Michelle Williams on Her Broadway Return in Death Becomes Her — and How Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland ‘Fuel’ Her (Exclusive)

In between performing in Destiny’s Child and releasing solo music, Michelle Williams has had a prolific career on Broadway. From playing the titular role in Aida to Roxie Hart in Chicago, the actress/singer, 45, has spent the past 20 years building her theater career.

But her latest role is perhaps the most exciting. Last month, Williams made her debut in the musical adaptation of Death Becomes Her, in which she’s been playing Viola Van Horn, the mysterious figure who possesses the potion that grants eternal youth (essentially Isabella Rossellini’s role in the 1992 film starring Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn).

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the Fela! star opened up about her experience in Death Becomes Her on Broadway, having Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland attend the show’s opening night and why she wanted to lend her expertise to aspiring Broadway stars at a Dec. 7 workshop for The Broadway Collective in New York City.

Congratulations on your role in Death Becomes Her. How did you prepare to play Viola in the production?

Well, of course I watched the movie. But when I got the role, I watched the movie just in a different way, by investigator in a way. I knew that I could never be Isabella Rossellini, but I wanted to still capture and respect the integrity of the role [and] still bring me into it. There were a couple artists that I also studied.

Which artists did you study?

Now, I can’t give that away. Everybody don’t give all their sauce away. Sometimes I feel like them secret recipes, they don’t give all the ingredients.

Fair! What do you think people appreciate about Death Becomes Her?

It’s like their getaway. It’s an escape. I watch Judge Judy every day, all day, sometimes. I guess it’s that same feeling for them. If Judge Judy was on Broadway, I would probably be there eight times a week, too.

You’ve been performing in theater for years. What initially made you want to star on Broadway?

I really enjoyed being in the creative and performing arts while I was in school. Now, the auditioning part is a total nightmare at times, and I remember always auditioning and they would never pick me. And I’m like, “What is this?” And it’s so amazing. The other day I had the opportunity to sit with Robert Hartwell’s Broadway Collective, and I had to share that story with a lot of his students because a lot of them were wanting to be in theater in some form. I had to tell them the true story [that] sometimes when you audition for something, you don’t always get it. But just stay ready. That was in school when I was a child. Now imagine in 2003, I’m ready when they ask me to do Aida on Broadway. That was just an encouragement to people. If you really want it, you will stay committed.

How did you end up deciding to surprise this Broadway workshop?

Oh, I saw the young man, Robert, because of a house that he had renovated. So, I am over here thinking, “Oh, this is an amazing documentary. I would love to do something like this.” I was following him based on that. I noticed that my publicist followed him, and I was like, “Well, then I know I’m in good company.” My publicist and all these people that I adore love him. He’s just so kind. I’ve seen him do the Tamron Hall Show [and be] so infectious. And then I saw him post about Broadway Collective. I was like, “Wait a minute. I did not know this.”

So, he posted something, and I literally said, “How can I help?” Because I love being able to lend a hand and inspire a younger generation. Whitney Houston is my favorite vocalist, artist, performer, and when I was between those ages of 7 and 14, I would’ve melted like chocolate had Whitney Houston walk into a room to say “Hi,” given us some advice and mentored us for an hour. If I can just share with people my experience, but give them the real deal, I really believe at least one [person] was inspired and encouraged. Because I don’t think of myself that highly, I pray that one of my nuggets inspired someone to keep going, to embrace how awkward you might be. Because sometimes when you’re artsy, you’re rejected, you’re overlooked or you’re seen as weird. I wanted those students to just embrace it and perfect it.

What was the biggest piece of advice you gave to the folks at the workshop?

I gave it to them in two forms: “What do you do when you are rejected by some peers that you want to be cool with?” and “What do you do when you’re seemingly rejected by casting?” I’ve had both. When you’re rejected by people you want to hang out with and be with, you should just say “thank you.” Like, “Oh, you’re not my people. God’s got some folks for me, and I’m going to find them, or I’m going to attract them to me. And that’s okay.” You don’t want to be around everybody anyway. It’s exhausting. 

When a casting director says, “Thank you, we’re going to go in another direction.” That could be like, “You don’t want me?” Sometimes the casting director will know it when they see it. Sometimes they don’t know exactly what they’re looking for. Maybe it’s a feeling, maybe it’s something that they connect to because they’re going to have to work with you and direct you. I respect that. I told them, you can ask, “Hey, what can I maybe work on?” You’re allowed to ask that. It takes maybe some growth and for you to be like, “It ain’t that people are trying to control you or tell you what to do. It’s so that you can look your best.” As I’m talking to you, you’re probably like, “Girl, you a little passionate. This ain’t MasterClass right now.” But I’m so excited.

Honestly, you should do a MasterClass.

You know what? I absolutely will. Don’t tempt me with a good time. I will absolutely do a MasterClass, and I need to start one and do one in my hometown of Rockford, Ill.

What was it like having your Destiny’s Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé at the opening night of Death Becomes Her?

It was an absolute joy having them there because I know they’re fans of the movie. Kelly was just like, “Wait a minute. How is she going to have the hole in her stomach?” I said, “You have to come see the show. You got to come see it.” Just them trading lines of the movie that they know, it was really a joy to have them come to see something that I’m equally excited about as well. Having them there, I felt anchored. We obviously have not been touring together for years, but it took me back to the time when I’d been with them on stage. Even though they weren’t on stage with me, I felt so grounded. It’s giving me some fuel for the rest of my run in the show.

Why is it so important for you guys to support one another?

I feel like God has blessed me with some more sisters. I have two sisters home in Illinois, and he’s given me another set of sisters, and you support those you love and those you care about as best as you can. So, I’m just really, really thankful. 

It’s the 20th anniversary of Destiny Child’s final album, Destiny Fulfilled. Do you have any untold stories about the making of that record?

I felt like I had finally accepted my style or my tones, vocally. I accepted that it is different, but I love the fact that Beyoncé and Kelly accepted it, and they love it. And so I was like, “Well, if it’s loved by them, I’ve got to love it, too.” But I’ll say that was the album in which I was like, “Okay, I’m cool.”

That’s great. How do you spend your downtime in New York City?

It kind of depends. We don’t have a matinee today, so I literally just made a cup of decaf coffee because I’m not supposed to have caffeine while on Broadway, which is very difficult for me. Caffeine dehydrates my vocal cords. There’s an awesome view out my window. I really need to go get my nails done today. I need a fill.

[I’m] in deep thought right now for my 2025, I’m looking at this beauty advent calendar that someone sent me that has all these goodies in it. I’m like, “How am I going to get through all of these products?” It’s random stuff like that I do and try to catch up on some things on Netflix. Normal stuff that keeps my cortisol levels down.