Michelle Williams Shades ‘Crash’ For Beating ‘Brokeback Mountain’ At The 2006 Oscars: “What Was ‘Crash’?”
Michelle Williams still thinks Brokeback Mountain should’ve won Best Picture over Crash at the 2006 Academy Awards.
The Dying For Sex star appeared on Thursday night’s (April 3) episode of Watch What Happens Live, where host Andy Cohen gushed over the 2005 romantic drama following the 20-year affair of two cowboys, which starred Williams, Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Anne Hathaway.
“May I gush to you about what an important movie Brokeback Mountain was to me? It is still, I think, in my top two movies of all time,” Cohen told the actress. “Did you realize at the time you were making that what a profound impact it was gonna have on people?”
Williams then replied, “Yes, because people were so open about it. I just remember doing the junket. You don’t get a lot of opportunities to see a lot of grown men cry. That was the moment I think that we all knew it was gonna be special to people.”
Brokeback Mountain was up for eight Oscars at the 2006 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Ledger, Best Supporting Actor for Gyllenhaal, Best Supporting Actress for Williams, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score. However, the film only took home the Oscars for Best Director for Ang Lee, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score.
“I was very upset about the Best Picture loss. I mean, Crash? Is that what won?” Cohen asked, to which Williams replied, “I mean, what was Crash?”
Cohen excitedly added, “Right? Thank you! By the way, who’s talking about Crash right now? I hear a pin drop,” as Williams slowly shook her head in agreement.
Brokeback Mountain’s loss to Crash remains one of the most controversial moments in Oscars history. Even Crash director Paul Haggis agreed that other films deserved the award more.
“Was it the best film of the year? I don’t think so,” he said in a 2015 interview with Hitfix, per The Guardian. “There were great films that year. Good Night, and Good Luck — amazing film. Capote — terrific film. Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain, great film. And Spielberg’s Munich. I mean please, what a year.”
“Crash, for some reason, affected people, it touched people. And you can’t judge these films like that. I’m very glad to have those Oscars. They’re lovely things,” he continued. “But you shouldn’t ask me what the best film of the year was because I wouldn’t be voting for Crash, only because I saw the artistry that was in the other films.”
Watch What Happens Live airs Sunday through Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on Bravo. New episodes are available to stream the next day on Peacock.
