Michelle Williams experienced the overwhelming success of "Brokeback Mountain" firsthand. During an interview on Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist, the 42-year-old actress reminisced about the impact of her first Oscar nomination for her role in the 2005 drama. She admitted that the recognition left her "creatively frozen for a moment," unsure of her next career move.

Williams, who was only 25 when she received the Best Supporting Actress nomination for her portrayal of Alma Beers Del Mar, Heath Ledger's character's wife, described the aftermath as unnerving. "What do you do next?" she pondered. The attention she received was "destabilizing," she said, adding that she had never thought anyone paid much attention to her work before.

The actress, who rose to fame through her role in "Dawson's Creek" from 1998 to 2003, appeared in several big-screen movies, such as "Halloween H20: 20 Years Later," "Dick," and "Prozac Nation." However, "Brokeback Mountain"—starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Ledger, Williams' late partner and father of their 17-year-old daughter Matilda—cemented her status as a dramatic actress. The film earned eight Oscar nominations and won three at the 2006 ceremony, including Best Director, Best Original Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Following "Brokeback Mountain," Williams received four more Oscar nominations: in 2011 for "Blue Valentine," 2012 for "My Week with Marilyn," 2017 for "Manchester By The Sea," and at this year's ceremony for "The Fabelmans."

Discussing her role in the Steven Spielberg-directed drama, also nominated for Best Picture, Williams shared her affection for the cast and crew, including Seth Rogen, Paul Dano, and rising star Gabriel LaBelle. She expressed sadness that the Oscars marked their last time together as a united project.

Despite losing the Best Actress award to Michelle Yeoh, Williams cherished her fifth nomination and role as Mitzi, a character based on Spielberg's mother. She described the opportunity to work with Spielberg and portray someone he loved dearly as "the honor of a lifetime."