Jesse Williams (actor)
| Jesse Williams | |
|---|---|
 Williams in New York City, 2008 |
|
| Born | J. Wesley Williams[1] August 5, 1981 [1] Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Spouse(s) | Aryn Drake-Lee (2012–present) |
J. Wesley "Jesse" Williams (born August 5, 1981) is an American actor and model, best known for his role as Dr. Jackson Avery on the ABC Television series Grey's Anatomy. He also appeared as Lena's boyfriend Leo in the film sequel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. In 2012, he starred in the horror film The Cabin in the Woods.
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Early life and education [edit]
Williams was born J. Wesley Williams on August 5, 1981 in Chicago, Illinois.[2] In an appearance on the Wendy Williams Show, which aired March 9, 2010, Williams stated that his mother, Johanna Chase,[3] is Swedish American, while his father is of African American and Seminole ancestry from Georgia.[4][5] Both Williams and his brother were raised in Dartmouth, Massachusetts.[6] Williams graduated from Moses Brown School in 1999.[3] Prior to graduating from high school, his mother was a potter, while his father worked in a local factory. After Williams graduated from high school, his parents each began teaching in the public school system, while his mother maintained her work in pottery.[3][5][6]
Williams graduated from Temple University with a double major in African American Studies and Film and Media Arts.[3][7] Following in the footsteps of his parents, he taught high school in the Philadelphia public school system for six years, where he used his degree earned at Temple, to teach American Studies, African Studies, and English.[6][8][9]
Career [edit]
In 2005, Williams studied acting with Wayne Gasser of the Gasser Group. That year, he was chosen to participate in the New York Actors Showcase, presented by ABC Television. Williams was one of 14 actors chosen from among over 600 individuals who auditioned to appear in the showcase.[3] Since 2006, he has appeared in a number of television series, films, and theatre productions. In 2012, he established a production company, known as farWord Inc.[5]
In May 2012, a fan campaign was organized in an attempt to influence film executives to cast him in the role of Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which is part of The Hunger Games franchise.[10] This news resulted in some fans of the Hunger Games franchise to protesting casting decisions made by the film executives.[11]
In 2013, Williams wrote an article for CNN, which offered an analysis of the award-winning film, Django Unchained.[12] Later that year, Jesse narrated the audiobook for The Bane Chronicles: What Really Happened In Peru by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan.[13]
Television [edit]
In 2006, Williams appeared in an episode of Law & Order, portraying the character Kwame. He also appeared in the role of Drew Collins, in two episodes of the ABC Family series Greek. He also had a recurring role in eight episodes of the television series Beyond the Break as Officer Eric Medina.[14]
On October 15, 2009, Williams began appearing as Jackson Avery in the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy.[15] He portrays former Mercy West surgeon Dr. Jackson Avery. On June 8, 2010, it was announced that Williams had been officially upgraded to a full-time series regular, starting in season 7.[16] BuddyTV ranked him No. 6 on its "TV's 100 Sexiest Men of 2010" list[17] and No. 11 in 2011.[18]
Theater [edit]
Williams appeared in the theatre productions of The American Dream and The Sandbox at Cherry Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village in New York City. Both plays were written and directed by playwright Edward Albee. He's also served as a guest director for student productions showing at The Urban Arts Partnership 24 Hour Plays Off-Broadway, at the request of Rosie Perez and Anna Strout.[8][19]
Film [edit]
In 2008, Williams made his film debut in the supporting role of Leo in the sequel to the 2004 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. In 2010, he appeared in the film Brooklyn's Finest which stars Don Cheadle, Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, and Ellen Barkin. The film was released on March 5, 2010. In 2008, Williams signed on for his first leading role, as Holden McCrea, in the MGM/United Artists horror film film The Cabin in the Woods. The film was produced by Joss Whedon and directed by Drew Goddard, and was released April 13, 2012.[19]
Modeling [edit]
Williams worked as a model during high school, but never considered pursuing it as a career. After high school, he moved to New York to pursue acting, while there, he modeled for Kenneth Cole Productions and Tommy Hilfiger Corporation.[2][6] He can be seen as the love interest of R&B singer Rihanna in the music video for her hit single "Russian Roulette" from her 2009 album Rated R. He also appears in the official music video for Estelle's song, "Fall In Love", from the album All of Me.[19]
Personal life [edit]
On September 1, 2012, Williams married real estate broker, Aryn Drake-Lee. Williams and his wife, who met when he was teaching high school, had been in a relationship for five years, before they were married in Los Angeles.[20]
Filmography [edit]
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2008 | The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 | Leo | |
| 2010 | Brooklyn's Finest | Eddie Quinlain | March 5, 2010 |
| 2012 | The Cabin in the Woods | Holden McCrea | April 13, 2012 |
| 2013 | The Butler | James Lawson | October 18, 2013 |
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2006 | Law & Order | Kwame | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Beyond the Break | Eric Medina | 8 episodes |
| 2008 | Greek | Drew Collins | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | The Washingtonienne | Keya | "HBO" (not picked up) |
| 2009–present | Grey's Anatomy | Dr. Jackson Avery | Main cast member |
References [edit]
- ^ a b "Jesse Williams News, Jesse Williams Bio and Photos". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ a b "The Betty Interview: Jesse Williams". BettyConfidential.com. 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ a b c d e David B. Boyce, Standard-Times correspondent (2005-11-13). "Dartmouth native wins spot in ABC acting showcase". SouthCoastTod ay.com. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ "Jesse Williams learns and plays history - Daily Press". Articles.dailypress.com. 2010-09-18. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- ^ a b c "Jesse Williams Is Not Just a Pretty Face". Global Grind. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ a b c d "Jesse Williams". RTÉ News. November 24, 2011.
- ^ http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/19/opinion/williams-django-still-chained/?hpt=hp_c3
- ^ a b "Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) Bio - Grey's Anatomy - ABC.com". Abc.go.com. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ Fleming, Kirsten (2008-08-03). "Who's That: Jesse Williams is Brooklyn's Newest Breakout Star". Nypost.com. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
- ^ "Catching Fire Casting Scoop: Fan Fave Jesse Williams Talks Finnick!". E! Online. 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ Anna Breslaw (2012-05-05). "Another Racist Shitstorm Brews Over Casting Hunger Games' Finnick". Jezebel.com. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ "Django, in chains". CNN.com. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ Rosenfield, Kat (April 17, 2013). "Jesse Williams Spills The Beans On His 'Bane Chronicles' Voice Gig". MTV. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
- ^ Jesse Williams' Official Website: Filmography at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 4 YEARS (2009-08-28). "Jesse Williams cast in 'Grey's Anatomy' - Live Feed". Hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ Fowler, Tara. "'Grey's Anatomy' exclusive: Jesse Williams gets full-time upgrade | Inside TV | EW.com". Ausiellofiles.ew.com. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ "TV's 100 Sexiest Men of 2010". Buddytv.com. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
- ^ "TV's 100 Sexiest Men of 2011". Buddytv.com. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
- ^ a b c Jesse Williams' Official Website: Bio at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Chi, Paul (2013-01-14). "Jesse Williams, of Grey's Anatomy, Gets Married - Weddings, Grey's Anatomy, Jesse Williams". People.com. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
