So, who was this Michael Williams guy? Picture this: a gentle, witty English actor with a face you’d trust with your deepest secrets. He wasn’t a mega-star like Judi, but in the UK, he was a beloved face on stage and telly. Think The Railway Children or tons of classic BBC dramas—that was his vibe.
They met in the early 1970s while working on a play called The Comedy of Errors. Judi was already a rising star; Michael was, well, just a really good bloke. And get this—she was actually engaged to another man when they met! But Michael won her over with his quiet charm. You know those rom-coms where the nice guy gets the girl? That was literally their origin story.
Their Love Was a Marathon, Not a Sprint
They got married in 1971, and it wasn’t a flashy Hollywood affair. They just quietly tied the knot. And for 30 years, they were a team. Judi once said, “He made me laugh. He still makes me laugh.” Isn’t that the dream? They had a daughter, Finty Williams, who also became an actress. (Yes, she got the name Finty—it’s adorable, just roll with it.)
Their marriage was famously happy. They bickered over silly things—Judi once complained he squeezed the toothpaste wrong. But they were each other’s biggest cheerleaders. Michael would watch her on stage and say she was “bloody brilliant.” And she’d come home to him cooking dinner. I mean, could they be any more perfect?
