Michelle Williams and Kelly Reichardt have, just like Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese, a thing going.
“Showing up,” which arrives in Boston theaters Friday, is their fourth collaboration in 15 years, following “Wendy and Lucy” (2008), “Meek’s Cutoff” (2010) and “Certain Women” (2016).
“Kelly’s made a few films without me,” Williams, 42, said in a Zoom interview, but she likes their continuity. “It makes my life feel long when I look back and see us kind of growing-up together.
“It makes my life feel strong and supple and able to change. I like that we can grow together as friends and as collaborators. It’s the thing I’m most connected to and most proud of in my 30 years of practicing acting.
“Because,” she added, “so much of your life is about geography, the people that you see are going to be the people that you work with. So to be with my friends, to share time while we work, it’s about the movie and it’s about the character and it’s about the relationships — but it’s also spending my lifetime with my friend Kelly. It’s very fulfilling to me on every level, personally and professionally.”
Needless to say, Reichardt’s low-budget, leisurely paced movies are far from Williams’ recent Oscar-nominated work in Hollywood extravaganza’s like “The Fabelmans.”
In “Showing Up” Reichardt, 59, creates an expansive Portland-esque arts center where the making of art – not the selling or the big bucks exhibiting – is the point. Williams’ Lizzy is stressed preparing for her gallery exhibit amid various complications with her family. Lizzy creates tiny sculptures of women that you can hold in your hand.
“She’s reacting to the circumstances that she’s in but underneath everything is the same anxiety about this show,” Williams said. “That it’s coming up and that’s really what you see, filling the cracks.”
In any movie, kids and animals make a difference in how filming goes. Lizzy lives with a cat which meant another stress level for cast and crew. “Actually, there were two cats. You know, animals are our pure presence. So they ask the same of you. You really have to situate yourself firmly in the moment to be in a scene with an animal,” Williams laughed. “Because they are, they can really make you look like a liar. They’re only interested in the here and now.
“I actually really enjoy working with animals — because it also brings a sense of calm and concentration to the set. Because once the animal gets on you know they don’t have a long time. So it settles a real hush on a busy scene.”