LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Michael Keaton is all set to reprise his role as Batman in ‘The Flash’. The Hollywood veteran, 71, first donned the mask of the Caped Crusader nearly 31 years ago in Tim Burton's classic, 'Batman Returns', which was released in 1992. Keaton’s phenomenal performance and his low register voice gave his career a boost and helped him land some roles in blockbusters, including, ‘Birdman’, ‘Beetlejuice' and ‘Quicksand’.
Keaton has been in the Hollywood spotlight for nearly 50 years but he has still managed to keep his personal life private. In the past, the actor has been linked with many women but he only married once, to the late actress Caroline McWilliams. Keaton and McWilliams tied the knot in 1982 but their marriage failed to stand the test of time and they called it quits in 1990. Following his divorce, the ‘Beetle Juice’ star dated several actresses including Courteney Cox but he never remarried. McWilliams and Keaton never rekindled their relationship but they remained close for the sake of their son Sean Maxwell.
Who was Caroline McWilliams?
Just like her then-husband, McWilliams was also a renowned actor. She was known for playing Janet Mason Norris on ‘Guiding Light.’ She was a seasoned stage performer before transitioning to films and TV. She has been in Shakespeare plays as well as on and off-Broadway productions of 'The Rothschilds’ and ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’. After she ended her run on the ‘Guiding Light’, McWilliams also appeared in hit shows including 'Kojak', 'Barney Miller' and 'The Incredible Hulk'.
In 1978 and 1979, McWilliams appeared in sitcoms, before garnering praise for her role in ‘Benson’. Not just that, she also directed theatrical plays, and wrote and directed the short film 'Let's Get a Divorce'. Her last role was as Helene Steele in three episodes of 'Judging Amy' in 2002 and 2003, according to Hollywood Life. McWilliam's sister, Kelly-Jo Dvareckas, previously spoke of her sister's love for her craft, revealing that she "really hit her stride when she started to direct."
How did Caroline McWilliams die?
McWilliams lived an illustrious life before her death in February 2010 at her LA home. At that time her family member revealed that she died from complications caused due to multiple myeloma, which, according to the American Cancer Society, is a cancer that comes from malignant plasma cells. She was survived by Keaton, Sean and her sisters, Dvareckas, Norma Liedtke and Patti.
Shortly after McWilliams' death, Keaton said that two of his siblings, who had also lost their ex-spouses, had warned him that her death would be harder than he thought. “And the feelings that came up were odd, but not in a bad way, necessarily, because we had remained close,” he stated in an interview with Elle. “She was a remarkable mom. Sean is the great guy he is because of her—we’ve always been tight, but now the bond’s even tighter. We’re the family now,” the actor further continued.
