancé, Dr. Ernest Menville.
When Madeline steals the doctor (played by Christopher Sieber) out from under Helen, the latter turns to Williams’ wily potion master for a solution—leading everyone involved down a dark and riotously funny path filled with betrayal, romance and the promise of immortality.
The fantastical comedy is hardly Williams’ first foray onto the New York City stage. She made her Broadway debut back in 2003 as Aida, stepping into the headlining role made famous by Heather Headley. Williams then starred as Shug Avery in the 2007 national tour of The Color Purple, as Roxie Hart in Chicago, and as Erzulie, the Goddess of Love, in the 2017 revival of Once on This Island.
Death Becomes Her is, however, the first time the Grammy winner has been part of an original Broadway cast. And while her castmates are playing roles made famous by the likes of Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis, Williams’ character of Viola is a new invention of the stage production (changed from Lisle Van Rhuman, the scantily-clad socialite played by Isabella Rossellini in the film).
Death Becomes Her kicked off previews on October 23 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, with its official Broadway opening set for November 21. Ahead of the first preview, Williams sat down with Ticketmaster to chat all about creating the character of Viola, finding inspiration in Isabella Rossellini’s iconic performance from the movie, the surprisingly sweet message she thinks will resonate with theatergoers and more.
Plus, she spills the tea on Destiny’s Child’s fifth and final album, Destiny Fulfilled, and even reveals her favorite song from the studio set ahead of its upcoming 20th anniversary.
You’ve done so much theater in your career, from Aida to the national tour of The Color Purple and the Broadway revival of Once on This Island just a few years ago. But this is the first role you’ve ever originated on Broadway. What has that been like for you?
It’s been pretty amazing. I was asking myself, “Would you rather be originating a show or be put in?” Meaning someone has already done the role and then you come in after. But it’s been so good building [the show], it’s such a cool community. And originating a role, you want the show to win! So everybody is doing their best, you know? Rooting for each other, being helpful… it’s just been really, really amazing. Last night, we were talking about the cast album and how it’s gonna be our voices on the original cast album! And I was like, “Man, how cool is that?”’
I got into a conversation with someone I was sitting next to at a concert last week, and he turned out to be the casting director who cast you as Roxie Hart in Chicago back in, what, 2010? And it just made me think of how far you’ve come from then to now.
Oh my goodness, I love that! Yes, it was a while ago and wow, it has been a joy. And you’re right, my first show was Aida in 2003. And the Palace Theatre, where Aida was, is right across the street from the Lunt-Fontanne, where we’re doing Death Becomes Her. It is just so freaking cool to be able to continue to tell family and friends for years to come, “I was here.”
How would you describe your character, Viola Van Horn?
It’s so funny, one of the carpenters was like, “Michelle, what are you? Are you a sorcerer? Are you a witch? Are you a this, are you a that?” [Laughs] Viola’s a good saleswoman. She’s an influencer, you know? She knows what to do. You know, have I taken the potion myself? These are all cool open-ended questions, but Viola, she’s very sure. She’s very confident. Her yes is yes, her no is no. Her attitude is literally take it or leave it. She’s not gonna force anybody to do anything.
Your role is based on Isabella Rossellini’s character Lisle Von Rhuman from the film. Were you inspired by Lisle when you were creating the character of Viola?
Yeah, there are certain aspects of Lisle—I’m such a goofball and I’m very animated, I talk with my hands and I’m so dramatic when I talk. In this role, I have literally had to come up with a certain stance so that I’m not so animated. ‘Cause with Lisle, everything was just in her eyes or, you know, with the strike of a finger. So that’s been a lesson for me.
Conversely, Viola is a different character from Lisle and you are the first person to ever play her. So how have you made the character your own?
It’s so funny because I feel like I literally go into these roles trying to be as much as myself as possible. ‘Cause no one is you. No one is me, you know what I mean? But I credit [director] Christopher Gattelli and his team for pouring so much into me, by even letting me know my instincts are correct. There are some times I’ve shied away from doing something, then they’ll tell me to do it, and I’m like, “I was thinking that!” So it’s been a lot of trusting my instincts.
I’ve done a lot of Broadway, but I still feel like a kid in this. When I watch Megan Hilty and Chris Sieber and Jennifer Simard, I feel like watching them is a freaking masterclass. I think that they’re just absolutely brilliant. But I have to trust, like, I’m good, too. But that’s how I am around other artists, I feel like there’s always something for me to learn. I’m never able to go into [any new project] like, “I’m the bomb” or “I made it.” And that’s not false humility, it’s literally just like, I’m a student, still.
You actually open the show with “If You Want Perfection,” which immediately introduces the audience to the powers of Viola’s potion and the stakes that come along with it. How does that song set the tone for the rest of the show?
I feel like the opening number is always, always, always important. And so I love using my training in church and music and all that stuff. It’s like, we know how to open a show! And I didn’t know it was gonna be so popular at this point. I mean, people are showing me videos of other people literally singing my song. It is absolutely hilarious. I saw a clip of some guys from MJ: The Musical doing it, and they sound so good. I’m like, if I ever get hoarse and I need a replacement, I’m calling y’all!
What can you tease about some of your other musical numbers in the show?
Oh! “Siempre Viva” is very sensual, very jazzy. I like how the writers, Julia [Mattison] and Noel [Carey], have even crafted stuff for my tone and my voice. And then there are some things that lift me up a little bit in a way that I’ve never sang before—certain qualities of my voice that I use [in the show] more than I ever have.
The film version of Death Becomes Her came out over 20 years ago. Why do you think that it has become such an enduring cult classic?
Well, because of the topic of beauty! Aging, not aging. What’s considered beautiful? Are you still valuable when you get older? Listening to that conscience in your mind every time you look into the mirror, that’s never going away. Ever. And the beauty industry, it’s a multi-billion dollar industry and women, we’re keeping it in business. [Laughs]
Obviously the film is known for being very campy and really leaning into dark humor, but what message do you think audiences will take away from the Broadway production?
Surprisingly, friendship! Loving each other for who you are. And forgiveness. I was like, “Whaaaat? That’s not what it was about, it was about you buying my potion!” But it ends up being about forgiveness and loving each other.
What music is on your pre-show playlist in the dressing room? What gets you in the zone to perform?
The other day it was all things Liza Minnelli. I just let the playlist go, just everything Liza. I think she is just absolutely so endearing. She’s a Broadway goddess. And I’ve also been listening to Shirley Bassey a lot. I just love her tone, I love her bigness, but she is able to stand still at the same time and blow the roof off.
We’re coming up on the 20th anniversary of Destiny Fulfilled on November 8, which seems totally surreal. Looking back, how do you view that final Destiny’s Child album and its legacy?
You know, every week, someone’s tagging me in something about that album. One young lady recently recorded a whole video on social media saying that as she got older, she was realizing that the album is actually telling a story. And I replied to her post, because I had to let her know, “You’re on it!” We sequenced that album track by track to tell a complete story. And so I just love that people are still learning about the album.
Now that people are getting older, they’re going through their own relationship drama, they’re like, “Oh my gosh, that’s what this meant! I was 10 years old when this came out, but now I relate to it now that I’m 30!” Which is quite crazy, but they’re now realizing what we were talking about. So I think that’s pretty cool. It’s a joy—it’s probably one of my ultimate favorites. Even if I was just a fan of Destiny’s Child, it would be one of my favorite albums of Destiny’s Child as well.
It really is such a perfect R&B album. Do you have a personal favorite song from Destiny Fulfilled?
Hmm… I think “Free.” Yeah, most of my favorites from Destiny’s Child are not singles, they’re album cuts.
Oh, I’m with you. “If” is probably one of my top three favorite Destiny’s Child songs of all time.
Oh yeah, “If” for sure! You know, because of that Natalie Cole sample [“Inseparable” from her 1975 debut album of the same name]. Oh, absolutely.
And the harmonies on that song? Girl!
Yes! Yes!
Grab Death Becomes Her tickets via Ticketmaster.