Michelle Williams, the renowned Broadway star, recently shared a rather alarming experience with food poisoning, stemming from an unfortunate encounter with chicken nuggets. During her appearance on the daytime talk show “Sherri,” hosted by Sherri Shepherd, Williams recounted the incident that left her feeling quite unwell at the start of the year.
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The 46-year-old singer and actress had been scheduled to join Shepherd as the first guest of 2026, but her sudden illness forced her to cancel. “I got sick, y’all!” Williams confirmed, expressing gratitude that she had recovered. She joked that her presence on the show could have led to an “in-memorial segment” dedicated to her, highlighting the seriousness of her food poisoning episode.
Williams explained that her health scare was triggered by consuming chicken nuggets that had been left out for an extended period. “I ate some nuggets that were sitting out for over nine hours and I got food poisoning. It was almost Death Becomes Her for real,” the actress remarked, drawing a parallel to her current role in the Broadway adaptation of the classic 1992 film.
On the day of the incident, Williams was performing in a two-show schedule. She recounted, “I ordered the nuggets before the matinee started, but I primarily wanted the fries, as they help lubricate my vocal cords.” Rather than refrigerating the nuggets, she accidentally left them in the microwave, which had been placed atop a radiator and was inadvertently heating the food throughout the day.
After completing her evening performance, an exhausted Williams chose to take the neglected nuggets home. “I was so hungry. I didn’t want to waste the food,” she recalled. However, the consequences soon became evident. “Four hours later, my life changed forever. It was bad,” she said, candidly sharing the impact of the food poisoning incident.
Since that harrowing experience, Williams has vowed to steer clear of chicken nuggets. “Once you get food poisoning from something, it’s like I don’t want to touch it,” she confessed. Despite this setback, Shepherd suggested a playful way for Williams to confront her fears by surprising her with chicken nuggets on set.
Shepherd presented the nuggets on a silver platter, surely hoping to mend Williams’ relationship with the popular fast food item. Amid a cheering audience urging her to indulge, Williams picked up a nugget hesitantly, exclaiming, “I’m not supposed to eat these!” Yet, after taking a cautious bite and being reassured about their safe preparation, she couldn’t help but admit, “Oh, these are good!”
Currently, Williams is gracing the stage as Viola Van Horn in the Broadway musical “Death Becomes Her.” The production has captured significant attention, receiving ten Tony Award nominations, including two for Best Actress in a Musical for Jennifer Simard and Megan Hilty. Although Williams did not secure a nomination, she expressed that the experience of returning to Broadway itself was noteworthy. In an interview with Variety, she acknowledged the disappointment of not being nominated but reflected positively on her current journey, stating, “I’m still the winner!”
Previously, Williams had a brief stint on Broadway in 2018 for the revival of “Once on This Island,” which she had to leave early due to health issues related to depression. Reflecting on her journey back to the stage, she explained to Good Morning America that she once felt her chances of returning to Broadway were bleak. However, a surprise opportunity six years later reinstated her faith in her abilities and career.
The actress’s resilience shines through both her personal challenges and professional triumphs, making her a commendable figure both on and off the stage. Despite her recent health scare, Williams continues to embrace her role in the spotlight, proving that even after setbacks, there is always a path forward in the world of performing arts.