Steven Spielberg is back in fine form with The Fabelmans, which opens today in select theaters and will be widely released on November 23. Cinema lovers everywhere know Spielberg's name, as he has permeated nearly every genre from monster thrillers like Jaws and Jurassic Park to more heartwarming, child-centric fare such as E.T. The Extraterrestrial and Hook. The acclaimed director has a very personal story to tell this time around, but he hasn't lost any of his grand style in the process.

Spielberg has been a touchstone in cinema for decades, leading many to wonder how he got his start and what inspired him. It's a question that The Fabelmans helps to answer, painting a portrait of his childhood through the eyes of 16-year-old Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle), who discovers a hidden family secret and turns to filmmaking as a result. Taking place primarily in the 1960s, The Fabelmans also stars Michelle Williams and Paul Dano as Sammy's parents, whose marital tensions are a source of stress for their song. The strong ensemble cast also includes Seth Rogen and Judd Hirsh, each of whom plays an echo of someone who exerted a formative influence on Spielberg's life.

Related: The Fabelmans May Be Spielberg's Most Emotional Movie Yet

Screen Rant spoke to Dano and Williams about how their offscreen friendship impacted their onscreen dynamic, and how they approached playing fictionalized versions of Spielberg's parents in The Fabelmans.

Michelle Williams & Paul Dano On The Fabelmans

Paul Dano and Michelle Williams at the movies in The Fabelmans

Screen Rant: I know you had a real-life friendship already established before going into the film. Did that help or hurt, because your onscreen marriage is not as rosy as your friendship is?

Michelle Williams: I think it definitely helped, yeah.

Paul Dano: It helped. I think it's trust, and there's love and friendship. It's about family and intimacy. Sometimes it's intimidating to work with people you know because they can call BS easier. It's [scarier], but not in this case, actually. Yeah, it felt good.

Michelle Williams: I also love that we get to continue the experience through our friendship. We're going to get to reminisce; we get to continue to see each other, and we'll always have this to look back on.

How did you each approach the fact that you're essentially playing Steven Spielberg's parents in The Fabelmans?

Michelle Williams: Every time you go to work, you really hope to make something special and different than something that you've done before. I think you put a lot of expectations on yourself, so there's always that. And then, of course, this felt extra precious because somebody was trusting you with their beloved.

Finally, Paul, physicality is such an important part of your performance, between this and The Batman. Both are very different, but how you carry yourself is powerful. How do you do that?

Paul Dano: It's funny, because I don't think that I look like Arnold. In fact, I was really self-conscious about it. I remember seeing you with your hair cut and going, "F--k me. Michelle looks so much more [accurate]. How do I...? I'm not..."

And I remember Steven didn't want me to gain weight. Arnold had a specific part of his body that he carried his energy in, so I think you try to work with stuff like that. And I always liked that, “Where's the center of energy for this character, and how's that different from me?” You can move that around. Sometimes you can do something physically. Yeah, that's fun. You put on a pair of heels, and you feel different, right? All that just helps to build and contribute.

About The Fabelmans

Looking through the camera in Th e Fablemans.

Young Sammy Fabelman falls in love with movies after his parents take him to see "The Greatest Show on Earth." Armed with a camera, Sammy starts to make his own films at home, much to the delight of his supportive mother.

Check out our other interview with The Fabelmans star Gabriel LaBelle.

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The Fabelmans is currently playing in select theaters prior to its wide release on November 23.