Michelle Williams' Oscars history: Inside her 5 nominations

Michelle Williams, whose career spans television and film, has received her fifth Oscar nomination ahead of the 95th Academy Awards.

If Williams were to win March 12 for her role in "The Fabelmans," she would receive her first Oscar from her decades-long career.

“The Fabelmans” is a semi-autobiographical story of Steven Spielberg’s adolescence. Williams portrays Mitzi Fabelman, an encouraging mother to her son, Sammy, who dreams of becoming a filmmaker. The role has garnered her a best actress nod at the 2023 Academy Awards, bringing her total nominations to five.

The record for most acting nominations is held by Meryl Streep, with 21, followed by Katharine Hepburn and Jack Nicholson, each with 12.

Williams’ breadth of work, ranging from “Dawson’s Creek” to “Brokeback Mountain,” makes her a formidable match against this year’s nominees, including Michelle Yeoh and Cate Blanchett.

In preparation for Sunday’s ceremony, here’s a look at Williams’ Oscar-nominated roles.

'Brokeback Mountain' (2005)

Nominated for: Best supporting actress

"Brokeback Mountain” tackles an intimate relationship formed between two cowboys in 1960s Wyoming. The film, starring the late Heath Ledger as Ennis and Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack, garnered Williams her first Oscar nomination for her role as Alma, Ennis' wife.

Williams and Ledger started dating after meeting on the set of "Brokeback Mountain" and welcomed their daughter, Matilda, in 2005. Gyllenhaal is one of Matilda's godparents, according to People.

'Blue Valentine' (2010)

Nominated for: Best actress

“Blue Valentine” stars Williams as Cindy, an aspiring doctor, and follows the tumultuous build-up and gradual decline of her marriage to Dean, played by Ryan Gosling.

Surprisingly, some of the scenes in the film were improvised between Williams and Gosling, leading to more emotionally intense and intimate scenes.

'My Week with Marilyn' (2011)

Nominated for: Best actress

Williams donned curly hair and bright pink lipstick to transform into Marilyn Monroe in this biographical drama about the late icon.

The film, based on a book by Colin Clark (played by Eddie Redmayne), chronicles the making of the 1957 romantic comedy “The Prince and the Showgirl" and highlights an intimate period of time within Monroe’s storied career.

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Nominated for: Best supporting actress

Williams fourth Oscar nod was for her portrayal of a young mother who experiences an unimaginable tragedy.

“Manchester by the Sea,” which was co-distributed by Amazon, was the first streaming film to pick up an Oscar nomination for best picture.

The Fabelmans (2022)

Nominated for: Best actress

Revolving around Steven Spielberg’s love for filmmaking, “The Fabelmans” could nab Williams' her first Oscar win pending Sunday's ceremony.

Williams' character, Mitzi, is based on Spielberg's mother, Leah Adler, who passed away in 2017.

Williams told Town & Country that Spielberg asked her to play his mother by telling her about his life and his family. The answer was a resounding yes, she said.

“I loved being her," she told the outlet. "I loved loving my family through her."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com