I mean, what was 'Crash'?: Michelle Williams questions 'Brokeback Mountain's Oscar loss

Williams was part of 2005 neo-Western romantic drama film, 'Brokeback Mountain', directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus, reported Deadline.

She questioned why the Academy snubbed her 'Brokeback Mountain', which infamously lost the Best Picture trophy to Paul Haggis' 'Crash'.

"I mean, what was 'Crash'?" Williams asked on the talk show 'Watch What Happens Live' while talking about the impact of the film, as per the outlet.

"People were so open about it," she recalled. "I just remember doing the junket. You don't really get an opportunity to see a lot of grown men cry. That was the moment that I think that we all knew that it was going to be special."

Adapted from the 1997 short story by Annie Proulx, the screenplay was written by Ossana and Larry McMurtry. 'Brokeback Mountain' stars Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and Michelle Williams, reported Deadline.

After the film's snub resulted in criticism in Hollywood, and was even unofficially re-voted as Best Picture in 2015, Lee blamed the loss on the Academy's homophobia last year.

"Back then, (Brokeback Mountain) had a ceiling," he said in an interview in March 2024. "We got a lot of support -- up to that much. It has that feeling. I wasn't holding a grudge or anything. It's just how they were."

Earning her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, Williams played Ledger's wife Alma. The film also starred Linda Cardellini, Kate Mara, David Harbour, Anna Faris and Randy Quaid.

'Brokeback Mountain' won Best Director for Lee, Best Adapted Screenplay for Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana and Best Original Score for Gustavo Santaolalla. In addition to Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress, the film was nominated for Best Actor for Ledger, Best Supporting Actor for Gyllenhaal and Best Cinematography for Rodrigo Prieto, reported Deadline.