Michelle Williams was ecstatic to land a role in The Fabelmans

Michelle Williams "jumped up and down with excitement" after being cast in 'The Fabelmans'.

The 42-year-old star features in Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical film as Mitzi Schildkraut-Fabelman, the mother of Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) – the character based on the legendary film director as a child – and was overjoyed to land the part.

During an appearance on 'The Graham Norton Show', Michelle recalled: "I got a text saying Steven wanted to talk to me and I thought I was reading it wrong.

"I was jumping up and down with excitement as only middle-aged people do and then we are on a Zoom, and he is telling me he wants me to play his mom, someone he loved and adored in a film that honours his parents.

"It was a good day – one glorious day before the terror of playing the role set in!"

The 'Shutter Island' actress explained how it was "emotional" to see Spielberg at work on the most personal movie of his career.

Michelle said: "It was beautiful. It was emotional to watch him in such a tender place. He invited us to come into this vulnerable time in his life which was very generous and brave on his part."

The star memorably spoke out about the gender pay gap in Hollywood at the Emmy Awards in 2019 and described the speech as the proudest moment of her life.

She said: "It is amazing when you find yourself in the middle of something like that and realise everyone is looking to you.

"It wound up being an incredible teaching moment because the disparity was so enormous it really shone a light on women being underpaid in the workplace. I found myself as the person most able to talk about it and I think when I look back on my life that will be the moment, I am most proud of. I am very shy but found my voice to stand up and speak out."

'The Graham Norton Show' airs on BBC One on Friday January 20 at 10.40pm. It is also available on BBC iPlayer.