Last night's Kate Young for Target party at the Old School, which was made to look like a Valentine's dance in a high school gym, was chock full of movers and shakers including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Derek Blasberg, Pamela Love, Constance Jablonski, and the Brant brothers. Between sips of champagne and having flashbacks of our middle school dances -- surely the last time we were seen in a school gym -- we had a few minutes to talk with the big star of the evening, Michelle Williams. Williams was in high spirits and rocking a new 'do, so we thought it was the perfect time to talk to her about her controversial torture scene in Oz the Great and Powerful, her new movie Suite Française, and the work of raising a kid. Tell us about that great scene were Rachel Weisz's character tortures your character in Oz the Great and Powerful.
Oh, you liked it? You liked watching me get tortured? [Laughs.]
Well, just a little...
[Director] Sam Raimi also liked it. Sam wanted her to slap me, and then kiss me, and then slap me again. We didn't go for that. The torture was all about -- well the more torturous part was being chained up. I've never been chained up before. And having burns around your wrist. But it was kind of fun to figure out how somebody gets tortured, how electricity would hit your body. I weirdly also kind of enjoyed it.
You did?
Oh yeah.
So you're also set to be in the movie adaption of WWII novel Suite Française -- which will focus on a French peasant girl falling in love with a German commander occupying her home. Have you read the book?
Yes, I have. I was given the book many, many years ago.
Tell me about your role.
[It's all about] forbidden love. I like the story because it's a heroic story and I feel like those are always worth telling.
Do you have any side projects right now?
No, I wish I had side projects! I'm kind of like a "one thing at a time" girl. I can't really take on [more]. I wish I was. I wish I was one of those people who's also taking lots of photos. and going to cooking classes. But I just work and raise the kid. That's all I can do.
Well, raising the kid is a job in and of itself.
Raising the kid is the work, yeah. And it's amazing, and it's the ultimate creative act. That's my side project and my center project.