Michelle Williams Stars in Life-Altering Drama Ensemble in “After the Wedding”

Michelle Williams, whose most recent memorable role in the worldwide hit movie “The Greatest Showman” and whose performances have established her as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after and respected actors, earning her a Golden Globe Award and three nominations, a Tony Award nomination, a Critics’ Choice Award and four Academy Award® nominations stars anew in the acclaimed film “After the Wedding” alongside Academy-Award winner Julianne Moore and multi-talented actors Billy Crudup and Abby Quinn.

“After the Wedding” brings us to the world of Isabel (Michelle Williams), an orphanage director in the slums of Calcutta, who has devoted her life to caring for impoverished children. She’s also become surrogate mother to a vulnerable seven-year-old boy, Jai (Vir Pachisia), with whom she shares such a deep emotional bond, that they’re nearly inseparable. Despite years spent working with her colleague, Preena (Anjula Bedi), to scrape together donations, the orphanage is on the brink of bankruptcy. And just as the situation reaches its breaking point, Preena receives a letter from a potential big donor, who requests that Isabel travel to New York to deliver a presentation in-person. At first balking at the demand of the philanthropist, Preena convinces her to relent, and Isabel travels back to a city she’s deliberately been avoiding for over two decades.

Once in New York, Isabel is as disoriented by the luxury of the hotel that’s been arranged for her, as she is meeting the orphanage’s possible benefactor, the glamorous, multi-millionaire media mogul, Theresa Young (Julianne Moore). From the glittering skyscraper where she runs her successful business, to the glorious Oyster Bay estate, where she lives happily with her artist husband, Oscar Carlson (Billy Crudup), 21-year-old daughter, Grace (Abby Quinn), and eight-year-old twins, Theo and Otto, Theresa’s life couldn’t appear more perfect.

But although their lives seem diametrically opposite, Isabel and Theresa are forces to be reckoned with, and have far more in common than they may ever know.

Williams was also so moved by the depth of Isabel’s loyalty to the children of the orphanage, that she told producer Harry Finkel she’d be willing to spend her own time working in a similar environment before shooting began. Michelle Williams was deeply drawn in by the emotional peaks and valleys that are inherent in the story. “I’m always keen to do something that I haven’t done before, and that I don’t quite know how to do,” she said. “It felt exciting to stretch for Isabel, and for that growth to be a little bit painful, because I wound up in new places each time.”

“After the Wedding” opens August 14 in cinemas. Released by Go Asia Entertainment.