Michelle Williams Questions Brokeback Mountain’s Oscar Loss: ‘What Was Crash?’

April 5, 2025: Actress Michelle Williams has opened up about what she believes was a major Academy Award injustice more than two decades after the fact. Williams was part of the critically acclaimed 2005 film Brokeback Mountain, a neo-Western romantic drama directed by Ang Lee. Despite the film receiving widespread acclaim, it famously lost the coveted Best Picture Oscar to Crash, directed by Paul Haggis.

In a recent interview on Watch What Happens Live, Williams shared her thoughts on the loss, asking, “I mean, what was Crash?” Her comment highlighted the ongoing debate about the Oscars’ decision to overlook Brokeback Mountain, a film that became a landmark for LGBTQ+ representation in cinema. Williams went on to recall the emotional impact of the film’s press tour, recalling how “people were so open about it,” and how it moved many to tears. “I just remember doing the junket. You don’t really get an opportunity to see a lot of grown men cry. That was the moment that I think that we all knew that it was going to be special,” she said.

Adapted from Annie Proulx’s 1997 short story, Brokeback Mountain tells the story of two men, played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, who form a forbidden romantic relationship. Williams played Alma, the wife of Ledger’s character Ennis Del Mar, a role that earned her her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Alongside the star-studded cast, which included Anne Hathaway and Linda Cardellini, Brokeback Mountain went on to win several awards, including Best Director for Ang Lee, Best Adapted Screenplay for Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, and Best Original Score for Gustavo Santaolalla.

However, despite these successes, Brokeback Mountain was unable to secure the Best Picture Oscar. Williams, along with many others in Hollywood, expressed their disappointment, with many pointing to the Academy’s reluctance to embrace a film centered on a same-sex romance. This sentiment was echoed by Ang Lee, who in a 2024 interview admitted that the film “had a ceiling” at the time of its release. He suggested that while Brokeback Mountain received considerable support, it ultimately faced resistance, especially considering the homophobic attitudes prevalent in Hollywood during that time. “We got a lot of support—up to that much. It has that feeling. I wasn’t holding a grudge or anything. It’s just how they were,” Lee said.

While Brokeback Mountain lost in multiple categories, including Best Actor for Ledger and Best Supporting Actor for Gyllenhaal, the film’s cultural impact cannot be denied. In fact, the film was unofficially re-voted as Best Picture in 2015 by a number of critics and film experts, reflecting its lasting significance.

Despite the snub, Brokeback Mountain remains an iconic piece of cinema, particularly for its bold portrayal of LGBTQ+ love and its influence on the industry. For Williams, it continues to be a career-defining project. As she reflects on the past, she is proud of the film’s legacy and its contribution to the conversation around representation and storytelling in Hollywood.

As the film continues to be celebrated 20 years later, Williams and Lee’s reflections on the injustice serve as a reminder of how far the industry has come, and how much further it still needs to go in embracing diverse stories.