Grief affects us all, no matter what our circumstances – and Michelle Williams is no exception.

On 22 January 2008, her former partner and close friend, Heath Ledger, passed away from an accidental overdose: since then, Williams has raised their daughter, Matilda (now 11), by herself.

“In all honesty, for pretty much everything else, I feel like I’m a believer in not fighting circumstances, accepting where you are and where you’ve been,” the actress explained in an interview with Porter.

“In pretty much all senses but one, I would be able to go totally down that line of thinking were it not for Matilda not having her dad. You know, that’s just something that doesn’t…I mean, it just won’t ever be right.”

Thankfully, though, she has a fantastic support group around her – particularly in best friend Busy Phillips, who is also Matilda’s godmother.

Busy Phillips flies to be with Michelle Williams on anniversary of Heath Ledger’s death