Thomas Kail Brought Michelle Williams and Kids to “Moana” Set in Hawaii: ‘Fills the Family Scrapbook’ (Exclusive)
Thomas Kail Brought Michelle Williams and Kids to “Moana” Set in Hawaii: ‘Fills the Family Scrapbook’ (Exclusive)
Kayla Grant, Jack SmartFri, July 3, 2026 at 3:00 PM UTC
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Thomas Kail and Michelle Williams pose at the opening night of the revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of 2000 at The Booth Theatre on April 16, 2026 in New York City.Credit: Bruce Glikas/WireImage -
Thomas Kail brought his wife Michelle Williams and their four kids to Hawaii while working on Moana
Kail says he aims to make work a family experience and create memories that "fill the family scrapbook"
Williams recently revealed their youngest child was born via surrogate and thanked the surrogate during an interview
Thomas Kail turned the Hawaii set of Moana into a family affair.
While speaking with PEOPLE exclusively, the Tony Award-winning director, 49, revealed that he brought his wife, actress Michelle Williams, and their four kids to Hawaii while on set for Disney's new live-action Moana (in theaters July 10).
Kail shares that he aims to "make my work experience the same as my family's experience," adding that he wants his profession to be something that brings his family together.
"My goal is to make my work experience the same as my family's experience. So instead of work being the thing that takes us away, work is something that we can participate in," he says. "My family was here in Hawaii when we were making this. That was the first time they've ever been to work with me."
"I mean, it was incredible," Kail adds. "This is a movie that they can sit in a theater. They've never seen a movie in a movie theater, [and] this could be their first."
Thomas Kail and Michelle Williams attend the 32nd Annual Actor Awards at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on March 01, 2026, in Los Angeles, California.Credit: Monica Schipper/WireImage
The doting dad goes on to talk about how he and the Dying for Sex actress, 45, always try to prioritize quality time as a family unit while working.
"Whenever we can, we always want to be together. And the reality is, if work happens to take you somewhere, [it] could be something that fills the family scrapbook," he shares. "That's the goal. It doesn't always work out, but when it does, ... that's the pinnacle."
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The Greatest Showman actress first became a mother in October 2005 when she welcomed daughter Matilda with her then-boyfriend, the late Heath Ledger. In 2020, Williams and Kail tied the knot two years after the pair met on the set of Fosse/Verdon.
Matilda reportedly played matchmaker for the couple, who have now welcomed three kids together, including their son Hart, a baby born in 2022, and another baby who arrived in 2025.
Thomas Kail and Michelle Williams at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Peacock Theater on September 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California.Credit: Gilbert Flores/Getty
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Williams recently opened up about the birth of her fourth child. The Emmy winner shared an extremely rare insight into her family life during a Monday, Aug. 18, appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. During the show, Williams was complimented on her figure by guest host Tiffany Haddish, who said that she looked like she'd never had any children.
"Then I've got to give a big shout out to Christine, cuz this last baby did not come through my body," Williams responded. "But the miracle of our little girl is thanks to Christine. Maybe you're watching out there; thank you, Christine."
She continued, adding, "Thanks to Christine, I have three under 5 at home."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
